The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-01, Page 4PAGE 4 t:ODE:RICH SIGNAL; STAR, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1987
This paltry piece has, traditionally,
dealt .vith things that contained more
silliness than substance; whimsical mus-
ings that were designed, by accident, to
lean more towar-ds entertainment than of-
fer thought-provoking rhetoric.
In short, comprehension of these offer
Inks has never required that a reader's
IQ exceed his or her underwear size.
But this week we have matters more
serious in nature to discuss; matters of
vital importance to the well being of the
community and its citizenry.
And so it is with great willingness, and
in my usual spirit of co-operation, that I
extend this space for the good of mankind
and offer a public service announcment
of great magnitude and importance.
Readers will be fully cognizant of the
fact that a severe thunderstorm ripped '
through the Goderich and Southwestern
• Ontario area Sunday evening. Brilliant
flashes 'of lightning, often followed by
DAVE SYKES
deafening rolling thunder, lit the night
sky. Spring rain, heavy at times, drench-
ed the area.
TIri ough a weird combination of at-
megp ieric pressures and unnatural con- .
ditiens'that defied basic laws of physics
and meteorolpgy land Murphy), water
seeped into the telephone lines in the
Goderich area. While the inere thought
would rival the most absurd and bizarre
of stories and, ne doubt, solicit hearty
laughter, o£ffciale are perplexed to find a
remedy.
-We're experiencing major difficulties
with this situation and thought, perhaps,
the paper could help alleviate some of the
problems," a spokesman pleaded. "This
is a first for us. We've never seen
anything like it.
"We're not sure how the water got into
the lines, but we do know that lightning
played an integral part," he .said.
While the water in the lines doesn't •
pose any serious hazard to people using
telephones, it is a major annoyance.
Reports have been received of people get-
ting squirted in the ear while attempting
to make a phone call and many have
complained about getting their good
blouse or Pierre Cardin soiled. Others
have noticed puddles forming on the floor
under the telelphone.
"Some phone booths were turned into
veritable fountains afte the storm. It was
quite a sight," the spokesman joked.
"The only thing we can recommend is
that people place a large pot under the
phone fur a few days to catch the drips. a
We figure it should subsize within a mat-
ter of days.
"Many people are simply removing the
receiver and sticking it in a large pail
and that would surely suffice. That cer-
tainly is a plausible solution for now. We
don't expect this situation to last more
than a day or two.
"Customers have complained that the
party on the other end of the line sounds
as if they are submerged and, again, we
can only reiterate that the situation is
temporary, and we are working to correct
it," the spokesman said.
While there have been definite pro-
blems with phones the bizarre situation
has also pervaded the television cable.
Many viewers, not wanting to get their
expensive televisions drenched, have
wisely removed the cable from the back
of the set and placed it in a pail to catch
the excess water.
Once the water has been removed from
the lines, the cable can be safely re-
attached to the rear of the television.
Officials denied that they may be forc-
ed to flush the lines if the problem per-
sisted but customers would be advised to
take appropriate action if the situation
warranted a general flush.
"We hope it doesn't come to that," an
official said.
In the meantime, as a public service,
we advise you to get those pots and pails
out. And by the way, have a happy April
Fool's Day. I gotta go stick my phone in
a pail.
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C CNA
icking up the tab:
not always wrong
A headline on the front page of this • ublicaton last week, "Mayor says Searls on witch
hunt over expense tabs," was a vivid re inder of just how badly a situation can deteriorate"
when the lines of communication beco e clogged with single-mindedness.
The exchange was spawned by the Co ncillor Jim Searls' introduction of a motion to have
councillors and committee members pa for their -own alcoholic'beverages, when'consumed
while meeting on town business., It be ame quite heated when Mayor Eileen Palmer sug-
gested Searls had slighted the many pe ple who work on the town's various boards and com-
niittees, by suggesting they were takin advantage of the town's largesse by having a drink
with their lunch. 11 •
The issue here, is more complex thar it•might seem at first glance. While'it's easy to con- .
elude there is no reason for the taxpayer to foot the, bill for drinks consurrimed by elected
and appointed officials,"one must also e5camine the function they are performing at the time.
Municipalities,are corporations and, while they are publicly -funded, they are still obliged
in many cases to operate under the same rules of business etiquette as the private sector —
often including the business luncheon, complete with.cocktails. As Councillor John Stringer
pointed out, the meeting of the Industrial• Development Committee, the liquor bill frorn '
which was [nude an issue in the recent debate, did result in an "offer to purchase," some in-
dustrial land from the town by two local businessmen.
I low different is this from wining and dining. federal and provincial politicians, at the tax-
payer'~ expense i a practice even Searls conceded should be continued ), simply because
they are in a position to help the town financially? Is the local entrepreneurs' investment in
the town not just as important?.
While no council member specifically objected to the idea of making liquor at meetings a
personal expense, council did agree the motion needed rethinking to allow for exceptional
situations, and so it was, quite wisejy,' tabled for further consideraton.
However, another issue — one of at least equal importance — arose during the discussion
on the liquor tab motion. It should also receive serious consideration.
Mayor Palmer criticized Searls for making the motion, saying it was "insulting to the in-
telliger)t•e of our people, (board and'committee•members)" to suggest they might be ir-
responsible in their submission of expenses.
While Mayor Palmer should be commended for her loyal defence of the people who offer "
their time and talents to the town, she perhaps, went a step too far when she suggested that
such matters as this should not be brought to council's attention in the manner Searls chose.
instead. the mayor suggested such topics should first go through "proper channels," and re-
quested councillors discuss them with herself or Administrator Larry McCabe, for`possible
diversion to the committee levels.
if an open meeting of Goderich Town Council is not the "proper channel," for concerns ex-
pres.;ed about the use of taxpayer's money; then what is? Certainly not an unofficial private
meeting excluding both press and public. •
The mayor should have stopped after proclaiming her faith in the integrity of the board
and committee members, and let it go at that. Her Worship's mandate may be to inject
•order into the discussions of council, but it is not to divert them from public view. — P.R.
It hasn't been a good week if you're a
television evangelist,.
What with God threatening to snuff out
Oral Roberts, and Rev. Jim Bakker's re-
cent admission he had been "led into
temptation," and liked it — if your game
is saving souls via satellite, you've pro-
bably been looking over your shoulder
since about mid-March.
Video -preachers have never been
among the higher forms of life on my
credibility list, although I suppose they
must be tolerated in the name of
democracy and free speech. Still, Ws
kind of fun to see them in a mess of trou-
ble, One that's probably got even their
faithful followers beginning to doubt if
that hard-earned 10 spot they mailed in is
really going toward the furthering of the
• Lord's work.
That's really my only beef about these
guys — their penchant for extracting
- rali4r; -throuuh ihe-.dispensati.on.Df-guiltL.-..
trips and guile, from people who can ill -
afford to be supporting a multi-million
dollar ministry. Money better spent by
the lonley, elderly people, who make up
the bulk of the TV evangelists' following,
on food and shelter too often ends being
used by these charlatans to tip the man
who trims the hedges of the opulent man-
sions many of them inhabit.
While it is standard practice for
legitimate religions to financially support
their clergy, I find it sad to see that
many' people don't seem to see thedif-
ference between tossing a' few pesos on
the collection plate, in the privacy of
your own church, and mailing in con-
tributions to.such disgraceful causes as
the aforementioned Oral Roberts' emo-
tional blackmail campaign.
If Roberts was really being coerced for
cash by the Almighty Himself, then I
have to wonder why he apparently gave
no thought to taking out a second mor-
tgage on his $2.4 million home. Perhap's
he thought, in return for long-time ser-
vice (diservice? ), he would be allowed to
Ow it with Mm...'NtenT Oral' —_...._—..__. -.
As for Bakker, the sexual ipdiscretion
which forced him to resign from his
No one. home as fire destroys
one of oldest farm homes in clistrict
25 YEARS AGO
March 29, 1962: ,
Fire completely 'destroyed one ,of the
oldest farm homes in the district, belonging
to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Raithby, last Thurs-
day afternoon. The farm is situated one-half
mile east of Auburn in Bullet Township and
is noted for its production of maple syrup.
The fire was discovered by Mr. and, Mrs.
Ted East, of Bullet Township, 'as they drove
to Auburn about 3:30 p.rn. On investigation,
Mr East found no-one at home and seeing
the flames corning through the roof at the
back of the house, summoned the Auburn
and Blyth Fire Departments. Mr. Raithby
_and son John were in the bush at the time
boiling maple syrup and were told of the fire
by a neighbour boy who ran through .the
snow to tell them. The 90 -year-old house
was burned to the ground but neighbours
and friends rescued the furniture from the
first floor of the two-storey home. A nearby
building and garage were not damaged.
'The cause of the fire is unknown but the loss
was estimated at over $12,000. Mrs. Raithby
was delivering maple syrup in Goderich
when the fire broke out.
Two town emp•ioyees were injured Thurs-
day morning while repairing the main trunk
sewer at the side of the road along No. 8
highway. They were treated and•released at
the hospital. A collapse in the sewer tiling,
had necessitated an evacuation 14 -feet dee`
and the men were working below ground
when the aecidgnt.occurred._,,,A ladder used
for entrance to.tlie hole was peepp
the bank wheel a sudden cave-iii.7 gid'
quicksand through ;the- 'twitter. b. c r
striking the two men" wc' other 'workmen
LOOKING BACK
were also engaged in repairs at the time.
One was buried to his knees in quicksand but
was quickly extricated by the prompt action
of his foreman, who jumped into the hole
and pulled him loose. Complicating opera-
tions at the site were the nearby gas mains
,.and a dangling high tension polce, uprooted
'during the excavation. The accident occur-
red near the hydro substation on the
highway.
' 50 YEARS AGO
March 25, 1937:
•
Despite the fact that efforts are continual-
ly being put forth to create greater interest
in the Board of Trade in Goderich, only 5
people were present at the adjourned
meeting scheduled to be 'held at the town
hall on Tuesday night. The annual meeting,
which was called on March 15, was adjourn-
ed because there were riot enough members
present to hold the meeting and again on
Tuesday night there was no quorum and so
the meeting was adjourned to be called at
the will of the president: The officers for the
year have not yet been elected.
As a means of linking up the badminton
clubs of the various communities. in the
• district, Stratford Club has invited players
'eon. and Perth Counties to. take part in
t anaeni whieh1 they hope to make an
ve'tit."' The:inatch will be held in
lucrative position as head of television's
Praise the Lord (PTL) Club would not
have cost him his job, had he chosen to
become a lawyer or a firemen like his
mother wanted him to. Only in a field
where people set themselves up as
"holier than thou," is promiscuity a fir-
ing offence.
It's easy for me.• but no doubt tougher
for Roberts, Bakker and thier ilk, to look
on the bright side of these recent
scandals.
For the first tiine in my life, i am en-
joying the appearance of television
evangelists on the tube. Of course now, .
instead breathing fire and brimstone into
Sunday morning programming, they ai-e
turning up on nightly news shows,
sheepishly trying to explain away the re-
cent scandals. It's fun to watch them
squirm.
One such "preacher," cornered on
NBC's News Nightline program, tried to
--dismiss the Bakker incident by claimingg
money paid to the woman who supposed-
ly had sex with the deposed PLT star we
Stratford at the Badminton Courts,on March
30-31. The tournament is the first one 'of its
kind to be in this district and suitable
prizes and cups have been secured for the
various events. There will be eight"first
prize cups and , eight consolation prizes
given.
70 YEARS AGO
March 29, 1917:
An exhibit in 'Lee's store window of bird
houses made by pupils of Victoria school has
attracted much attention. This interest in
the care and protection of our singing birds
was first aroused when Rev. W.K. Hager of-
fered a prize to the school for the best bird
house. About 50 of the little shelters were
made in a great 'variety of styles. The win-
ners were Morrison Baker and Clyde
Carter. The exhibit certainly will be an in-
centive to others, who wish to protect the
birds.
About 2 a.m. Monday. people who were
awake heard, and others who were asleep
were awakened by, a loud report, as of an
explosion, seer tingly from the direction of
the lake. Men who were \work•ing at the Big
Mill thought the sound came from the direc-
tion of the lake s et the south of the
town. Investigation has failed to reveal any
evidence•of an explosion, and the cause of '
the mysterious report is the subject of
various conjectures. One is that it was caus-
ed by a falling meteor which possibly buried
itself in the lafe; another is that some
sailors, for a lark, took one of the distress
signals carried by lake vessels and set it off
on the shore; and still another that is was a
sharp and severe.clap of thunder.
from
this
angle
Patrick Raftis
not "blackmail," but "hush money." To
quote a popular laundry detergent com-
mercial, "I can't see the difference! Can
you see the difference?"
Meanwhile, everybody who can get ac-
cess to the airwaves has been denouncing
Roberts, for his claim that God was going
to kill him if he didn't raise around 88
million by the end of March. Whew! Was
I elver relieved When I heardhe made it,
Do you suppose God would have struck
Roberts down with a lightnipg bolt (a la
The Old Testament), or would He simply
have sent around a couple His arm -
busters to do the job quietly (a la Al
Capone)?.
Before any of my regular readers (and
i count the ones,who only read this
because they thought "From This
Angle," meant it was a column about '•
geometry) decides to rebuke me as a
disrespectful heathen, I want to point out
that I have nothing but respect#or people
with sincere religious beliefs. Unfor-
tunately, 1 can't count people who exploit
their audiences by offering "salvation" in
return for a donation. So, I have no
respect for television evangelists.
Oral Roberts has proven by this latest
episode that he is a sick man. He needs
help sure, but it shouldn't cost $8 million
to get him a shrink.
However, if, by what he has done, he ,
has managed to cast a pall of suspicion
over himself and others in his field and
causes them all to lose support — he may
at last, albeit inadvertently, have done
some good,