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The Rural Voice, 1980-10, Page 21VOICE OF A FARMER The view from here BY ADRIAN VOS When at last it seems the Davis government is beginning to understand that it is patently unfair that rural users of electricity pay 29 per cent more for power than their urban customers, it comes as a surprise that not everyone agrees with that point of view. T.B. Lounsbury has formed an association Against Equalization of Electricity Rates. He finds this an unjust plan. It is not that he begrudges ruralites lower rates, but he correctly supposes that the money must come from somewhere, and that this somewhere will be the pocket of the urban majority. It is strange that the policy of successive Ontairo governments, since construction of the first generating station in Niagara Falls, has been that all regions of Ontario be charged the same rate, regardless of distance from the source, except where it concerned rural areas. Reading the other day about Dr. Samuel Johnson, a sage from the 18th century in London, England, I couldn't help but think of our present day money lenders. Dr. Johnson said: "1 do not call a gamester a dishonest man; but I call him an unsocial man, an unprofitable man. Gaming is a mode of transfer of property without producing any immediate good." There are many examples today of "transfer of property without producing any immediate good." 1 think of speculators in the futures and the stockmarkets, (distinct from investors) who sometimes spread rumors to make the price of stock fluctuate so they can take money away from other investors without doing any work but that in their devious brains. After the English language lost a perfectly good word, "gay", to the homosexual movement, it stands to lose another good word to the activists. The word is "environmentalist". Properly used, it means someone who is concerned about his surroundings as they affect us all. Lately it has come to mean the much narrower definition of crusaders against the introduction of foreign substances into nature. That creates the impression that many disciples of environmental studies and old time protectors of nature, such as farmers, are opponents of environmentalism. But I guess that's just one of those developments of language growth we will have to get used to. Some of the new expressions remain, and some disappear after a few years. Remember when someone who was well informed was "with it", and how he later was considered "hip"? What is it today? I don't even know. VISTA VILLA Happenings DANNY BOB SIRED THESE WINNERS GRAND CHAMPION Production Tested Carcass Barrow 1980 Ontario Pork Congress GRAND CHAMPION Production Tested Live Barrow 1980 Ontario Pork Congress GRAND CHAMPION Truck Lot (5 Market Hogs) 1980 Ontario Pork Congress We bred Danny Bob, Sire of these winners. They were tested for Average Daily Gain, leaness, Carcass Quality and Visual Appearance. Our breeding can do these things for you Robert J. Robinson R.R. 4, Walton 345-2317 THE RURAL VOICE/OCTOBER 1980 PG. 19