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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1989-05-31, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, May 31, 1989 rimes Established I8'1 Adsoeate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1985 Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S0 Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 519-235-1331 mits €NA "~ ROSS HAI. (,H Editor i1ARR1 DFS RIES (ornposilion Manager II % BE(AE1r Publisher h Adsertising %tanager DO Ss111II Business Slanager SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $25.00 Per year; U.S.A. $65.00 Greenhouse evidence Aweek ago we learned from a meteorologist from the Michi- gan Agriculture Department that last summer's hot and dry weather was not necessarily caused by the green- house effect. Whether this is true or not, there is new evidence that the greenhouse effect may be gradually taking hold of this planet. If this is happening, there should be a new urgency for reductions in the burn- ing of fossil fuels, which produce large. volumes of carbon dioxide. Researchers at the University of To- ronto report that the average worldwide sea level is rising about two and a half times faster than had been previously be- lieved. They say sea levels are rising world- wide at an average yearly rate of 2.4 mil- limetres, that's about one-tenth of an inch. Past estimates had put the increase at one millimetre each year, and even that small figure has been disputed be- cause measurements have varied greatly around the world. Researchers continue to say that about one-quarter of the expanding worldwide ocean volume could be explained by the seas simply warming up. Water expands as it heats, similar to metals. The balance of the occurrences they in- sist could be explained by melting of gla- cier ice at both poles, and this in turn could indicate a beginning sign of the greenhouse effect, which is expected to affect polar regions the most. • This greenhouse effect is a predicted result of rising concentrations of carbon dioxide and other certain gases which ap- pear in the atmosphere. Fires in furnaces and .automotive en- gines cause much of the new carbon di- oxide. This carbon dioxide blocks the es- cape of heat being radiated by the Earth toward space, which in turn reduces the planet's ability to cool itself. With this happening, a growing carbon dioxide level would make the air act more like a greenhouse roof, keeping the space beneath it hotter than it would be if no such roof existed. It's believed this same sort of buildup bf carbon dioxide happened millions of years ago in the atmosphere in Venus, where the temperature on the surface is hot enough to melt lead. The Toronto based researchers stressed that the change in sea levels is not neces- sarily proof that a greenhouse effect is beginning to work. Regardless of all of these assumptions, it gives us another reason for the concern of the future of our planet which we all share and whose destiny we all control. Ry Ross Haugh Follow that runner! "I'm going to run for half an hour", I announced, "who wants to come along?" Elizabeth was busy preparing supper. All three kids wanted to come with me. "Alright", I said, "l'et's get our running shoes on and go". I was ready in less than two minutes. "Don't be any later than half an hour", Elizabeth said, "dinner will be ready". Duncan was waiting for me at the door. "Let's go, Dad". "We'll have to wait for Alexan- der and Stephanie; they're not down yet." We stood around for a couple of minutes. Nothing happened. Deciding to give them one more chance, I went to the bottom of the stairs and yelled. "i'm coming, " Stephanie yelled back. "I'm on the toilet," Alexander answered. When a man's got to go, he's got to go. i went to the hack door to give Duncan a stat- us report. "Can 1 just quickly go over to Grandpa to ask him something?" Grandpa lives across the road. "Hurry up", i said, "We'll be , leaving in two minutes." Now Stephanie appeared, all done up to perfection in her tracksuit, running shoes, sweat hand, and sun glasses. "When are we leaving?" "As soon as Alexander comes down and Duncan comes hack". A minute later, Alexander ar- rived, all eager to flex his mus- cles. "Where is Duncan?" "He'll be here in half a min- ute." • 1 We waited for a full minute. Duncan didn't come. • "Stephanie, be a good girl and run over to tell Duncan that if he doesn't come back right now, we'll run without him". She disappeared. We waited. Nci- PETER'S POINT • by Peter Hcssol ther Duncan nor Stephanie re- turned. "Let's start without them", Al- exander suggested, "they can catch up with us". i let him talk me into it, -and we slowly start- ed down the road. When I iooked over my shoulder, I saw Stephanie running after us. "Wait for me," she cried. i turned around: "What hap- pened to Duncan?" "He had to go to the toilet, he'll be right over". What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I was willing to wait, but Alexander was way ahead by now and out of ear- shot. "1'm going to run after Alex- ander and tell him to slovv down," I said. "Wait here till Duncan comes, and then follow us as quickly as you can." i had a hard time catching up to Alexander. "Wait", i shout- ed, "Duncan and Stephanie will be coming, too." But he didn't stop. He simply continued. I looked back. I didn't see the twins. I ran all the way to the house. 'There they were; dull -•-- , acrobatics on their bicycles. "What's thc matter with you? Why didn't you follow me?" I asked. "Duncan didn't fecl.Iike run- ning any more", 'explained Stephanie "and i decided to keep him company." At that moment Elizabeth ap- peared in thc door: "Oh, there you are. I'm glad you're back. Dinner is ready." "We haven't been yet", I said. "The only thing I've accom- plished so far is to lose Alexan- der." . "Well, go get him quickly. Dinner will bc cold." I hopped into the car. Soon i found Alexlandcr happily plod- ding along. He didn't want to come with me. "You promised we'd run together." A,,i9/s/e9 Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited ONTARIO BUDGET Have a This week we seem to have a problem picking a subject to talk about in this column, so how about something topical. Instead of picking straws to de- cide what to talk about, how about picking strawberries? Ontario strawberries will.soon be ripe for the picking and many Ontario folks will be doing just that at their local store; or har- vesting their own berried treasure from one of the 311 pick -your - own farms throughout the prov- ince. While strawberries are one of the many crops whose 1988 yield decreased because of the drought, production should be higher this year. Dr. Adam Dale, a research sci- entist with the Ministry of Agri- culture and Food says, " Weather conditions last year prevented a good crop, but growers can look forward to a bigger crop this year. 'l'hose growers who were able to irrigate during last year's drought can expect an even high- er yield because the drought won't have a long-term effect on their crops." In 1988, Ontario, Canada's largest strawberry producer, pro- vided berry lovers with approxi- mately 13.8 million quarts or $12.7 million of the delicious fruit. Statistics Canada reports the average Canadian eats about four "1 know", i said, "i never seem to learn". When we were •finally assem- bled at the dinner table, Elizabeth summed it,up beautifully: "There arc too many promises made too many times to too many people". i couldn't have phrased it better myself. Starting tomorrow, i'll be run- ning solo. Come hell or high water. From 4:30 to 5 a.m., be- fore anyone else is up. From now on i'll make one promise, only once, and to one person. Me. "berry" good time pounds of strawwbcrries each year. We have picked up a few probably unknown facts to many perople about the juicy red strawberry. Virgil thc well-known poet of ancient Roman times warned From the editor's disk by Ross Haugh IOU would-be strawberry pickers of the dangers of serpents lurking in the grass. Luckily, this is not a problem we have to contend with in Ontario. The 18th Century Swedish botanist, Carolus Linnaeus, claimed that a diet of strawber- ries had cured him of gout. The fruits of the strawberry plant are not in fact the luscious red berries we enjoy in the sum- mer. They are false fruits. The real fruits are the tiny seeds that cover the berry's surface. The Louvre in Paris, France, now a world famous museum of art, was originally a fortress. In 1368, King Charles V of France ordered strawberries to be planted in his garden there. John Gerrard, a 16th Century herbalist, wrote: "Ripe strawber- ries quench thirst, and take away, if they bc often used, the redness and heat of the face." The "Latin Herbal of Mainz", published in 1484, includes a recipe for a gargle to ward off throat infections. Thc concoction contained, among other ingre- dients, rose honey, mulberry juice, vinegar and strawberries Thc Ojibwa Indian word for strawberry is "oda-c-min" which means heat berry. -In England strawberry leaves were traditionally a mark of great rank. Even today the coro- nets wom by dukes, marquises and earls arc adorned with gold- en strawberry leaves. In the ; 1500's, Englishman Thomas Tusser wrote a defini- tive agricultural guide called, "Five hundred points of good husbandric." 1t was all the more unusual for being written in verse and his advice included: "Wife, into the garden, and. set me a plot With strawberry roots, of the best to be got: Such growing abroadc, among thorns in the wood Well chosen and pick( d, proven excellent good." Pun of the Week - Tattles person : Someone wh. ys what everyone else is thinking. Poor taste, cats, and Collingwood I was searching through the AM band on my car radio Sun- day night trying to find some- thing worth listening to, when i found a Memorial Day service on a Detroit station. They presented /n Flanders Fields read aloud by Vincent Price - a man more asso- ciated with Return of the Mutant Living Diad than commemorat- ing war losses - proving once again Americans can continue to explore thc bounds of poor taste. .1 obviously don't lead a very exciting life. I thought i did, hut I was mistaken. I was driving along Highway 4 the other day, minding my own business, when an underpowered Japanese station wagon pulled out of the oncoming traffic to pass, not one, but several cars. As I watched this daredevil loom closer and closer I found myself picturing myself as a hu- man bug splatter. I was also looking at the gravel shoulder and wondering if 1 could brake and steer myself through a four- wheel drift. • in the nick of time, the station wagon found a gap in the traffic and pulled in. 1 looked at the driver as he passed and saw this guy was... yawning! •Those of you who remember my battles with the South Huton Giant Centipede will bc happy to know i was informed of a defini- tive curt. I was told by someone bcscigcd with the bilious yellow Hold that thought... by Adrian Harte furry creatures that she hadn't seen one near her house since she got a cat. Do cats really cat those thi igs? I know I wouldn't. Unfortunately, I'm a!1errn • 10 cats so i'11 have to stick ing "pedes" with my du r . Spillbusters halve bette •tio•- but the clear.plastic ke sects visible after capture, defeat- ing my purpose. •I've got a nc 'Ition for Grand Bend's 1.,. 1 who doesn't?)-. • Perhaps under county restruc- turing the Bcnd can rename itself Collingwood and team up with the northern resort. Arcthere any rules to say a munici ality has to be one continuous piece of real estate? You see, Collingwood is also 1 trying to promote itscl t as a year- round family resort, but all it gets is the under -30 ski crowd. If Ccillingwood v.,•re 10 in forces with Grand Bend, the 'munici- pality" could declare its problem . eliminated because it had "gco- grAphically-located seasonal at- tr4tions". There would he lots cflparking, although you might nc4u buses to commute to it. Sounds fine to me. • 'They say the sense of smell is m. • r closely linked to memory. • other day 1 was walking. ,i ,, house in Dashwood where le small flowers had just come o bloom. For a moment i ' recall with absolute clarity • Osbome's garden. My sis- ter and I used to play there while staying with our grandparents in Ipswich, where 1 was horn. M r- . Osborne's garden was huge, even by Canadian stan- dards, and positively limitless in the eyes of a six year old. The garden, in the best English tradi- tion, made a slightly overgrown oasis inthe middle of the city and could he explored for hours on end. • The garden and its big house disappeared when Ipswich decid- ed it needed new low -rent hous- ing, but for a moment there it was back with mc, in Dashwood. •