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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-01-07, Page 4THE BLYTH STANDARD) Page 4—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY?, 1987 t Tho Clinton News -Record Is published each Wednesday at P.O. Box 33, Clinton, Ontario, Canada, NOM 11O. Tel.: 402-3443. Subscriptlpn Rete: Canada -621.00 Sr. Citizen .418.00 per year U.S.A. foreign 660.00 per yea* 1t 1s registered as second class mall by the post office under the permit number 0019. The News -Record Incorporated In 1924 thahuron News -Record. founded in 1001. and The Clinton News Ero, founded in 1068. Total press runs 3.7-00. Incorporating J ANNE NAREJKO - Editor FREDA McLEOD - Office Manager SHELLEY McPHEE HAIST - Reporter DAVID EMSLIE - Reporter JANICE GIBSON - Advertising LAUREL MITCHELL - Circulation/Classified GARY HAIST- General Manager CCNA MEMBER MEMBER BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1985 Display advertising rates available on request. Ask for Rate Card No. 15 effective Oc- tober 1, 1984. why civilization died One of the most widely -read books of all time is "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". It sets forth five basic reasons why civilization withered and died. They were: The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society. Higher and higher taxes. The spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace. The mad craze for pleasure. Sports becoming every year more ex- citing, more brutal, more immoral. The building of great armaments when the real enemy was within. The decay of individual responsibility. And, the decay of religion; faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life, losing power to guide the people. (It does not require more than average vision to observe the parallels with our own times. Thanks to The North Kent Leader for the above. )—Exeter Times -Advocate. Post offices should not be run by private operators Dear Editor: The Report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Opera- tions in regard to the Canada Post Corpora- tion's five-year plan for 1986-87 to 199(1=91 called for the closure, amalgamation and franchising of rural post offices. The Committee Report, which was presented to the House on December 1,5, 1986, recommended a few changes and em- phasized some aspects of the plan. One point that the Committee enlarged upon was the privitization of certain rural post offices. While the committee's observations about the human resource is$ues are appreciated, I must stress that I consider the privitiza- tion of these operations to be most illogical. If, by suggesting the post offices in certain rural communities be turned over to private operators, the corporation is saying that a profit can be made from them, why then is the corporation, which needs money, giving them up? If they are not profitable, what guarantee do the citizens of these com- munities have that their postal service will continue in the future? What will happen to the government representation in these communities, to its ability to assist citizens with the completion �nn Marjko Picture perfect For most of us, a day consists of getting out of bed, driving to work where we are in- side a building for the better part of our shift, driving home and flopping down on the couch. Not too many of us get to enjoy the outdoor scenery as much as we would like to or should., Well, after all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season was over, I decided to escape into another world before hitting the daily routine for another year. Being a slow week, I had to find some pic- tures for the paper. The sun was shining bright, snow had fallen over night and all of my assignments had been taken care of for the day. Driving around town didn't ;roduce too much so I headed for the count :; ,• Heading out the Bayfield Road, I decided to turn on the sideroad which contains Tyn- dall's Bridge. The sun had not yet melted the snow on the branches which tried to reach across the river, so stopped to take a few pictures. From there I headed up toward Bannockburn Conservation Area and found some of the prettiest scenery I had seen in a long, long time: The snow covered road had trees on either side of it. The branches of the trees were covered with tjye yet unmelted snow, and the sun was shining directly down the middle of the road. Off to the side, ice cold water was making its way to another destination. It was so pretty I just had to pull over and take a picture, or two, or three... Pulling over wasn't hard, but getting back on the road was. The snow covered the soft shoulder of the road, and not being familiar with it, I steered my car over a little further than I should have. When it was time to get back in and go on my way, the tires didn't want to co-operate, .however, putting the four - cylinder automobile into reverse, moving a few inches, putting it back into forward and opce again into reverse, worked well. I then ventured a few more metres down the road before I decided to stop again. This time I was determined not to pull over too far. However, I did it once again but I managed to get put using the same method. The countryside always seems so• peaceful, even if I get in a little too deep! There are very few cars that travel the back roads, just Mother Nature's beauty can be found. Leaving the sideroads and hitting the clear pavement should have been a welcome relief after getting stuck, but it wasn't. The pavement with the cars zoom- ing by just didn't compare with the peace and tranquility I had had for the past 30 minutes. But then again, our dreams are always better than reality. l7''S A 7 'En1Dy APPI?oAc -/ THE -5un/DAV CoLLECTioni PLATE / of government forms such as UIC., gasoline tax rebate, income tax, birth certificates, access to information, etc.? The post offices in the rural areas are the perfect example of what the motto of Canada Post means "Service to the Peo- ple". Service is exactly what the people in rural Canada want, and that is what the government should ensure they get. The Rural Operations Group of Canada Post Corporation is supported by in- dividuals mailing in smaller communities, and through a variety of services such as general delivery, lock box and rural route delivery. -Canada Post recognizes that the Rural Operations Group is a service- oriented body, in stating that they do not ;,, generate sufficient revenue. It is our view that the quality of service to rural residents should be maintained even at a net cost to Canada Post. To this end we solicit your support in writing to your Federal member stating that your post office be saved, therefore en- suring that postal service to your communi- ty remain as it is today R.W. Starkey Prescott, Ontario. Reader disappointed with remark Dear editor, I am writing concerning the article in the December 24 Clinton News -Record paper that Kathy Bromley told about her Christmas, and I was shocked at her remarks about the Christmas she remembered about Santa Claus. I am a grandma of four small ,children and I know the joy and excitement Santa Claus brings to everyone on Chriatrnas morning. I am very disappointed in the editor of the News -Record (a family paper) for letting this story get past his desk. As I read a little farther I was pleased to read about Gayle Gundy and her husband, and now they had helped Santa out with the little girl that was storm stayed at their home. This Grandma would like to tell all the children that I for one believe there is still and always will be a Santa Claus one way or another. At Christmas time I enjoy reading the let- ters the children write and the drawings are real good. What would Christmas be without the children and Santa Claus? A concerned Grandma, Helen Storey. Georgetown High School will be celebrating 100 years Dear Editor: Georgetown, Ontario, High School is celebrating its 100th anniversary on July 3, 4 and 5, 1987. All former staff and students are cordially invited to help celebrate the anniversary, to reminisce, and to enjoy the festivities planned. Registration brochures are already in the mail. If you haven't received one, or if you need further information about the Reunion plans, please contact: Tom Beer, P.O. Box 1887, Georgetown, Ontario L7G 4T1 Phone: (416) 877-6966 (day) , or (416) 877-4740 (evenings). We hope to see you in Georgetown on July 3, 4 and 5, 1987! Yours truly, J. Ruddell, G.D.H.S. Reunion Committee r Got an opinion? rite a letter to the editor Shelley MCPhQQ IIaist Hibernation The Christmas decorations are packed away for another season, the new gifts are already being put to good use. The snow shovel stands on guard, waiting for its first duty. The new VCR is hooked up, ready for movie time, set to entertain us through the long winter months ahead. We're settling in for the season. rurn to Husband and I are happy to nor- mal this week and back to the regular routines. Funny, how a couple of weeks of festivities, too much socializing, entertain- ing, eating and late nights can make you ap- preciate simpler times. Ah yes, there's nothing like Gary's Weiners and Rice recipe for supper, after feasting on rich foods for too long a stretch. How we enjoy a quiet night at home in front of the television- after being on the social circuit for the past three weeks. What comfort and luxury there is in going til bed at nine o'clock with a book, a cupoof to andd some relaxing music playing radio. Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. Many' people face the prospects of winter with a bad case of the January Blahs. Not me. I rather enjoy the idea of a quiet month - just let me be snowed in my house with no urgent matters to attend to, some good books, food in the fridge, Husband, Baby and I feeling in good spirits. Gary and I have always enjoyed winter. We're not outdoor birds mind you. We haven't skated in years. We talk of going 'Planting schedule for council cross country skiing, but never seem to get around to it. We don't even like driving anywhere in the winter. But, In winter we have the opportunity to enjoy our home and each other's company without too many interruptions. In January and February our social calenders are less frantic than usual, our work schedule at the newspaper is slow, we're actually able to spend some evenings and weekends together. Gary and I get re -acquainted in January after a busy fall and Christmas season. I usually undertake my major housecleaning project for the year. Gary updates his photo albums, writes letters and cleans the base- ment. I try a new diet. Gary plays volleyball. I join an exercise class, and, we both dig out our bathing suits and towels and head to the Vanastra pool for an evening's swim. January and February are visiting mon- ths too. We'll have friends over for a Mex- ican dinner. We'll have a crokinole party or'. two, perhaps a movie night with our new VCR. And of course there will be much ex- citement in a few short weeks as we prepare - to celebrate Baby's first birthday. And, we talk of having another little McPhee Hoist. We'll be giving that project fi'ibre thought in the year ahead. We have lots of plans for 1987. We'll be putting in a new kitchen floor. We hope to take a trip to British Columbia this year. We'd like to spend more time at the cottage, fix the calport, do more landscaping around the estate, redecorate the family room, spend more time visiting our families, go to dinner at a fancy restaurant for our anniversary. This year I promise to finish one project before I start another. I'll try to read a book cover to cover before tackling the next one. I will complete the sewing prdjects that have been piled atop the sewing machine for th last year. I will write more letters to friends. I will exercise more control with m charge card. I will clean out my clothes closest. I will quit biting my fingernails. I will lose lots of weight, buy a new bathing suit and get a great sun tan in 1987. I don't really believe in making New Year's Resolutions, they are too often broken. However, I like the idea of setting goals and ambitions for myself, and January is a good month to plan and prepare for the 11 months ahead. Husband and I have accepted the fact that winter is upon us. Unlike November and December when we were feeling grumpy and depressed as the first blasts of snow and cold assaulted us, we're feeling more tolerant of winter now. We have reluctantly accepted that fact that the car windows need scraping each morning; that the driveway needs shovelling; that you could land on your behind while walking on slip- pery sidewalks; that travel plans can be quickly cancelled when a snowstorm blows up; that there will be high heating bills to pay; that it gets dark atfive o'clock. In spite of January and r ebruary, the notorious dismal months of the year, Hus- band and I rather look forward to this time of year. It's like the scene from Cleme Moore's Twas The Night Before Christie " and Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap " Good night all. We'll see you in the spring. First, plant four rows of peas: Presence, Promptness, Preparation, Perseverance. Next, plant four rows of lettuce: Let us obey rules and regulations; let us be true to our obligations; let us be faithful to duty; let us be loyal and unselfish. Then, plant these three rows of squash: Squash rumors or discrimination; squash Indifference; squash criticism. Finally, plant four rows of turnips: turn up for meetings; turn up with a mile; turn ,up with new ideas; turn up with a deter- mination to do the job. (Courtesy of Background) Fl/,