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Times Advocate, 1993-09-08, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, September 8,1993 Publisher: Jim Beckett News Editor: Adnan Harte Business Manager: Don Smith Composition Manager: Deb Lord CC...1 Publications Mall Registration Number 0386 5UBSCRIPTIQN RATES: CANADA Within 40 relies (65 km.) addressed to non letter carrier addresses 630.00 {flus $2.10 GS.T. Outald* 40 miles (65 km.) or any letter canter address 5.10.00 plus 630.00 (total 60.00) + 4.20 G.S.T. Outside Canada $68.00 mon Nominate a special young person veryone's life has been touched and inspired at one time or an- other, by the kindness or courage shown by a young person. Ontario's youth exhibit a tremendous ability to overcome obstacles, inspire their peers, serve their communities, and display qualities of leadership, compassion, and perseverance. All too often the valuable contribu- tions made by these fine young people go by without notice or recognition. For that reason, the Ontario Communi- ty Newspapers Association and Bell Canada coordinate and co-sponsor the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Awards. Since their introduction 12 years ago, Junior Citizen awards have been pre- sented to individuals and groups of young people, ages 6-18, who have overcome various physical or psycho- logical difficulties, contributed to their community in a volunteer or leadership role, performed an act of heroism, or exemplified the qualities and character- istics of a "good kid". As many as 12 individuals and one group are chosen each year as Ontario Junior Citizens. Recipients and their family members will the guests of honour at the Junior Citizens Luncheon, which takes place during the March '94 convention of the Ontario Community Newspapers Asso- ciation (OCNA). They will visit Queen's Park, and have a family por- trait taken along with the Lieutenant Governor, as well as receiving a Junior Citizen pin, a $200 cash award, and a plaque to recognize their accomplish- ments. What has made the Ontario Junior Citi- zens program such an enormous success during the past 12 years is the over- whelming desire shown by communi- ties, large and small, to pay tribute to their young people. Nominations have been received from service clubs, schools, volunteer agencies, church groups, sports organizations, and indi- viduals, whose lives have been especial- ly touched by a certain young person. Judges are faced with the gruelling task of selecting up to 12 individuals and one group to receive the awards; however each and every nominee has made a worthwhile contribution to his or her community and is presented with a certificate indicating they were nominat- ed for this prestigious award. Do you know a young person deserv- ing of consideration for the Junior Citi- zen Award? Throughout Ontario there are countless young people who are making valuable contributions to enrich community life, and that is what the Junior Citizen awards seek to recognize and encourage. Nominations for the 1993 Ontario Jun- ior Citizen of the Year Awards.will be accepted until October 31. Nomination forms and further information about the Junior Citizens program can be obtained from the Times Advocate, or by contact- ing the OCNA at 416-844-0184. Invest a moment of your time to ex- press your thanks and appreciation to a special young person. What's on your mind? The Times -Advocate continues to welcome letters to the editor as a forum for open discussion of local issues, conce;ns, complaints and kudos. The Times -Advocate 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 address. Anonymous letters will not be published. Peter's Point • North Americans - including Canadians - en- joy the best telephone service in the world. I know from experience. In comparison, Europe- an systems arc an exercise in frustration. But there are two modem telephone features I would gladly do without: the 1-800 number and the musical interlude. The 1-800 number started out as a good idea. It was meant to be a simple way of reversing charges, of making it easier and cheaper for consumers and other customers to communi- cate with suppliers. That was before all the other telephone gim- micks became available. Now a typical conver- sation goes like this (let's say I want to call the Xerox company to ask them why my fax ma- chine doesn't work). I call 1-800-387-0448. A male voice answers "Welcome to Xerox National Product Support." Then the voice re- peats this welcome in Freed). "For service in English, please press 1 if you By Petez Iessel have a touch-tone phone, if not, hold for an op- erator." I press 1, like I'm told. The same voice carries on: "For memory letter press 3. For facsimile press 4. For network service or global view press 5. For products purchased at a store, press 6.... I decided to press 4. I had finally clued in that .`facsimile stands for FAX, or vice versa. Now I get another recording telling me that the Fax Department is busy, and thafan operator will ,. be with me as soon as onees available. Patience... Well, at least this is only costing me time. The other nuisance is costing me time and money. . My laser printer is out of toner. I call the sup- plier to order some more. This supplier has no 1 -800 -number. I have to call at my own ex- pense. "North Star. may I help you?" BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1993 "Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely." ... Thomas Macauley Published Each Wednesday Moraine at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM ISO by J.W. Eedy Pubileatbns Ltd. Telephone 1.519-2381331 Q.S.T. IR1O62104Si NEVER MIND HIM .4 TNATt JU r my LITTLE BR THER • X43 y.y_,;r:�-.,.: ;.3: y. •»:�.` aq ;,,-:2?A.::,:a2:}G :i %aC> ;ydi:<�::'t`.:i: .^y j` • :; :i::': What's in it for us? So today's the day. The day we finally find out what we've known all along - that there's going to be an election. This certainly has been a long time coming. If -I stretch my mind way, way back, I can bare- ly recall that day in 1988 when the last federal election was called. I first heard then -Prime Minis- ter Brian Mulroney's election announcement over the radio as I was driving back from Huron Park. I had just watched a group of picketers angrily con- front the truckers hauling away all the equipment from the Fleck Manufacturing plant. Two hundred people had lost their jobs for good overnight, and the Prime Minister was gleefully heading into an elec- tion. There wasn't too much doubt as to what was the main issue in that fall 1988 campaign: Free Trade with the United States. Our jobs were seen to be heading south of the border, even though NAFTA was still only a glimmer in some diplo- mat's eye. Huron County had an issue. Something for proponents to de- fend, for detractors to attack. In truth, it may have all been set- tled nationwide when Mulroney faced down John Tumer in the televised debate, but at least we got our chance to play our part in it. What have we got this time round? The Constitution is a dead issue, hardly anyone re - member's last year's referendum (and you can bet Kim Campbell won't be reminding us). Huron County doesn't need any mili- tary helicopters, and NAFTA is something the United States is worrying about more than we. What the heck are they going to fight this one over? The tele- vised integrity -felts for the lead- ers will need some sort of is- sues, like a supporting cast for the more critical question of im- age. Will our local candidates have to fight over the same bones? National issues are all fine and good. Our candidates can echo their party's plans to build em- ployment, fight the deficit, boost education, or whatever is least objectionable to the most number of people. But what do we want in Huron County? Farmers probably want better prices for their crops, without getting into another NISA. The unemployed want jobs here, close to their families - and hope that an economic recovery doesn't start and finish in Metro Toronto. We'd all like to see less of our incomes siphoned off in taxes. All depressing stuff, and who could deliver on their promises anyway? Maybe what we need is some- thing more fun, more immedi- ate. Take Cornwall, for in- stance. I understand,that.. municipality wants to see'fhe riding fought over one issue alone: the Miami Vice style speedboat wars across the St. Lawrence - the fight for the smuggled cigarette market. Ap- parently the smugglers have even taken to shooting at one another, and some want to put a stop to it all. What do we have in this Hu- ron -Bruce riding that would even be one-tenth as interesting, at least from a federal point of view? Most of the big problems we face these days fall into the province's jurisdiction - college closings, policing concerns, etc., etc. That's not a bad issue in itself? What does our federal riding really mean to us all. We know we pay our income taxes to Ot- tawa to help pay for the defense of our nation, among other things. But what do we really get for our dollar, right here at home? There's a question for each candidate: what can you do for me? Music that hurts my ears "Yes, you can. Please, tell me whether you have the toner I need, it's...." "One moment please!" And the receptionist switches me to, music. Why do they call these people receptionists? They're nothing but disc jockeys. For three minutes (While the telephone meter is run- ning). I'm made to listen to country and west - em. Don't get me wrong. I'm not totally op- posed to k.d. lang, but there is a time and a place for everything. I finally hang up. Next I call the office of the Vancouver Sun. I ask the answer person for the editorial depart- ment, and I tell her that it's long distance. "I'll connect you now." "Editorial Department, Grace speaking." "Grace, is Lou there today?" "Just a moment please!" But instead of Lou 1 ger Luciano Pavarotti belting out "0 sol mio". I love Pavarotti, but not at 50 cents a minute. I hang up, never knowing whether Lou is in a meeting, at coffee I break or on vacation. Who on earth invented this musical holding game? And whom are they trying to kid? For me, waiting - especially on long distance - is just as painful, whether I'm forced to listen to a riveting Rachmaninoff string quartet, a rousing rendition of Beethoven's Ode to Joy, the latest version of Music of the Spheres (mostly whis- tling whales, howling wind and crashing waves) or even the most elevating Elevator Music money can buy. I fail to be amused, no matter how refined or pedestrian the tastes of my telephone partners may be. If you're going to put me on hold, please do it silently. Or instruct your operator to ask me: "Are you calling long distance?" If 1 say "yes", give me a choice: "Do you want to call back in a few minutes or lean back, relax and enjoy the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata?"