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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-02-18, Page 4PAGE 4—GODERT(`H SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18.1981 dave •r • A •CNA BtttE - RIBBON AWARD I • Second class mail registration number -0716 I think, it would be fair to state unequivocally that winter weather and f don't get along. In fact it's more of a mutual disdain than dislike. Actually I've plodded along with much resourcefulness and a dash of savvy. It's my car that hasn't fared so well. The family vehicle could well be com- pared to an mishcievous child. If there's a pothole it goes through it, if there are drifts on the road it finds them and if the timing is most inopporutne; it breaks down miles from civilization, The evidence would indicate the family mobile has a mind of its own. But the weather fails to co-operate with the flighty moods of the old 78 and as soon as I venture on the highway, storms materialize out of nowhere and pounce on my path. This morning was no different and I offer the following scenario. I jumped at the command of the alarm at 7.30 a.m.( which is early for this dedicated SINCE 1848 THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT FoundedIn MS and published every Wednesday at.Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CCNA and OWNA. Adver.. tilling rotes on request. Subscriptions payable in advance '17.50 in Canada, '35.00 to U.S.A., '35.00 10 all other conn. tries, single copies 50'. Display advertising rates available on request. please ask for Rate Card No. 10 effective tober 1, 16U. Second class mall Registration Number 0716. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that In the event of typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for but the balanceAf the advertisement will bi paid for at the ap- plicable rote. In the event of a typographical error advertising goads or services of a wrong price, goods or service may not be sold -Advertising Is merely an offer to sell. and may be withdrawn at any time. The Signal -Star is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts. photos or other materials used for reproducing pur.. PUBLISHED BY:'SIGNAL=STARPUBL15HING"L(M1TED ROBERT G. SHRIER - President and Publisher DONALD M. HUBICK - Advertising Manager DAVID SYKES - Editor _..............,...P.O. BOX— 220 HUCKINS ST. INDUSTRIAL PARK GODERICH NTA 4B6 G0' derelict) and commenced to wrestle the dirt and grime of the past 24 hours off my body. After a bit of persona 1 g rooming, with coffee in hand I set out to attack the editorial world. But the car had different ideas. While I had set out for work just after 8 a.m.(that was for the publishers benefit) I arrived at 9.30. And from my appearance, it would not have-- been out of line_for. colleagues to assume that this correspondent met up with a zealous lady mud -wrestler on the way to work. My attire gave off every indication of a major confrontation. My boots surrendered to the large pool of water at the end of the driveway and eagerly consumed same in large amounts. My best dress pants ($12.98 at Sears) were soaked to the knees -and spotted with flecks of'mud. My fragilebod was wracked with dampness and shivered spasmodically. My hair was messed up. 1 I was in great pain. And the source of allthio cis xnnfort is the long, gravelled lane affectionately revered as the driveway. I am of the opinion that driveways are basically sadistic and take great delight in inviting mounds of snow, slush, sleet, water and whatever other elements winter delivers, to take respite at the end of lane. One day, when patience is worn thin, I will simply blow the sucker up and hopefully gain its respect in the process. Anyway, after. last week's severe storm spewed forth much rain, sleet and snow my driveway obligingly accepted a quota and was thus rendered useless. At the end of the lane was an enormous pool of water, that nauturally turned to thick ice, but with mild temperatures it was quickly transformed into a quagmire of water, ice and slush. A monument to one of the great storms of the season,, My car laved it. And on this busy morning when several editorial matters required immediate *tinder, the Sy,ke-smobiie took to spinning its wheels in the ice and slush. Water and slush flew in every direction from the rear wheels but we didn't budge. That has to be the most helpless situation in the world, revving the tires to great speeds and going nowhere. The tires dig deeper into the ice and the language tends to be of the uncomplimentary variety. Gosh darn car won't move. in' the dadgumrned snow. My only salvation is neighbours and by now I am sure they are tired of my car's romance with winter. They have pushed, pulled, towed, boosted dead batteries, looked under the hood, checked the trunk and generally obliged even in bad weather. Those same neighbours are probably anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring, when they won't look out the window and see me walking helplessly up the road in search in help. FOR BUSINESS OR ED!TO!!AL OFFICES riense phone (519) 524-8331 Prayers for Fox A sizeable • crowd gathered in Court House Park candlelight prayer vigil. Saturday to offer prayers and testimony to Terry Fox in a Hundreds of candles flickered in the cold night air while the crowd offered their personal prayers to Fox who lost a leg to cancer and earlier this month learned the disease - had spread to his lungs. His chemotherapy sessions have beenstoppecL The special prayer vigil was hastily organized by Ronnie Varga of Goderich who felt something should be done in a helpless situation. Her hopes of making the vigil "just a people thing""'were realized and the candlelight vigil brought to mind the suffering of Fox and others who suffer. Members of the Ministerial Association led the group -in prayer and praise of Fox and his unselfish determination in helping others. Reverend Lochart Royal articulated that Fox was able to think of others in his, own suffering and he fought that others might.not endure what he had to. Fox is a. great Canadian and his attempted cross - Canada run brought the people of this country together in a common bond for a common goal. He was forced to abandon his run at the half -way mark giving in 'to the disease that had earlier claimed his limb. The short ceremony Saturday was simply to offer testimony and. prayers to Terry in his battle with cancer. Many people came and offered their personal prayers and arm in arm formeda ring of hope in Court House Park. At the conclusion they made a synibolic march around The Square in recognition. of Terry and his Marathon of Hope. But now, as Rev. Royal said, we can only pray for him and think of him and commend him. Terry Fox 'will however be in our thoughts for a long, long time. An election goodie? Elections seem to bring out the best in politicians at times. And who would have the audacity to suggest that election goodies are sprung on an adoring electorate just a few weeks from election day. It's been known to happen. This weekend Premier William Davis announced that the gove^1'ne tt-1vili- outfit -the _Ontarrio_Propineial _Police with bulletproof vests and municipal forces will receive half the money needed to buy the vests. The announcement may smack of an election goodie offered up as attractive bait during the campaign but actually the vests are more of a necessity. Maybe the tlmmmg wascomcidentat The question remains; why does it take so long to take preventivemeasures where lives are at stake? Why did so many minor hockey players lose teeth and sustain severe eye injuries before protective masks were made man- datory? Learning by mistakes is a painful process. Many policeman have given of their lives in the line of duty and thousands more suffered permanent injury. Perhaps use of a bulletproof vest would have minimized the loss of life and injury. That's only speculation but it would seem reasonable to assume the vests would have reduced the figures. Davis said the members of the provincial force deserve nothing but the best in protective equipment. That's true but why have police settled for less thus far? The vests will cost the government $1.3 million. in- _cl_uding.special _protective suits for bomb defusing units. The vests will not be bought until a special report is released to the Ontario police commission recommending standards. Of course there is the theory that if vests are used force- . wide, gun wielding criminals, would simply'shoot for the head -arena That's- a--possibility-but-it's-unlikely to be a conscious effort on the part of a persicsi exchanging fire with police. . Police: live with danger on the job everyday, it is an accepted part of the duty. But undoubtedly many -will feel more comfortable wearing protective vests, it will provide some sense of security. Others may choose not to wear the vests, but at least they should have the choice made available to them. Liberal leader Stuart Smith said it takes an election to get things done. Regardless of the reasons, in some cases it is just urgent that they he done. D.S. Spring break p g by Dave Sykes DEAR READES BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER Perhaps one of the best read columns in our newspaper is the letters to the editor column. I know that's true. I get more comments about the letters we've had in the paper, than just about anything. But you want specifics. Right? Well, not too long ago we ran a letter to the editor from someone who viirS -looking for members of a family The letter writer was doing one of those popular family trees and needed help and information. The paper came out on Wednesday morning 13y Sunday evening that same week, the letter writer was in -touch with a member of the family • fr obi the Windsor area. -What do -you-thunk of that? Pretty convincing isn't it? Our paper gets around... andin a big hurry. This week we have a letter to the editor from the local Kinsmen Club._They are chartering a Kinsmen. Club in Ashfield Township for the .hamlets oLNile,. Port_Albert, Kingsbridge and Dungannon. They are looking for young men in that area who want to become part of an organization that works for the community's greatest needs. We're betting that, letter will get some response from the fellows in Ashfield. And we're happy the Kinsmen Club recognizes that the Signal -Star's letters column is a real com- municator in this part of the world. Letters to the editor have something to say. Perhaps the letter writer has a bone to pick with someone or something. Maybe it is a bouquet for Here I sit, for the fifty-second time, in front of this keyboard that has become a comfortable extension of my brain. That's right gang, your faithful correspondent has been on the Working Person Treadmill for one year now and is surviving it with gusto. It's amazing is it not? We are talking about an individual who quit tap dancing lessons, brownies, piano lessons, 4-.1, candy - striping, and school. Yet for an entire year I have been overcoming colds and flu, hangovers, writers' blocks, apathy, and hangnails to sit down every single week and pound out another one of these suckers. You'd think I was enjoying myself or something. I figure that is part of it. Paying the rent is another part of it. Basically, I have come to the conclusion that a columnist like me must be a masochistic exhibitionist. You'll have to admit, this is a risky profession. People tell me daily that I. am very weird, or that I cannot spell, or that I must write while I am asleep, or they ask my how my dice are. But that isn't difficult to deal with. It is thy own conscience that gives me the hardest time. Often are the moments I'll sit down with not a thought or column idea in my wee little head, but I have to come up with something because my job description says so. And if the end result is slightly cruddy then I feel like a cheater. More often than not, however, I feel lighter after I've written a column that I had to force myself to do. I guess the whole process is a little like going to church. But the column -writing is only part of this job, taking up the last couple of hours before deadline every week. For the past year, I've been taking lessons from co-workers on how to chain -drink coffee, read eight newspapers a day, play tennis ball hockey around the desks, hide in the darkroom, and even do a little picture -taking and reporting on the side. No wonder I haven't quit this. I didn't do any of that stuff in brownies. I also did not get paid for going to brownies. It has occurred to me that I have now spent at least 365 consecutive days making a living. I have even applied for a credit card to mark the occasion. It has also occurred to me that I have less money now than I did when I was vagrant. They tell me that this is called middle-class poverty, which is a term used to describe the negative accumulation of money. This means that more and more of your salary is spent paying for the things you took out of stores a long time agountil you start thinking in terms of three paychecks from now. This type of situation doesn't happen when one is vagrant because there is no such thing someone who has provided a community service. Maybe it's just good old-fashioned information. But a letter to the editor gets, attention in this newspaper. There's a reason for that. Letters to the editor are the thoughts and the opinions of people just like you. And at Signal - Star, we print ALL letters to the editor that are not libellous or slanderous. (We do limit a letter writer to two typewritten pages and to three letters on one subject.) Just this week I hada conversation with a man who disagreed that ALL letters to the editor should be published. He thought letters should be screened by the editor. He favored printing only those letters that put forth a popular point of view: Most parifcularip; H -IS -point of view. I tried to explain to him - as kindly as I could - that HIS viewpoint and the viewpoint of his neighbor might differ slightly. It would not mean that his neighbor was right and he was wrong. Or - vice versa. It would simply mean that the two __held differing opinions, both of which would get some support from the community at large. Myvisitor failed to see this fact. He believed that HE was a pretty level-headed thinker (I suspect he is too) and that HIS thoughts were generally the thoughts of anyone with any sense. Not so I said gently. HIS ideas, sensible as they may seem to him, would have a's much op- position as support. I could just about' guarantee that statement. And, I continued, even the most radical suggestions from the .most kinky people also have support throughout the readers of The as three paychecks from now. 1 prefer to think of my involvement in negative money accumulation as doing my best to conform to the consumers' system rather than calling myself a ba'd budgeter. After all, what incentive would there be for me to sit down at my keyboard once a week like I'm doing now if I was solvent or heaven forbid, saving money? I would only become motivated to turn vagrant again. That would be, well, almost immoral. So that's what the whole thing boils down to. I write this column out of fear that my stereo will be taken away from me if I don't. And it only stands to reason that, as time passes, this column should get better and better because I will be accumulating more and more negative money and getting more and more frightened. Who says money doesn't make the world go around? I should be thankful. Goderich Signal -Star. The poor man had difficulty accepting' the concept that he might get opposition to HIS viewpoint if it were expressed in our letters column. He felt he was right - and that everyone else would see that richt awn v Will he ever write -a letter to the editor? Not likely. He doesn't intend to stick his neck out to have it chopped off. Let someone else take that chance. That may be just the reason that our letters column is falling .off. Probably we have too few crusaders out there who are prepared to sign their names to a public . statement about anything. - That's tooted too. Whetherit's anjnvitation or - a bouquet, a complaint or a suggestion, this community. needs people who will get involved in a public forum 'like the letters, column in this newspaper. You have ideas. We want to hear them. The Signal -Star goes into- more than 4,000 homes every week. It offers you free space to have your say about almost anything that in- terests you. And if it interests you, you can be certain there are more people out there who will • be interested. So give the Signal -Star's letters column a try real soon. Stimulate some thought .and discussion around the community. A thoughtful, forceful letter to the editor about the subject you choose is an excellent way to sway public opinion And yeu'll be surprised at how good you'll feel. '10 cath wooden 5