Loading...
Times-Advocate, 1988-02-03, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, February 3, 1988 limes Established 18'1 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 E imes dvocate Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario, NOM 150 Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 519-235-1331 c n _ ccNA edthrty *CNA ROSS HAUGH Editor HARRY (RIES Composition '%tanager 11M BECkET1 Publisher & Advertising Manager Doh SMTH Business Manager SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $25.00 Per year; U.S.A. $65.00 Strange effect on market A couple of months ago the stock mar- ket was devastated on what was called Black Monday. What causes the stock market to fluctu- ate as much as it does iri either direction? A lot of people would like to know the answer to that question. One of the reasons for the market go- ing down could be phsychological.lf enough people think the economy is go- ing to go bad and keep their wallets closed then it likely will happen. Sometimes it's a situtation of which came first, the chicken or the egg. When stock prices go down it's usually a fore- cast that the economy may be in trouble with industries closing down and jobs be- ing lost. An instance a few weeks ago was of the opposite nature. When Harold Ballard suffered heart problems in Florida, the value of Maple Leaf Gardens stock shot up. Maybe the real reason was that some investors thought Ballard's illness was good news and the fortunes of the hockey team and the building which houses it would go up with someone else in com- mand. It seems strange that Maple Leaf Gar- dens stock should go up when the team is struggling to stay out of the cellar and the crowds at home games are far from overflow. We realize that most of the tickets are sold on a season basis, but this will not likely happen next year if the team doesn't improve. Nobody likes to back a loser. We would hate to guess how high Bal - lard's stock wouldtgo if the Leafs were a Stanley Cup contender. Harold is the only member of the family smiling when the stock went up. A few weeks earlier, a Toronto Star story indicated Ballard was going to give the Leafs and the Gardens to charity leaving his sons and daughter in the cold. A lot of strange things apparently in- fluence buying on the stock exchange. The earning power or real value of a, company or business doesn't always dic- tate the whims of investors. by Ross Haugh Waste management A few years ago, a local politician com- mented on a landfill site story, saying this will be the first of many. How true that comment was. Between Tuckersmith Township trying to find a new dump and the closure of the existing site at Holmesville, waste man- agement is a hot item. The situation at the Holmesville Landfill Site, which services several municipali- ties, sees the present site closing and a pro- posal to open up an additional 10 acres ad- jacent to the existing site. Ilowever, those residing near the site are less than pleased. Who can blame them - dump dogs, rats, odor and the fear of polluted water are .enough reasons for anyone to protest. At a public meeting held last week, ap- proximately 60 Holmesville residents were out to express their desire to have the existing site closed and protest the opening of another site in the same area. Their message carne through loud and clear - they don't want any part of a land- fill site. Their reasons are more than legitimate - after hearing their complaints, one is not surprised that the Ministry of Environ- ment is asking that the site be closed. However, Phil Bye of the Ministry of Environment did have a good point. Where will the municipalities dump their waste if the site is not allowed to expand? Currently, the Cofinty of Iiuron is look- ing at a county -wide program• that deals with waste management, but until and if, something is worked out, all municipali- ties will have to dump their garbage some- where." So that takes us back to square one. Is this a case of "not in my backyard" or isthis a case of looking out for one's best interest? The second choice seems more appropri- ate when you take a hard look at the situa- tion. There are dump dogs that can wan- der onto your property when you or your children are outside; the odor is said to be unbearable at times - not good for inviting friends over for a barbecue let alone sleeping with an open window; rats don't seem to do much for the neighborhood ei- ther; and finally ,with all of these prob- lems, who's going to want to buy your home? So what is the solution? We do need a landfill site and that parcel of land is certi- fied. Maybe better management would be a good answer. The only problem with that solution is trying to convince the local land owners that this would be done, eliminating the majority of their worries. Some say they were promised that be- fore. It's a complex situation, one which we will be hearing more on I'm sure. By Anne Chisholm, Clinton News Record. Censors attack A recent ruling by a municipal council in England ordered play- ground staff to refrain from using the children's rhyme Baa, Baa, Black Sheep on the grounds that it is racist. They didn't leave the supervisors totally without an al- ternative because it was suggest- ed that "Baa, Baa, Green Shccp" could be used. In Waterloo County, hicre in Ontario, the school board was asked to remove Mark Twains' "Hi--t.lcbcrry Finn" from thc (;rade 10 reading list on the same grounds. Similarly Shakes- peare's "Thc Merchant of Ven- ice" got the axe from thc trustees. Some folks will recall that, many years ago, Little Black Sambo got the same treatment 1 even though The was clever cnought to outwit that awful tiger by turning him into butter. Consider the other areas cen- By the Way by . Syd Flet('her sors might attack if they continue this theme: Uncle Tom's Cabin could be out because it portrays a white man as the horrible Simon Lcgrce. Othello may be dis- missed because he is a black man who isn't seen as very smart. 'ate Pied Piper will go as soon as animal rights people become aware of him. It oftcns seems that the tail is wagging the dog in our society. Minority groups who have loud voices seem to carry a lot of weight with the people who arc making decisions yet don't have the intestinal fortitude to suck up for what they too believe is right. I believe that children should he represented with many different styles and viewpoints of litera- ture. That literature should be presented to students within a broad historical view which shows them the context within which the story was written com- pared to society's currcnt knowl- edge and beliefs. Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by j.W. Eedy Publications Limited "WHY DON'T THEY BRIDGE THE GAP DETWEEN OTTAWA MD WESTERN CANADA FIRST?M Sick hubby treatment When my husband gets a, cold, he gets the king of all colds. None of your minor sniffles and sneezes for him. His is always a Vicks four star. You know the kind I mean - Vicks vaporub on the chest and up the nose, Vicks cough syrup down the throat, Vicks inhaler on thc night table, and Vicks cough candy in the mouth. I start wondering if I'm living in a house ora menthol factory Don is a fan of that old song, "Anything you can do I can do better". That includes getting sick. 1 can have a temperature of 110 and he attributes it to a hot flush. His temperature climbs to 99, and he collapses. Don also believes in treating his cold internally. After a few hot toddies liberally laced with runs - for medicinal purposes only - he still has his cold, but Reynold's Rap b% Y<onne ReY holds no longer cares. (Maybe I should try a shot or two of his medicine.) I have done some research among my friends, and find the story is always the same. When men get sick they seem to revert to babyhood. They want to be coddled and catered- to. Thc .household routine is supposed to come to a halt, and everything is expected to swing around to focus on their needs. Thc.patent medicine ads on TV perpetuate the image of the male reduced to a brainless blob by a microscopic germ. He is cajoled back onto the road to convalescence by an all- knowing wile, a condescending offspring or, occasionally, a St. Bernard dog with medical relief slung from a furry neck. A friend of mine has found the ideal way to handle a sick mate. She confided recently that.when her husband complained one night of stomach upset, tennis elbow an(1 a hangnail she ad- vised him to take two aspirins and call her in the morning. Win a trip for two If my headline would read: "Win a book", only 5% of you would pay any attention, because that's --what the latest statistics -- indicate: only 5% of Canadians ever read a book. But according to the most recent Stats Can information, 98.7% of Canadian dream of a trip to Hawaii (especially in February), and 98.6% of these would prefer to win a trip for two. Let's make a deal. If you forgive me the little bit of "false advertising" in the heading, I'll excuse you for actually preferring an overrated, crowded U.S. vacation spot to an underrated, intellectually stimulating and 100% Canadian book. Fair enough? As announced last month, here's another contest, and here without any further preliminaries are the rules: 1 First Prize: autographed hardcover copy of Peter's newest book, The Algonkin Tribe, retail value $26.95, together with a personal letter, 3 Second Prizes: autographed paperback copy of the same book, together with a personal letter; 6 Third Prizes: copies of ten selected PETER'S POINT columns, together with a personal letter. To be among the ten prize winners, here's what you'll have to do: I. Get hold of all four of my January 1988 columns. If you haven't kept them, get copies from your newspaper office. 2. Answer the following questions %bout these columns (please, make sure that the answers are legible; write on any paper you want): (a) Why should women shovel snow while men relax? (b) Describe what goes on in the body during snow shovelling. PF;'UER'S POINT • (c) Do you know what "Angelstonc" is? Do you like it or not? Why? (d) What country beats Europe when it comes to scenery? (Examples!) (c) What downhill skiing activities appeal to Peter? (f) Which British aristocrat was known as Downhill Duke? (g) What does FF stand for? (h) Name situations you would like to "hold" or "reverse". 3. Send or carry your answers to your newspaper office in an envelope marked "PPC — PETER'S POINT CONTEST" deadline: February 29, 1988. Prizes will be mailed in March, and all winners will be announced in the first -April -column. - Warning! This is a non- democratic contest. Peter will be judge and jury, although he will be assisted by Elizabeth, Alexander, Duncan and Stephanie, if the spirit moves them.. (You never know with these guys.) Should the decisions prove to be a headache, I might even ask my mother-in-law for advice. Note: Some questions simply call for a "right" answer. Others are more complex and perplexing, maybe even difficult. Like lift. Bonus points will be awarded for originality and wit. Answers in the form of poems are welcome, provided they are short. Illustrations such as cartoons would also be a good idea. Feel free to let your imagination run loose. I hope you have as much fun participating in this contest as I had making it up. Since this is an authoritarian contest, I am allowing all newspaper staff members including editors and their spouses to participate. Members of my own family are, hotvever, excluded. And that goes for my sister, too. Just one more thing: If you really prefer a holiday in Hawaii to the things i have to offer, you can book a tour at your nearest travel agency and borrow a copy of The Algonkin Tribe at the Honolulu Public Library (Adult Division). The readers write Dear Sir. if you arc over 45 ycars of age, please read this letter. Have you given any thought to whcrc you would like to live if, in your senior years, you reach a point where you can no longer live, in your own home? A group of community members has been appointed by Huron Coun- ty Council in conjunction with the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services to determine what cart facilities (size, type and location(s)) will be needed by sen- iors in Huron County in the future. Wc arc called thc —SENIORS CARE FACILITY COMMITTEE" and our report to the Ministry and Council is duc in June 1988. We believe it is important to hear from future seniors who will he 65 or older in the next twenty years. Wc need to know what type and size of facility(s) would appeal to you and whcrc, ideally, these facilities should he located. Questionnaires regarding this subject arc available from Committee members or by writing to thc Committee care of Humnvicw. They can also be picked up at the Exeter municipal office. Members of the Committee are available to speak to interested groups. if you would Iikc to have some influence on government decisions which could affect your future, please call one of the Committee members listed below or write to: SENIORS CARE FACILITY COMMITTEE, Patti Archibald, Huronvicw, Box 219, Clinton, On- tario NOM 1 LO. l,aurctta Scigncr 121 Andrew Street 235-2786 Lossy Fuller 317 Marlborough Street 235-0684.