The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1999-11-24, Page 6Exp Times -Advocate Wednesday,November 24, 1999 Editorial&Opinion L__ Tim 1.S-fel)VOCiVI' 1. PUBUCATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 Jim Beckett Publisher and Editor Don Smith General Manager Deb Lord Production Manager PubliIhed by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331 EDITORIAL Yet anot er kids' craze okemon. Even the most disinterested of per- sons cannot help but have heard of this latest kids' craze. We've seen it all before, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Ninja Turtles, Barney, Power Rangers and the like. Whatever becomes hot Ls a must -have item. And with Christmas fast approaching we certainly aren't about to hear less of the yellow 'Pikachu' et al anytime soon. Some critics say, however, that this latest 'must - have' is a much more intrusive fad than many that have preceded it. One school principal in the U.S. says Pokemon is the most disruptive game she's seen in her 10 years at the helm of an elementary school. The cards/toys/video game/Game boy game are so "distracting," students simply can't concentrate on schoolwork.. Many U.S. school districts have , banned the cards. Likewise in Canada, where. the Pokemon phe- nomena hit the news at the beginning of the school year, again with reports that some schools had banned the trading cards. A principal at one Toronto -area school said she was afraid her young students could be hit by a bus or car, they concentrated so much on the cards and so little on safety. Theft was also becoming a problem. The craze has its proponents, of course. A toy expert on CNN this week said the game, played by collecting and trading cards, is non-violent and encourages co-operation. He called Pokemon "harmless." "It offers a fantasy world and kids love to have a world of their own. It also gives kids, even shy kids, something in common," the expert said. Contrast that with a'psychiatrist who, ori ehe same show, said kids are being brainwashed by the toy. Indeed, some parents say Pokemon is the only thing their kids will play with or show inter- est in. • • Good or bad, this new fad is costing families mega -money. Reports say $300 million have been spent in 1999 on trading cards alone. . And, of course, there's Pokemon, the First Movie, which opened last week. Take from the first five days - $50.8 million! All of which calls to mind an edict from our moms when some of us were little -- (back then the biggest craze was, well, we're struggling here, slinky perhaps?) -- everything immoderation. St. Marys Journal Argus Want a pet elephant? Forget about it 1 didn't " realize how much, as Canadians, our rights are infringed upon until a recent council meeting in Zurich. Council was updating its dog bylaw in response to complaints of vicious dogs harassing villagers. All seemed normal with the bylaw (which was adopted from Exeter's) until I noticed an attachment to the bylaw, called "Schedule A", which listed all of the ani- mals residents can't own if they live in Zurich. To my horror I noticed elephants are prohibit- ed. What, I asked myself, no elephants allowed? The list gets worse - pinnipeds aren't allowed! For the uninitiated; pinnipeds include animals such as seals and walruses, both cuddly, warm- hearted creatures who would no doubt make a great pet for some infant if not for the repressive bylaw. Weasels are banned, too. Where will the politi- cians go? S�dTT Also banned are all marsupials such as kanga- NIXON roos and opossums and non -human primates (gorillas, monkeys, chimps). I also learned you AND ANOTHBt can't own a lion, tiger or bear (oh my!). Can THING someone tell me why? Wouldn't you like to walk . down the street and see your neighbour walking his elephant down the street? The conversation might go something like this: "Hey, Fred, what are you doing with that elephant?" "It's my new pet. I'm taking him for a walk." "Oh. Need any peanuts?" Wouldn't that be neat? Wouldn't life be more excit- ing? Instead, what do we have? White squirrels. Don't get me wrong, white squirrels are cute, but they're nothing more than rats with furry tails and a good public relations.department. I'd rather an elephant any day, thanks. Or a chimpanzee. I ' i t see any reason why chim- panzees are banned. Most people I know lack the intel- ligencp and social graces of a chimp. Plus, chimps can use their feet to pick things up. The dist also includes animals that no rea- sonable person would ever want. Like bats. What, bats aren't allowed as pets? Darn, now what am 'I going to get my girlfriend for Christmas? You can aJJo scratch alligators and croco- diles off your Christmas wish list because those aren't allowed either. So, what do we do about this intrusion on our rights? Complain to your local politician. Tell them it's your right to own an elephant if you want. Or just go out and buy one any- way, what are they going to do about it, send the ele- phant catcher over to take it away? I've found a loophole, though. Hippos and rhinos aren't on the list .. . About the Times -Advocate Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter; Ontario NOM 1S6. Our office is open Monday to Friltay, 8:30 am.to 5:00 pm. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales ....(519) 235-1331 24-hour automated attendant (519) 235-1336 Fax number for all departments (519) 235-0766 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $35+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $63+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada: $102 Call (519) 235-1331 to order a subscription. Classified Rates Word ads: $9.00 for 20 words, 15* for each additional word+ GST. Notices (births, deaths, announcements, coming events, memoriams, cards of.thanks): $11.00 + GST for up to 30 words, All ads must be pre -paid. The classified ad deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. Display Advertising To place a display ad, (519) 235-1331 weekdays 8:30 to 5 p.m.'or evenings (519) 235-1336 (leave message) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Friday 4 p.m. -maR lJs TA e-mail addresses consist of the person's first initial and last name followed by 1®ta.eedy.eom. For example, Jim Bede s e-mail address is Ibeck- ett@ta.eedy.com> Our general e-mail address is edi- tor€South Huron.com. or talfeedy.com The Times -Advocate Team Advertising Barb Consitt ext. 110 RepC Craig Bradford ext. 113 • Kate Monk ext. 107 Scott Nixon . ext. 105 Customer Service Sue Rollings ext. 101 Debbie Thompson ext. 102 Production Staff " Deb Lord ext. 114 Brenda Hern, Laurel Miner, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson ext. 103 Accounting staff Cassie Dal•►mple ext. 108 Anita McDonald ext. 111 Ruthann Negr(jn ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 Carol Windsor ext. 206 •