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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-01-14, Page 5THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Jenearry 14, lees -s Stop progress now! I wanna get off The other day a friend's car conked out along the highway. "No problem," I said. "I'II just call Angelo." Manya time I've had to call Angelo Tamburri of the famous Tamburri Brothers. (No, they're auto mechanics and towtruck operators. Those guys who flew through the air with the greatest of ease were the famous Wallenda Brothers.) If the Tamburri Brothers can't fix it on the spot, they'll ` tow you back to the shop from as far away as -Cleveland,if necessary. So I called the shop .on behalf of my friend and strangely enough no -one answered. So I called Angelo at home and he told me he was watching figure skating which meant the situation may have been even stranger than I first thought. Tamburri's now belong to an automated automobile association dispatch calling centre so the old system -- just call Angelo -- is now redundant. 1 liked the old system. Oh sure i_r was personal, direct and efficient -- everything this electron- ically duplicitous planet _eschews - but I guess I'm just an old-fashioned kind of a guy. So now when your car breaks down you dial a 1-900 number .a woman. who calls herself Missus Goodwrench reads the tow trucker's code of conduct to you in a deep throaty voice. No; you call a 1-800 number and a person answers who ... just testing your sense of humour here. No person at any association, airline, government ministry or large company ever answers the phone anymore. What you get is V M which stands for Very Maddening. It's designed to determine. how absolutely desperate you are to do business with them, before you surrender and 'hang up. Voice Mall is the single most maddening device of this century, if you don't count the situation comedy vehicle that brought Brooke Shields to network television. So npw to get to Angelo 'you • must dial a 1-800 number, leave a message and someone will call you back, Unless you're stuck in a phone booth, in which case they can't. When and if a dispatcher gets back to you he assigns the closest tow truck operator to pick you up, who may, or may not be Angelo depending upon whether or not Katerina Witt happens to be in the middle of her triple axle toe loop, if you know what I mean. STOP PROGRESS NOW!!! Folks, we are being blindly lead down the artificial path of progress like genetically engineered Iambs to the cyberspace slaughter. Do you realize that in Japan they've developed a whole race of robots who are capable of climbing stairs, playing the fiddle. playing volleyball. expressing emotion and greeting celebrities at parties? Do you realize what this means? This means that pieces of moulded plastic and stainless steel are having more fun in the world than • you are. This means that some skinny guy made mostly of Wire is the centre of attention of a gala affair to which you would only be admitted if you were dressed asabusboy. STOP PROGRESS NOW!!! In Vancouver where university researchers believe happy animals grow_ bigger 'and faster, they have installed personal computers in the sties and they have all the pigs on this experimental farm playing video games. Yes, it's George Orwell's Animal" Farm meets America's Funniest Home Videos. And yes, the pigs also find Bob Saggat really really annoying. Now think, when_was the, last time you romped around naked and randomly passed gas while playing Diddy Kong Racing? You see what •I'm saying -- everything . including your pork - tenderloin is enjoying a better standard of living then you are because you bought the big lie that progress was a good and necessary thing First there was Dolly, the first sheep cloned from a single cell. Now there's Polly, the second cloned sheep and she's genetically engineered to give Factor IX type milk to treat hemophiliacs. Next? How about Good Golly Miss Molly, a sheep with the head of Little Richard that sings and dances and is available for birthday parties and proms. Motivation by Osmosis: What. inspired Teriy Fox In March 1977 Terry Fox experienced some unusual pain in his right knee. Within a week the series of tests proved he was suffering from osteogenic sarcoma - cancer of the bone. To save his life, the doctors suggested an immediate amputation of Fox's right leg. • On March !i, 1977. the evening before amputation, many friends, relatives and well-wishers camc to visit Fox. Many brought him a card or some flowers to checr him up. Among the visitors was Fox' high school Physical Education teacher, who had brought a copy of the recent issue of thc Runners World magazine in which he had marked a cer- tain story for Fox to read. It was a very sad evening. Any attempt to cheer Fox up only brougl t tears in the eyes of the visitors as well as Fox. After all., Fox was only 18 years and eight months old at the time. • When the visitors left, Fox started glancing at the cards and flowers. Hc had already been sedated in preparation for the amputation in the morning. He was in no mood to read anything serious. spe- cially not an article from Runners World. But realizing all through his teens he had loved athletics. had dreamed of 'becoming a Physical Education teacher and his Physical Education teacher sincerely loved him, Fox decided to open thc,page of that magazine. After reading only a few lines he became quite interested in it. It was the story of Dick Traum, a one leg amputee who had County's No. 1 The food sector is Huron Countys' number one indus- try. Huron County has more agricultural salts than Newfoundland. PEI. New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. "We recognize there is' a great deal of activity here among the food business, says the executive director of Women and Rural Economic Development Carol Rock. says Women and Rural Economic - Development (WRED) and thc Huron Business Development Corporation (HBDC) announce Foodlinks: a networking event for people in the busi- ness of food to be held Jan. 21 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the OMAFRA building at 100, Don Street in Clinton. industry The WRED and the HBDC want to help people capitalize on that, activity and the resources that arc here t o help Huron food businesses improve their bottom line. Rock said. The Foodlinks event will provide an opportunity for farmers. food processors, restaurateurs, owners of food shops. caterers and anyone else in the business of food to make connections, identify common needs and explore new opportunities for busi- ness alliance's to help meet those needs. To register for this event or for more information call WRED at 1-800-790-9949. The WRED Rural Alliance Project is funded by thc Women and Economic Development Consortium. Gas prices soar continued from Page 5 Edward gave the committee a number of newspaper clip- pings illustrating examples of fraudulent acts in thc gasoline industry in both Canada and thc United States. '"lite cocktailing of fuel is a factor," he said. But McTeague pointed out the price of gas in Sarnia was at 57 cents while it was 50 in Toronto but Sarnia had access to a cheaper rack price. Hc asked Edward how this could -be. Edward said Sarnia gas sta- tions tobk a beating because of the low Canadian dollar and have been faced with repairs to their gas stations, similar to one his station -completed a marathon race in New York the previous month. The story inflamed Fox's imagination. He suddenly felt that the Toss of a leg might not mean the end of his abili- ty to do something in his life. Despite the medication. Fox found it difficult to sleep that evening. Hc read that story many times and resolved to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. Since he was alone, he could not consult his idea with any- one. Fox's recovery after the amputation was good. Hc maintained good spirits. exer- cised well and was able to play pitch -and -putt' golf with- in three weeks. About a month after the amputation he revealed his plan to his best friend. 1t took Fox almost six months to share it with his parents. No one considered his dream as feasible. For the next three years Fox trained himself and then in 1980 he started his run. No, he could not complete his run. He had to abandon ti it right at mid- point, near Winnipeg. But his dream of raising a million dollars for cancer research was amply fulfilled. In September 1980. a telethon spgnsored by CTV Network raised $22 million in the. name of Terry Fox and Fox's name was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. This is an excellent exam- ple of MBO: Motivation by Osmosis. No one. not even Fox's Physical Education teacher had ,suggested to him to undertake the project. It was Fox's own realization ih, MASSAGE THERAPY SANDRA SLIEOTT R.iiII.T. Registered Maseape Therapi For an appointmentll 527-1242 Seaforth Chiropractic Clinic recently underwent. that cost him $44,000. In response to another ques- tion from McTeague, Edward said Canadian rack prices are not coming down to match steady decreases in crude oil prices because the rack suppli- ers can make more money by ,dragging out the decreases. in. general, Edward said the public has found issue with the gas prices but said there could just as easily be a trav- elling committee formed to look at the price of beer or pick up trucks. "I really think it's a public whipping boy right nowk he said and resolve. It was in harmo- ny with his inherent interests - athletics. It was challenging. He did not want to duplicate what Dick Traum had done. That would be no challenge. Perhaps Fox thought in bis mind: "Well, if Traum can one marathon. I will go for one marathon every day until I run across Canada." And Fox visualized the pro- ject as a good cause -to raise money for cancer research. Fox's Physical Education teacher was instrumental in creating an environment in which Fox could see the light, could experience the realization of a suitable. chal- lenging and worthwhile goal. The •actual motivation, the one that created the Burning Desire in him, came simply by Osmosis. 'Had anyone made any attempt to influ- ence Fox, the result would have been far. far different., For inquiries Dr. Shall Sinha can be contacted by email, Tel. 403/467 8178. Fax 403/467 8178. NOTICE to RATEPAYERS TOWNSHIP OF MULLETT Effective January 21, 1998, the municipal office will be closed to the public every Wednesday. i -McMaster Siemon iZr INSURANCE BROKERS INC. BROKERS: Bill Siemon Vicki Siemon Anette McTaggart Dan Proctor Ken Hutchison 68 Ontario Rd. 348-9150 Mitchell 1-800.561-0183 ( llti ,llrl>Iii ,tc{� I ,Illi 1)111 ,t,.. 'Personal Development •Practical Skills •Develop Self Confidence •Speaking Effectively For more information or to Register Cali Joanne Melady Ron Van Bakst 345-2152 or 393-6115 St rts:. Monday Jan. 19th at;7:00 p.m. Mitchell Main St. United Ch roh 11 weekly sessions for 8115.00 Seniors or Students $105.00 Over 2.000 Graduates each year. STOP PROGRESS NOW!!! I swear, 1 read in Ann Landers' column last month about the guy from San Francisco who invented the musical condom, the only prophylactic that whistles Dixie while it works. A condom with an ear for music!?! Do you need [her added pressure of hearing Mick Jagger sing "I can't get -no satisfaction" while you're closing fast on the backstretch of The Boinker's Cup? I don't think so. Do you want to be the one to have .to sit down with Ann Landers and explain what condoms are used for? No way. • STOP PROGRESS NOW!!! As Ogden Nash once said, after he had invented the Nash Rambler: "Progress might have been alright once but it has gone on too long." Or put another. way: "Sorry we can't come to the phone right now but Katerina and I are working on a quadruple grand jete, if you know what I mean. Please call the dispatch centre."' THANK YOU Thank you to all the people who sup- ported us for the past 4 years. We would like to welcome Kim Russell as the new owner of The Hobby ShoR. Ron and Bessie Broome SEAFORTH INSURANCE BROKER LTD. 527-1610 'Dsoffard Y@I &se k Our garcrggn e • ,Nome • Commercial • Auto • Farm • Life • Out of Province Travel Insurance Barb Wan. Joanne Williamson. Lynn Pietsrh. Ken Cardno se goof CARE CLINIC Friday, January 30, 1998 10 am - 2 pm Ilegistlerr�Nurse on site for speciality care in: CORNS 17'0E iLS CALL 527-1990 to make an appointment °A '5.00 charge will apply. 67 Main St., Seaforth — 527-1990 You take your Investments seriously. You should. You expect a fah deal. You should. You demand Security and guarantees. You should. TERM DEPOSITS RBBF Riur FARM PLUS GIC 5 for 15 months Annual Interest Paid at Maturity Annual Interest Maturity Special Limited Time Rate Offerin� Limited Time Rate Offerin# All funds are reinvested in our local community and deposit insured by Deposit Insured Corporation of Ontario Call today. You should! CLINTON COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION sxrrza. =Ir.:40"mm OPSN: MON to TiiURS. 9:80 ant. - ISO p.at. PM. 9A0 am. - 850 pet. •1 I, ,i.�, '.1; .')f.l1.l'.Ir1' ' Mir .1