HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-06-06, Page 5Final Thought
It is easy in the world to live after the
world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live
after our own; but the great man is he who in
the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect
sweetness the' independence of solitude.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2001. PAGE 5.
Other Views
In the criminal justice system
he other
T
day I was looking at a travel
brochure of an island in the Caribbean.
It does not matter what island; there are
so many of them and, to be honest, they all use
variations of the same brochure. You know the
kind ... pictures of smiling locals in the
background, just itching at the chance of
satisfying your every wish.
Like-minded travellers will occupy nearby
rooms so that you will have plenty of congenial
company. Prices are always "reasonable" and
you have the impression that, if you only go
there, you will come back with memories of a
stay that will remain forever in your mind.
They may well stay forever in your mind, but
whether they are good or bad, is something that
is left unsaid. I am not suggesting that all such
brochures lie; only that they are what we call
"the best case scenario".
It' that is what you experience, you are indeed
fortunate and should rightfully treasure the
memories. On the other hand the reverse may
be true.
Maybe I learned to rough it in my student
days, but I know very well what it is like to
sleep in stations (the one in Gevgeli on the
Greek-Macedonian border stands out) and
trains, or in some sheltered spot or even a
haystack (one I chose in England saw the cows
check me out all night). I even slept two nights
on the deck of a ship travelling between Greece
and Italy. ,
I like to consider myself as one of the most
seasoned of world travellers; this means that I
have experienced just about everything and as
a result nothing really surprises me anymore. I
have not become cynical, just realistic.
I still enjoy travelling (just ask my wife) and
any trip, for me, is an adventure to be
experienced and hopefully enjoyed.
. Let me share a few thoughts with you about
the lnature of travelling that may help you
embark On your next trip in a more positive
frame of mind.
. First of all, accept right from the beginning
that many things are done differently than in
Canada and it does not mean, because they are
different, that they are not as good. I can cite
one small example. Europeans are more likely
Lord knows it isn't the acting, which is
uniformly wooden and uninspired.
Nor the writing, which is formulaic, riddled
with cliches and corny, pathetic attempts at wit.
I don't think it's the star charisma of the cast,
either. Jerry Orbach, who looks like a
bloodhound crossed with a lounge lizard,
pretty much mails in his performance of
Detective Lenny Brisco, week in and week out.
As for his partner...well, who IS his
partner this week? The creators of the
show have a kind of revolving door
approach to casting, which means there's a
huge turnover in characters on Law and Order.
And thanks to the blizzard of reruns of old
episodes of the show, you're never sure who
Lenny will be partnered up with the next time
you tune in.
You know what I think is the secret to Law
and Order's success? It's absolute and utter
predictability.
That, and the brute' simplicity of the overall
Raymond
Canon
The
International
Scene
to carry umbrellas than are Canadians but you
should not dismiss this as quaint. There is a
good reason; they are more prone to walking
and experiencing sudden showers and less
.likely to want to put up with getting wet,
Most people all over the world honestly
cannot tell the difference between Americans
and Canadians; we sound pretty much like
somebody south of the border. Foreign vendors
often don't hesitate to charge Americans a
higher price, partly because our neighbours are
not known as the most likeable of tourists.
We even have an expression we use in French
when we feel we are being overcharged. "Mail
monsieur (madame), je ne suis pas Americain."
Don't get upset when you get taken for an
American, just make allowances for it.
In a recent column Imentioned that
'Murphy's Law will prevail (If things can go
wrong, they will). I have had flights cancelled
or delayed, luggage lost (temporarily, thank
goodness) reservations misplaced, bad
directions given, and the like. You -name it!
I seldom lose my cool. If possible. I try to
solve the problem on the spot. I always have
reading material to pass the time or I find
something interesting to do.
show concept.
It's a show about Law. And Order.
The first half of each episode features the
cops trying to run down the bad guys and put
them in the jug: the second half sees the legal
beagles doing their best to lock up the baddies
for as lOng as is jurisprudentially feasible.
The odd thing is, for as much as I claim to be
chained to the show, I seldom manage to watch
it right through to the end. I get bored with the
pace - usually about halfway through the
courtroom wrangling - and I drift away.
And yet I keep going back to it,-because for
me, it's the televisual equivalent of a package
of Players Filters. When I was a smoker, I often
convinced myself that I was dying for a
smoke, but when I finally lit up, the payoff
wasn't remotely commensurate with my
longing.
But, hey - I gave up smoking and I can give
up Law and Order too. Why should I waste an
hour of my life two or three evenings a week?
That's it. I quit.
So long, Ben Stone and Adam Schiff.
Adios, Clair Kincaid and Jack McCoy.
Take it easy, Mike and Max. Ray and Phil,
Abby and Ms Buren. I'm going Cold Turkey,
starting tonight.
After which I suppose I'll have to look into
getting a life.
Humans being human, mistakes will be made
but in the vast majority of times, anything you
do or say will not change the situation to any
great degree, if at all.
Take a few common sense precautions like
get to airports in plenty of time, confirm your
reservations, carry your money in a money belt,
make sure you understand directions and don't
be afraid to' ask them. Learn a few important
expressions of the language if you do not speak
it.
Have a day's supply of cash on hand when
you arrive to see you through to the first bank.
If you carry travellers' cheques, keep a list of
the numbers in a separate place.
By now you get the idea and I am sure that
you can add a few items to the above list.
If you still treasure some form of'privacy, try
to find places that have not yet been overrun
with tourists. I have established a series of such
places in Europe and it is really wonderful to
spend some relaxing time in each place.
Small wonder that travelling for me is still a
thing to be enjoyed. Bon voyage!
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Rolling, rolling, rolling
1 remember the day I bought my first pair of
rollerblades. I worked on the farm all
winter and by the time springmcame around
I ha,. saved $40 for a pair of brand new
rollerblades. I marched into Canadian Tire and
walked directly to the sports section. Looking
over all the rollerblades I located the cheapest
pair and took them down from the shelf,
Bright yellow and black plastic skates with
four small wheels. It was one of the biggest
purchases I had made in my 12 years of
existence.
We took them home to the farm and as I
showed them off to my younger brothers and
sister I could feel the envy burning inside
them. For days I would run off the school bus,
put on my rollerblades and skate anywhere
there was a smooth surface.
Recently North Huron Council passed a
bylaw banning skateboarding and
rollerblading in certain areas in Blyth. Council
says that tourists and residents were
complaining. Skateboarders were ruining
steps and potted plants by jumping up on
them. They said skateboarders could cause a
major accident that might injure someone.
That accident would be a liability to the town.
When I questioned the town clerk about
rollerblading he said there hadn't been a
problem yet. But he said just for safe keeping
the council banned it too. What happened to
the old saying if something isn't broke don't
fix it. If there was no problem with
rollerbladers why ban it?
The explanation I got was that rollerblading
could possibly injure people too. And when
other municipalities banned skateboarding
they banned rollerblading too, Clerk John
Stewart said. Far be it from me to call council
lemmings.
All rollerblades are just skates with wheels.
And anyone who has gone skating before can
sense the same joy as a rollerblader does.
Many people play hockey for amusement.
Every year dozens of people are injured
playing the sporti. 'A loose puck can hit a fan
and injure them. It could be a liability. Should
council ban hockey?
I'm sure when the car was invented that
people wanted to outlaw that. It scared the
horses and could cause injury. Why not outlaw
that?
Most rollerbladers can control their feet.
They can direct themselves as well as a
pedestrian can, They try to keep clear of
pedestrians.
Most rollerbladers don't have the urge to
jump up on flower pots. They are not extreme
thrill seekers and don't have the inclination to
do wild tricks like skateboarders. Trying to
jump on a flower pot with rollerblades will just
leave that person face down on the cement.
Rollerblading is a form of exercise. People
keep in shape by going rollerblading, it works
their leg muscles and creates a sweat, helping
them to stay in shape. Rollerblading is a form
of transportation that helps people get from
point A to B faster. And yes, rollerblading is a
form of amusement. It provides countless
hours of fun and excitement for the young.
If it was simply a matter of endangerment to
public safety I would support council's
decisicm to ban rollerblading. But no one has
been injured by a rollerblader in the town of
Blyth. Banning rollerblading just doesn't
make sense.
I only ever owned one pair of rollerblades,
the bright yellow ones. They are about six
sizes too small now and are just about falling
apart. But now I feel left out. My three
younger siblings own rollerblades and so do
my friends. It's an activity that provides
amusement, exercise and transportation.
It's an activity that shouldn't be denied.
We all have our dirty little secrets,
right? Big Jean's got those putting
green stains on his golf slacks.
Hedy Fry has that uncontrolled nose growth
problem. Mel Lastman wears the phoniest fake
fur topper this side of a sideshow Wolfman.
I. too, have my horrid little morsel of shame.
I love Law and Order.
- There. It's out and I feel cleansed in the
blood of the lamb.
It's the TV show that I'm talking about. The
one that's been riding at the top of the ratings
since it first went on the air a quadrillion years
ago.
I am addicted to the show - from the.opening
Gotham skyline graphics to the closing credits.
I love the theme music. I love the anonymous
narrator who intones the same litany at the
beginning of each episode:
"In the criminal justice system. the people
are represented by two separate but -equally
important groups. The police, who investigate
the crime, and the district attorneys who
prosecute the offenders. These are their
stories."
That's it. A concise road map to each and
every Lao , and Order show in 34 words. And
I am, as I have already confessed, nuts about
the show.
Although it's hard to say exactly why.
Those far fields still look green