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The Brussels Post, 1978-01-18, Page 49he. %ter& 8avas O SSTS 71g% TIZAANNWO: 1.1%17/7111 1/4\NI V17; by R ieharcl Charles 1 How are you doing? You hear a lot nowadays about the need to save energy., $o, what do you think? Perhaps you are bothered by what ytim might get into if you become serious about saving energy. A few short questions printed below may help you to sort out your ideas. But first, we need one answer before the rest can make sense. What do we mean by energy? It's the source of heating and cooling, lighting and motive power on which our homes, transportation, industries, farms and businesses depend in everyday life. We draw it mainly from fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal), water power and nuclear reactors: to a lesser extent from wood; and to a. small but increasing extent from sunshine, wind,, tides and hot springs. Of course, almost all of this energy originates from the sun. Now for some yes,and-no questions that you might ask yourself. (No prizes: we're trying to save, not spend, remember? ) — Do you think the talk about an energy shortage is a lot of nonsense? -- Can we go on using more and more energy as long as we can pay for it? — If we soon use up the world's available stock of fosSil fuels, can we just switch to other sources of energy and continue as before? — To' make a worthwhile saving in energy; do we have to ruin our standard of living? — Is the call to • save energy aimed-only at "the little guy", while big users like industry and government go free? If you have answered "no" so far, you must be on the right track. — Can you save money through saving energy? — • Is it enough if you save energy simply by finding ways to stop wasting it? — Can you save energy without making your home too cold (or too hot)? — Are there ways of driving a car, without being considered a waster? —_Can labour-saving devices be used in conjunction with energy-saving ideas? , You probably won't be surprised to learn that the best answer to those questions is' "yes". — Do you make a, habit of switching off lights that are not in use? — Are ydu prepared to give up yOur bid for the local championship in the amount of garbage you throw out? — Do you try to save energy away from home: on the job, at school, wherever you go? Only a saint or a born liar could give a solid "yes" to this last group of questions, but, perhaps you haven't said a flat "no" either. - This interrogation may have raised still more questions in your mind, Don't worry. You can get answers by sending. for a copy of ' 100 ways 'io save energy and money in the home to Box 3500, Station C, Ottawa,.Ontario, K lY 4G 1 , and by looking out for this series of newspaper columns called "Energy Savers". — If your home insulated at least to the minimum recom-. mended level? Is your 'home heating system cleaned and serviced at least once a year? Do you draw only the amount of hot water you need when you do the washing, take a bath or shOwers and so on? YER Audreyey AAA 'S Where Personal Service is still important Lloyd En gra vin g Engraved work done on premises On all types of Trgphies All types of trophies for all occasions available. Open every Friday 'til 9 for your convenience Member B.B.A. Brussels .887-9000 4-THE BRUSSELS POST, JANUARY 18, 1978 It must be nice` to be one of those people who sail into a new year with high hopes, great expectations, and firm resolves. I am more inclined to back into it gingerly, head ducked as though awaiting a cuff from fate. I think, from experience, that you have to be young and naive; or old and religious, or just plain dumb, to expect the next year is going to be any better than the last. For example: I know I'm going to be one year older and uglier; I know 'I'm going to have fewer teeth and less hair: I know I'm going to be utterly flabbergasted at the arrant thievery of the government when! make out the•cheque for income tax on the last day of April; I know that more and more of my friends, relatives and colleagues are going to be st ruck down by cancer, heart attacks, a broken marriage, or the crud. I know that my daughter won't be able to get' a job as a .teacher, after a gruelli ng year of preparing for same and raising two kids on the side. , I am quite certain that my two grandboys a:e going to get steadily more difficult to handle. (One of them, not quite four years old, made a dreadful suggestion to a lady .in a store not long before Christmas, as my wife and I looked around wild-eyed, pretending we didn't know 'him or each other. )1 I got a raise this year, but am perfectly aware that it doesn't allow me to keep up with inflation. I saved some money this year, for the first time in 30, by continuing to drive a 10-year-ald car, but, I know every dollar*tucked away (and paid taxes on) will b e worth 82 cents when it comes time to spend it. 1 know full well that during, the coming year I will have to undergo the ordeal of a federal ;-election ; in which a bunch of nincompoCips,..try to convince me that they , can run the country better ihan a bunch of turkeys. 'I am fully cognizant of the fact that my wife is going to be on my back in 1978 for moral turpitude, physical lassitude, and mental ineptitude, not to mention a •number of other things that can't be classified in a family journal. Economically, the country is, depending. on your point of view, either up the creek without a paddle or going over the falls with • a motor stuck in high gear. . Next fall, my students will be the absolute worst I've ever had, there will be more of them, eight will be on ,drugs, six will be alcoholics, five will get pregnant, and I'll 1-e taken off to the funny factory. Why don't ,I just shoot. myself then, instead of heading into 1978 with all these bogeymen riding my shoulders? You may well ask. Because life is the life. As, my daughter once remarked at the age of six, and which I have since considered one of the great philosophical gems of the 20th century. Of course I'll be one year older. But I'll be one year smarter, at least in theory. It's not true that I'll have fewer teeth. I'll have more. I'm getting that euphemism called a `par tial plate." Less hair, but I can always get a toupee or a fall. Uglier, for certain, but there comes a point when ugly starts to become beautiful. "His face has a lot of character," they say, meaning that you look like something that just swam home from the Crimean War. Sure my buddies will be stricken with everything from a slipped cervix to a swollen colon, but a couple of them were marked up for.the big final registration last year, and came through with, flying colors and a heightened love of life. Maybe my kid won't get a job teaching. Maybe it's a good thing. How would you like to spend your working hours with a bunch of teachers, as I do? . O.K., my grandboys are really' rotten. But they aren't any more rotten than their mother was 20 years ago. She's just now beginning to admit to us what she was doing when we thought she was at Sunday School. I'm slipping behind financially, but who isn't? My prisoner-of-war pension soared by 7.5 per cent on Jan. 1, so I'm on the glory trail. It is now almost 60 bucks a month. No question, we'll have a federal election. But what's to worry when our Grand Guru, Pierre Himself, says that if we all think positively, the economy will pick up? WhO can argue with something as solid as that? Certainly ,not the poor dope who has been out of work for two years. He's probably not thinking positively. No doubt, 'no doubt at. all, that, rriy .wife will be on, my back through 1978 for the things mentioned, and some new ones she'll think up. But what the hell? I'm used, to it; and we're still man and wife, although , she might quibble about that designation, or parts of 'it. As for my students nekt fall, they will undoubtedly be the same mixed bag of' mixed-up adolescents they have always been, and we'll get along fine once they realize that Mr. Smiley is a bit senile and must be humored. Last year was pretty bad, and this year will be worse, but life is life, and it sure beats lying there in the graveyard with your hands on yopr tummy. Sugar and Spice by Bill. Smiley Life is the life Wingham Memorial Shop) Belgrave ACW Holds regular meeting QUALITY SEROCE .CRAFTMANSHIP , Open Every Weekday Your Guarantee for Over 35 Years of CEMETERY LETTERING Box 158, WINGHAM JOHN MALLICK Correspondent Mrs. Lewis Stonehouse The Belgrave A.C.W. met at the home of Mrs. Cooper ethery on Thursday afternoon with seven members in attendance. Miss Mary Nethery, the president, welcomed everyone and opened - the meeting by reading the meditation from the Living Message magazihe. The scripture was read by Mrs. Sam Fear. The roll call was answered with a Bible verse containing the word. snow. Minutes were read by the secretary, Mrs. Clare Van Camp and the treasurer's report by Mrs. 'Alex Nethery. Names were drawn for a Secret. Sister for the coming year. Mrs. Clare Van Camp read "A Prayer for Whiter." The W.M.S. meeting was held on u ary 12 at the home of Mrs. Jack Mcl3tirney. Mrs. Joe Dunbar opened the meeting with a poem entitled "On the Wings of a Prayer". Scripture reading was given by Mrs. Garner Nicholson. Mrs.. Mac Scott led in prayer. Mrs. McBurney chose as her topic clippings from Glad Tidings. She also gave the secretary and treasurer's report. The roll call was answered by six members. Seven sick and shut-ins were recorded. Offering was received and dedicated and Mrs. Joe Dunbar closed the meeting with prayer. Lunch was served by the hostess. The Rev. Fred Carson of Elnora, Alberta, spent the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Clare. Van Camp and visited with many friends in the 'Blyth, Brussels, Auburn and. Belgrave district. Brent Campbell of London also spent the weekend at the same home. Max Pletch of Dryden visited with his grandmother Mrs. Harry McGuire and with his grandfather Harry McGuire, a patient in the Wingham and District. Hospital last week. Mr. Clayton Bosman of Fort Quebec is visiting with his parents, Mr, and Mrs, Gordon Bosman. Max Pletch of Dryden spent a few days with his parents,. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pletch. Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Pletch of Wingham, Max Pletch of Dryden, Miss Ruth Ann Pletch of Kitchener, Mr. and Mrs. Keith .Pletch and family, Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Pletch were dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pletch and DAvid on SAturday evening, this being the occasion of their father's birthday. J.E. LOINGSTAPF - OPTOMETRIST - SEAFORTH 527.1240 Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 - 5:30 Wednesday, Saturday 9:00 .12:00 CLINTON 482-7010 Monday 9:00 - 5:30 By Appointment • .