Loading...
Times-Advocate, 1982-10-06, Page 4•. • • . r • • '. • • !WO ft' • • s. • • •V• • 3 iiniesAdvocate. October 6,19S2 • 41, 6,4* isAppmaidik :/o•••••¢1111.1101.10111011MAllikeirftk • • • • ••• • " it '5n:I Irr`,1** • • Imes - dvocate Published by J.W. Eedy Publications limited & North Lambton Since 1873 n Serving South Huron, North Middlesex Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 LORNE EERY Publisher , JIM BECKETT Ad\ ertising Manager BILE BATTEN Editor HARRY DEVRIES Composition Manager ROSS HAUGH Assistant Editor DICK JONGKIND Business Manager Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 235-1331 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 4.4 Canada $20.00 Per year: U.S.A. $55.00 C.W.N.A., 0.C.N.A. CLASS `A' and 'ABC' • Criticism appropriate The International Plowing Match ended, on a. rather unsettling note, Saturday, when local host com- mittee chairman Jack McNamara refused to attend a news conference beca.,se the London Free Press was represented at that event. It was McNamara's way of chastising the daily for running a full-page picture page in Saturday's edition which highlighted some of the muddy problems faced by match visitors. That, however, was -not a problem that was en- countered by people who attended on Saturday. The pictures were taken primarily at Tuesday's opening ,when mud was still a bit of a problem, but it had dried .4 up later in the week and most people made their way around the grounds with ordinary shoes without any difficulty. NcNamara was concerned that the feature on the mud would cut attendance on Saturday, when officials expected many city dwellers to attend. A cursory glimpse at the pictures would have dissuaded some and his criticism of the coverage was appropriate. Fortunately, it was one of the few negative aspects of the match, but one with which the hard working committee should not have had to endure in view of their major and successful effort to reduce the mud problem, even when it did exist early in the week. Farmers need better price Canada celebrates Agri -Food week October 4 to 11, the special event terminating on Thanksgiving Day. Those are two events that go hand,in hand, and despite the current economic conditions, Canadians have much for which to be thankful this year and in *large measure that stems frem the. agriculture induitry. • Despite serious constraints, including a harsh climate, a limited farmland base and vast distances to markets, Canadian farmers grow a wide range of food products for sale at home and around the world. Canadian farmers provide a dependable source of high-quality foods that are still available at reasonable prices;in fact, too reasonable in most instances. As a result, Canadians spend less of their take- home pay on food than any other nation except the United States and there are few people in this nation who go to bed hungry at night. In addition, one out of • every four working Canadians depends either direct- ly or indirectly on the agri-food sector for jobs and it is a major contributor to Canada's trade balance. Those are important points to -con.sidetcluring this special week, particularly in view of the low, commodi- ty prices being received by farmers this year. Their welfare is the very basis of this country's economy and consumers should take time to realize that some changes will have to be made if the agri-food sector is to continue to provide the jobs and the quality and quantity of food which they have come to take for granted. Farmers aren't looking for the type of hand-outs be- ing given to some of the nation's other businesses. They only wanta fair return for their capital and labor in- vestments. Governments and consumers should recognize the importance of the situation before it adversely affects them. Plowed under by adjectives After one of the most hectic news weeks this paper has recorded in some time, the writer was looking forward to a little slower pace this week. Readers will note that last week's issue was larger than has been the norm for the past several months and the news beat in - eluded a train crash, major fire, Exeter fall fair and the opening of the interna- tional Plowing Match in Lucan. However, any hope of a brief respite was quickly shot down when yours truly received word indirectly Wednesday evening that the guy in the next office had been declared "King of the Furrow" at the IPM. Naturally, there was the im- mediate response that the information was totally incorrect. After all, I've had the pleasure (.?? ) of riding with this guy in a car and he has trouble keeping it go- ing in a straight line, let alone attempt to • get behind the wheel of a tractor pulling a plow over the slippery terrain of the Scott farm. There must be some mistake. But on opening the morning edition of the daily newspaper, there in black and white was his name as winner of the media plowing competition. In an effort to further substantiate the news and bring readers an accurate report of the triumph, the editor hauled his aching frame out to the trusty pickup and joined the onslaught of vehicles heading for Lucan. While the crowd headed for the exhibits, I quickly started a search for the furrows Haugh had turned over for his champion- ship. It was not an easy chore. Walking ever to one of the plowing areas with its row after row of neatly turned furrows, I asked a chap nearby which one was the winner in the media class. He looked amused. His quick retort was that the media members were not allow - ed to plow in any area to which the public had easy access. If I wanted to find that section, I'd probably have to plod down to the most remote section of the site, 'the one fully hidden from view by a huge reforestation project. 4.4xf BATT'N AROUND with the editor Fortunately, luck was on my side. While attempting to cross one of those service roads with the twisting trail of mud, an of- ficial suggested that a picture of that would suffice as it was in keeping with the furrows turned over by the media representatives. So, in case you missed seeing the "King's furrowsduringyour visit, you can picture the winning entry by recalling the furrows on the service roads. I'm still searching for other answers as well. Was he the only entry? Did the judges merely flip a coin to pick a winner rather than have to lower their standards by looking at such plowing? My best guess is that after his hectic week, he took the occasion to grab a few winks on the tractor and by some good stroke of fortune, the darn machine went straight. What's his account of the affair? Sorry, there isn't enough room in this issue to report it all. It's incredible' the number of flowery adjectives a guy can think up to describe his plowing prowess while polishing a crown! • • In reality, I think the local organizing "We're saving up for a holiday — this pastsummer's." Getting people's backs up All right, all right, everybody I apologize. It seems that I've been get- ting people's backs up all over the country: Small businessmen, bank managers, accountants, news editors. Jim Ross of Exeter, whom I kidded (I thought gently) after he'd written some pretty fierce right- \ wing stuff in an original since I went to the well and came away thirsty. Now they practically force loans on people. No wonder, at the interest rates they take. Apparently I had • an unkind word to say about accountants, too, for I got a gentle and even friendly letter from Paul F. Nind, letter, sent off a veritable , depth -charge of a second Sugar letter, this time with his h di d ice "I find your letter in our weekly Port Colborne News the only bright spot in another dreary week." Ken, ex -Navy and now working on the locks, • would like to write a book. Why not, Ken? Give it a whirl, even though author Hugh Garner in a nice note suggested you stick • business letter- ea ng, an S p and raked me, the educa- tional system, welfare, committee for the IPM set the whole thing up as a special tribute to Ross for his coverage of the many pre -match events and stories and pictures of the work of those involved in staging this mammoth show. He's been a regular visitor to the site since it started to spring up early in September and has documented the vast amount of personal sacrifice that members of the host committee put into staging the IPM. We considered ourselves the "host!' newspaper for the IPM and unlike the ma- jority of newspapers which used the han- dout press releases provided, attempted to get a broader look at the match in its planning stages as well as to feature the many special events that were scheduled. and everybody in general who makes him fork over taxes, over the coals. He's a self-made man, and proud of it, and I ad- mire that, but he's awful- ly angry about a lot of things, like a great many people in this country, in- cluding me. Cool down, Jim. The rest of us' pay school taxes too, even though our children are long gone. And I'm sorry the teachers and postal workers in town are angry with you. I hereby order them to stop regularly at your store. I'll admit that you pro- bably pay nearly as much in income tax as I make in salary, but that's propor- tionate. About $2 of every four I make goes in taxes' of one kind or another. - Bank managers are on my neck, too. Just because I called them clueless. I did add that most of them were nice chaps, but they didn't read that part. What I was get- ting at was their extreme caution, their dependence on head office, their general insistence on an arm and a leg for securi- ty, before giving a loan, although that has changed Ross has made numerous trips to Lucan, some at some weird hours, to pro- vide what I think has been exceptional coverage of the match. There's little doubt in my mind that the volunteers who spent so many hours of their own time in the project were appreciative of his efforts. They also should take a bow, because the show was well organized and the local hosts came through in flying colours, despite the problems they faced with the weather. Only those involved know the amount of time they had to expend on the project and it was indeed a sacrifice. Perhaps the point that explains that as well as any is the fact that none of them would have volunteered had they any inkling of the work that was involved. But, having made that commitment, they undertook the task with the dedica- tion required to stage the world's largest outdoor exhibit and deserve the commen- dation of those who enjoyed the fruits of their labor. Dispensed By Smiley Yellowknife, NWT, who carefully pointed out the difference between Chartered Accountants, the real villians, and Cer- tified General Accoun- tants or Registered In- dustrial Accountants, most of whom have to take a five or six year program of home study to earn their designations. I quote from his letter: "Dear Mr. Smiley: You have a great writing style and I have enojyed you, your grandchildren, your yard, home and sometimes golf game for many years, but please do your homework before you wrap all of us accoun- tants up in the old newspaper and throw us out with the garbage." He was kind enough to send me a booklet abut Certified General Accoun- tants. I have read it, and done my homework, but too late. Sorry chaps. It's the C.A.'s who are the leeches, not you. • But not everybody hates me. Ken Jackson of Port Colborne dashed off a breezy and friendly letter: at tying up ships. Any damfool can write a book nowadays.Not suggesting that you are one. That's the first thing I'm going to do when I quit teaching, and a great many people will testify that I'm a damfool. Let's go back for a mo- ment to the people who are down on me. I mentioned news editors. The Toronto Star's Saturday edition editor called, and in dulcet tones, wondered if I would write •a column for the paper, as they were doing a feature story on me. I wasn't keen, but agreed. He thought they could should spend the fifth year manage, in these depress- . of high school, not there, ' ed times, a fee of $200. but in traveling or work - That's about half for ing. I thoroughly agree. MacEachin and half for Anyway, I came out me. about 60-400n hate letters. I wrote the column, Not bad. Just a little worse which turned out, purely than that six -five abortion by chance, to point out the the Liberals are trying to weaknesses of the three stuff down our throats. Toronto daily newspapers. At any rate, maybe I It was fairly trenchant, shduld stop being abrasive but right on the nose. Ile in this column and attack called again, and this only politicians and kids time, in aggrieved tones, under five, who can't read said they couldn't run it, yet. About the same thing. because, well, you know, What do you think? in these difficult times for newspapers...etc. No wonder dailies are going broke across the country. They're chicken. And then the guy had the gall to run an old column of mine, transmitted by phone to a stenographer. He sent a cheque for $100. I almost sent it back and told him what to do with it, but couldn't be bothered. Chicken is chicken, however tasteless. But all was not dark and bleak. David Crowther of Walters Falls wrote a let- ter congratulating me on my mention of newspapers not stepping on the toes of their biggest advertisers. He then laun- ched into an attack on the large chain food stores which is too involved to ex- plain here. Then he congratulated me on my column entitled Pity the Poor Banks. "Last year," he wrote, "I borrowed only $11,000 (on a good credit rating) as a mortgage on my small business. To do so I had to put a lien on my house and car and my wife had to co- sign the loan. I wonder what collateral Dome Petroleum gave?" I wonder, too. Mr. Crowther also suggested students Into the world of metrics A few years ago the government of Canada, in all its wisdom, decided that it would switch our measurement system over to metric, using the argument that much of the world was already in the metric system, and that the United States, our big- gest trading partner, was probably going to go to metric also. Well, to date, that country hasn't done so and here we sit, many millions of dollars later, using a system that much of the population is not in favour of, and which has not won us any more world wide friends. Anyway, as a teacher of the metric system I've got a little bit of a headstart on many other people. I have to admit that in many ways the use of metric units is far easier and simpler than the Imperial way of doing things. When you start to change inches :ilig.41404keikitct • , Even with 'familiarity' that I acquired I've found this have that I Perspectives By Syd Fletcher and feet to yards and rods and miles there are no easy ways to learn it. There's just straight memorization of some very odd numbers - 5280, 4760, and of course 12, which is not really a very popular basis for division or multiplication. In metric, everything is divisible by 10 so multiplication is simply a matter of movingaJecimal point, one way ov another. , can't think in metric very quickly. In the butcher shop I find myself asking for a pound of cooked ham instead of half a kilogram, and I notice that even though the hamburger is marked in metric on the packages that there are still signs above the racks in the old system. I don't think I'll get us- ed to metric weather that easily either. I find myself much more comfortable going out into the 75, degrees weather pre- dicted .by the American radio than the beautiful 29 degrees Celsius one pro- mised by our own forecaiter. Somehow I still reach for a coat when I hear the last comment. And when the OPP pulls me over and says politely: "Do you realize that you were doing 89?" I gulp hard for a moment until 1 realize that that was only about fifty-five mileb an hour and I won't be losing three demerit points. If it's any consolation to you though, the kids com- ing up are thoroughly aware of the metric system. If you ask them to get you a yard -stick they just give you a blank look. We're into the world of • metre -sticks now, folks!