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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-07-28, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, July 28,1993 Publisher: Jim Beckett News Editor: Adrian Harte Business Manager: Don Smith Composition Manager: Deb Lord Publications Mall Registration Number 0386 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: CANADA Within 40 miles (85 km.) addressed to non latter canker addresses 830.00 plus $2.10 G.S.T. Outside 40 mita (65 km.) or any letter cantor address $30.00 plus 830.00 (total 60.00) + 4.20 G.S.T. Outside Canada $66.00 Qat• ' Rt 11E RIBBON AWARD 1993 A surprising decision onday's decision from a local judge that Centralia College must keep its doors open to meet an obligation to students who applied to the college ear- lier this year surely comes as some sur- prise. While it may not survive further wranglings in the courts, it is still an astonishing development in a case one observer liked to having as much suc- cess of impact as a handful of dust dropped off a building. In fact, it raises some very interesting issues, not only about how govern- ments can lose control of their own pol- icies in the courts, but also how they are somehow legally bound to offer certain services. Although the decision to close Cen- tralia College comes as a severe blow to local agriculture and the local econo- my, it isn't hard to see where the deci- sion originated. The ministry was obvi- ously well aware of an over -capacity in its agricultural colleges, and Centralia was busy transforming itself into some W kind of conference centre in the hope to avoid the axe. Why Centralia was eventually selected as one of the colleges to be dropped was probably a more political decision than practical, but this new civil suit action's recent success calls into question the whole political 'process - at least as we thought we knew it. What is next? Can we imagine a group of young parents suing the local board of education for closing a neigh- bourhood school? 11 they argue they bought their homes in the hope of rais- ing a family close to the school, is the board obligated to keep it open until those children have graduated, rather than bus them elsewhere in the city? Admittedly, the above example may be a little extreme, and the Centralia situa- tion is backed up with paperwork cited by students who say they applied to the college . in the spring in the expectation its doors would still be open to them in the fall. But still...it makes one wonder. A.D.H. Bluewater still remarkable hen it opened in 1989 there were still many nay sayers arguing that the Bluewater Recyciing Association probably couldn't make a go of it. Ar- guments were heard that the blue box program was fatally flawed anyway; that it was too heavily subsidized by corporate interests; that recycling wasn't something that was really need- ed in rural areas. Four years later, Bluewater is on the move, seeking out a larger facility in Huron Park to handle the vast amount of material it now collects, sorts, stores, ships and sells. Many of those who doubted it would work are now among those eagerly hoping the association can take on new products and markets. The pressure to conserve dwindling and expensive landfill space has also heightened the realization of what can be achieved by an environmental ap- proach to the problem. Bluewater, when it opened, was a nov- elty. They were treating recyclable items as goods, not garbage. Nowadays, the outskirts of many urban areas har- bour many similar recyclers operating under the same philosophy. But make no mistake, Bluewater, is still unique in that it is owned by tl a municipalities that use it, and that it has created a coop- erative spirit of waste management among small rural communities. Kudos are due to those townships, towns and villages which took the plunge over the past four years, despite their fears and trepidations, and have joined together to make Bluewater what it is today, and what it will be tomorrow. A.D.H. t otter to Editor Gibson replies Dear Editor. I was interested in M.E. Greb's impassioned reaction to a recent letter of mine on the present politi- cal situation. Isn't it wonderful that we live in a democratic society where citizens can express disagreement, totally different views in the public'press? Of course, I did not suggett that the present leader of the federal Liberals has a speech impediment; but that the poor man doesn't speak either French or English very well, which is an obvious fact. • As for the NDP victory in Onta- rio, I believe Mr. Rae (Boy Scout Bob) did not so much win, but that mumbles Peterson and his Liberals failed in govern- ing Ontario, and 111) the voters voted against him rather than for the social- ists. Fm sure that NDP woke up the day after the election greatly sur- prised that they now bad to try to actually govern, rather than criti- cize. They did inherit a mess, but it was a Liberal mess! So the silk stocking socialist had to form a cabinet from a sorry, sad group of political misfits, and look what they Ifvc done to our lovely province! They certainly have ensured that voters will be more careful the next time they register a protest vote! I must say I enjoyed M.E. Greb's well written Ieuer; she certainly blasted me in no uncertain terms! But does she think the govern- ment of Ontario, Saskatchewan and B.C. will vote NDP for some time? or that dcsc, dem and dose" Chreti- en would make a credible leader on the entertainment scene? I hope not. Yours truly "Gibby" Gibson What's on your mind? Letters to the editor The Times Advocate continues to welcome letters to the editor as a forum for open discussion of local issues, concerns, complaints, and kudos. The Times Ad- vocate reserves the right to edit letters for brevity. Please send your letters to P.O. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S6. Sign your letter with both name and ad dress. Anonymous letters will not be published. 4/mo4 /r3 "Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely." ... Thomas Macauley Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S6 by J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Telephone 1-519.235-1331 0.9.1. /R105210535 Zucchini - Part 1 of 2 A few months ago I wrote a column about the civil rights of dangerous criminals. More than 350 people responded to it by writing letters to the editor and to their members of parliament, by collecting signatures by writ- ing to me or phoning me. All but I supported my point of view. I usually answer letters for- warded to me by my papers, but in this case a summary thanks will have to do. I appreciate your support and hope that our lawmakers take note (several readers sent copies of my col- umn to their M.P.$). I mentioned this good re- sponse to a friend, and he asked me: "Did you ever get that many letters to any other column?" Only one has netted more. And here, without apology 1 bring you an abbreviated version of the zucchini column I wrote sev- en years ago - for those who ei- ther missed it then or don't re- member it - and in the next issue a sampling of the replies it gen- erated. The zucchini explosion "Would you like to take along a zucchini or two?" How many times have I been asked that question over the last 2 or 3 weeks? My guess is twelve times. When somebody offers me i something for nothing, I can't say no. That would be against my nature. The trouble with zucchinis is ' that they grow like weeds. They are the dandelions of vegetables, They reach enormous propor- tions, and everybody grows too many. I've seen garage sales where half the merchandise were zuc- chinis. I've seen signs in a supermar- ket: "Zucchini Special! Buy c,ltc, get nine free." And I'vc E seen strong women weep be- cause they couldn't get rid of their zucchini crop. They couldn't give it away. They break their backs preparing the soil, planting the seeds, weeding Peter's Point • Peter Hessel and nurturing their little zucchi- ni plants, watering and fertiliz- ing them. Then they watch them grow to a ridiculous size. What makes people grow zuc- chinis? Arc they fascinated by their balloon or zeppelin shapes? Are zucchinis phallic symbols? As a non -zucchini grower I wouldn't know. I like to cat zuc- chini as a vegetable - once in a while. I like zucchini bread - on occasion. But I don't like being on a steady zucchini diet. 1 need your help. Please, tell me what to do with 300 kg of zucchinis that are lying in the garage, in the cellar, under my deck, in the broom closet, in the front hall, and on top of my bookshelves. Just last night, a friend asked me: "Would you like to take along a zucchini or two?" With- out waiting for an answer, he loaded up the trunk and was still begging me to take more. If I would have let him, he would have strapped zucchini on the roof, stashed it under the hood, piled it on the dashboard... There is no room for visitors in our house because of all the zucchini Every chair and sofa has been turned into " vegetable bin. The children >mplain about zucchinis ir. ,r beds and in the bathtub. Can you help? Elizabeth has a couple of good zucchini recipes, but we need drastic measures. We've got ourselves a major zuc- chini problem, a zucchini disas- ter. We're in a bad way. Send me your zucchini tips, please! How do you handle a zucchini crisis in Baldur, Mani- toba? What do folks in Oxbow, Saskatchewan do when zucchi- nis take over their homes? How do you solve the problem in Leamington Ontario? We need recipes for zucchini soup, zucchini stew, zucchini fritters, zucchini dumplings. Does anyone know how to make ;wine or brandy out of zucchini? What about syrup or candy, ice cream, jam or jelly? Is there anything that grows better in Canada? I doubt it. No- body is crowding me with their cabbages or broccoli. Nobody forces cauliflower or cucumbers on me. I've never been bothered by giant radishes cluttering the stairway. I've never twisted an article having to climb over bloat- ed turnips on my way to the bathroom. The most urgent thing right now is to keep the stuff from rot- ting away. If only we could pre- serve all this bulk. Nibble at it gradually over the next eleven months before another zucchini season is upon us! Can you freeze these things? Cover them up in sand? Wrap them in burlap like Egyptian mummies? How do you cope with the onslaught? Don't let me down! Write to me! I will share the most original and helpful zucchini recipes with you in a future colem. But if 1 don't get help soon, I may never write again. How am 1 going tc get to my computer?