HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 2009-02-11, Page 5• 1(
Certain things in life, like bad ideas
always come back to bite one in butt
There are certain things in life that are just BAD
IDEAS.. Sometimes in our family, these things come
up and I have to tell everyone: "That's a bad idea. A
really bad idea." This is for self-preservation pur-
poses. Dads know that most BAD IDEAS come
back to bite THEM in the butt.
Case in point. My familywants to get a pet.
;This, to me, isaBADIDEA.
Here are 43 reasons why.
#1 Animals smell bad. Youcan't deny it. Every
time you enter a house where a dog or cat
lives, you know it AS SOON AS YOU
CLOSE THE DOOR. God made them
smell so that you wouldn't confuse them
with toys or relatives.
#2 Vials are expensive. Another good point if I
do say so my darn self.. First you BUY a pet (plan on
spending between $ 100 and $1000). Then you have.
to get it shot, clipped and neutered. Over and over
again. (Except the neutering. Boy,I hope that's a per-
manent thing!). Count on every trip to the veterinari-
.
an costing $300. •
#3 Vials take up your tune.' I'm not saying that
this is a bad thing. I'm just saying that when you think
about getting a pet, you have to think very carefuily.
You have togo over every aspect of :life: _'as a , Pet
Owner and make ` sure that you are ready for that
commitment. Are you ready to• walk the dog when it
is raining, snowing AND earthquaking out? Are you
ready to be constantly picking 'residue' off your
couch, rug and/or person? Are you prepared to
clean up after your pet, even when he has just •
done a huge doody in the park and no one else
was looking? The same questions are very
effective when considering whether or not one
should start having children.
#43 Despite the promises the rest of
the family : makes, Dad .. will . end up.
doing most of the worl,even though he
was against the idea in the first p1
NOTE TO ANI
LOVERS/ACTIVISTS : I personally don't.
have a problem with many different types of aniaals.
(except yappy little dogs and most house cats). I'm
just saying that in nay case, i don't think pit would be
practical to inti :a :pet to our _ family unit. If I
haveany say in the mer, it won't be happening .for
a long-time.
NCT'E TC). WIFE: I definitely have a' say
this matter. I hope this is okay with you. I'm just
o f getting ettin bit in the =butt.... •
g
Mark Thrice is a nationally syndicated humor
colutimist and award-whomg author of Halfway To
Crazy.
Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - Page 5
ar Editor,
In January_... Carol Mitchell, MPP
for Huron -Bruce, announced gov-
ernment funding to support small
business going to a local brewery
in Tiverton.:
The Grey -Bruce FOCUS
Coalition has some concerns with
what someway regard as simply
an effort to stimulate the local
economy The FOCUS
Community Project, one of 22 to
the province, is a group . of individ-
uals, - organizations and agencies
across Grey -Bruce that . work
together to prevent problems,
including injuries and chronic : dis-
eases, associated with alcohol and
other drug abuse.
We recognize that alcohol is. a
legal commodity with an impor-
tant role in the economy, generat-
ing jobs and tax revenue for gov-
ernments, but it also carries with it
a huge potential for harm when
used inappropriately. These tough
Mors
economic times may create a
greater proFensity for : alcohol, con-
sumption. Alcohol is no ordinary
comrimodity. Harmful use of alco-
hol has broad health, economic
and social impacts. In Canada,
alcohol is among the top three risk
factors contributing to•the burden
of disease, disability and . death.
The economic burden of alcohol
abuse costs each Canadian $463
per year (Centro for Addiction and
Mental Health, Avoidable Costs of
Alcohol Abuse in Canada, 2002).
In fact, the direct health care costs
for alcohol abuse in Canada
exceed those of :cancer.
We would hope. for the : govern-
ment to offer aneven-handed
approach. If funding is to be forth-
coming to assist the production of
alcohol, surely money. should
rightly bo channeled towards sup
Pog
rtin : healotion, preven-
tion, treatment. and enforcement to
the -harin -related to `use of
reduce.m
this product.
FOCUS coalitions .. province-
wide, -including Grey -Bruce, have
been waiting for over a year to
hear ;if 'funding will be rene*ed
past . March. There. is good
research to. support . the value of
coMmUnity.: substance abuse pre-
vention- coalitions iii developing
effective strategies to. support: the
health pf the citizens.
',We :areas .king that a. balanced.
a .proach to provincial funding
•�p � � vision to
include a long-term .
addre$s and reduce alcohol-related
harms. We encourage- .yott to ask
your :MPP to raise these :issues
with ' : the Ministry of Health
Promotion.
Marie Barclay, Coordinator
Grey -Bruce FOCUS Coalition
There's a bright
Campbell, former CIMIX. radio
Wednesday evening, Jan. 21 to l0.
South Bruce Tourism : Group, wint*
evening, held at Forrnosa'CuIro s Me
in Formosa. Campbell said as t+
the i `ent` 'mer has .a
Photo by A Joanne _Osborne:
future for the Canadian' , farmer. Andrew
farm news : editor, ` spoke
e at the inth - annual
Ttctor predation
Community Centre
as commodity prices stay high,
ince. of surviving:
Increase in pneumococcal
The Grey Bruce Health
Unit has observed an
increasefl pneumococcal
pneumonia in Prey Bruce
over : the , past two years.
Immunization can prevent
these infections.
"This kind of bacterial
pneumonia causes more
deaths in older adults than
any other bacterial, vac-
cine -preventable disease,"
warns -Public Health
Nurse, Debby Minie lly..
Although treatable with
antibiotics, certain strains
of :the bacteria have
become resistant to com-
monly used antibiotics.
This makes immunization
even more important
Those at high risk for
these illnesses include
anyone over 65 -years -old
and those with chronic
medical conditions such
as chronic respiratory,
heart, kidney or liver dis-
ease, spleen dysfunction,
alcoholism; _ . HIY.- infec-
tion, immune suppres-
sion, cancer treatment,
diabetes and those who
smoke
Local data from Grey
Bruce indicates that in
2004, less than a third of
people over age 65 and
only about 20 per cent of
people with chronic
health conditions report
receiving the vaccine. The
vaccination is free to peo-
ple in the high risk
groups,
•
The Grey Bruce. Health
Unit recommends :immu-
nization
mmu-nizat on for adults over 65
and anyone with the
chronic disease risk fac-
tors. If your immunization
status is unknown, Public
Health recommends that
you receive the vaccina-
tion, to be sure of protec-
tion. otec-tion.
The vaccine is available
through your family doc•,
tor or at the Grey Bruce
Health Unit clinics:.'
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