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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-08-05, Page 4PAGE 4—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5; 1981 elegwailiateessansteaws days sykes BLUE RIBBON AWARD Second class. mail registration number -0716 • It is extremely painful Returning to work following a languid but enjoyable two-week respite is somewhat painful and a touch depressing. The female contingent •of the pulsating newsroom neglected -to hop about the room while feigning much glee at the propsect of my return. In fact, there was nary a mur- mer, exchange of pleasantries or even a feeble salutation that hinted this correspondent was sadly and dearly missed. a' -I was ignored in the usual rnanner which is in accordance with .company policy as failure to comply with the .Ignore -Spike Policy results in stern retribution by management. So there was just a touch of despondency on my part considering the staff was not unduly pushed at the loss .of my dutiful labors. In short, many employees expressed displeasure that my holidays were of such short'duration. Returning to the rigors of a rigid work schedule after a period of relaxation is demanding on the psyche, but when no-one seems to take notice, well, the ego does take a bit of a beating. But I am big enough to handle it. One of the most negative aspects about returning to work is that things haven't changed and all the,office idiosyncracies are still much in evidence. And the most demandipg aspect of this job, the deadline, is still haunting and nagging at this wretched writer to produce a column or reasonable facsimile by the 5, p.m. curfew. Some thipgss refuse to give in to change. �. The only change in the holiday plan,, as mentioned .earlier in these grey bits, was. that the vacation was actually planned to the point that two weeks were booked during the summer. It turned out to be a welcome change from the frigidity of October. For two solid weeks this correspondent did little of any consequence and in retrospect it was pleasant. Naturally there, were a few household.maintenance projects that required my inept attention but, for the most part,it was just boogaloo and barbeque time. Unfortunately, the resident better half is much more comfortable with a life planned five years in advance. Being on vacation with me, two weeks of unplanned euphoria, was something of a novelty and trying ex- perience. We struggled throughwith some semblance of sanity. And it just so happened that mother phoned one evening, and realizing that her son was also on holidays, zipped up to the homestead the very next day. Now two days with mother is like trying to pretend the tornado in the living room doesn't exist. Dear mom took it upon herself to assign this vacationing vagabond a limitless list of projects and 'proceeded to rearrange the entire grounds. Now I didn't mind the way the greens were shaping up around the home, but mom took a different view of things and buzzed around like a runaway tractor. So much for her faith in my gar- dening ability. As for the bulk of thetime off, there were a few lenghty trips to the golf course, a visit here and there and some genuine lazy days spent in a lounge chair with book and refreshing beverage in hand. Of course the wee guy commanded a large chunk of attention too and I watched with surprise as the youngster grew, learned how to project his slobber onto -other people's faces, inflicted excruciating pain upon his dad with a firm grip on the nose and marvel at how a snug fitting Pamper isn't a qualified guarantee. Many people feel travelling is a must on holidays but I am rather content to simply detach myself from work. But I sure would feel better if someone at the office noticed that.:I was away. 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The Signal -Star Is not responsible for the Toss or damage of unsolicited manusalpts:photos or other materials used for reproducing pur- poses. PUBLISHED BY:SIGNAL-STAR PUBLISHING LIMITED ROBERT G. SHRIER-President and Publisher DONALD M. HUBICK-Advertising Manager DAVID SYKES-Editor P.O. BOX 220, HUCKINS ST. INDUSTRIAL PARK GODERICH N7A 4B6 dSaev. S\G FOR BUSINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICES please phone (519) 524-8331 Not a cozy winter While the weather of the past week has been decidedly 'hot, the meteorological patterns have adequately reflected the economic climate. - The Canadian dollar; l headlines scream,. is sliding nearer depression levels; -bra no mention is made of the depressing state of the bearer of such bills. There is an obvious correlation. -• The dollar and interest rates are, heading in opposite directions, stretching hie consumer to harried limits. Canada is now a high risk in the financial jungles. Traditionally, higher interest rates have attracted foreign investment, namely American dollars, and such in- vestment has served to at least prop up an ailing Canadian dollar. But interest rates now have surpassed the 20 per cent barrier and it has not served the economy in the traditional sense. One money trader suggested that money markets are fearful of holding Canadian dollars and the market is psychologically negative towards the dollar. So, despite escalating interest rates, investment money will not be flowing into Canada Consumers cannot play catch up with interest and in-' flation • rates, although- efforts - in that direction are in evidence across the country. Canadians are being hit with strikes at an alarming rate aas workers seek new contracts with hefty increases in payrates, benefits and the ultimate concession of job security. If it is any consolation, Canada is among the leaders in man hours lost to Strikes and bigger numbers are being racked up with the current unrest oh the labour scene. The postal service has been shut down as 23,000 inside workers . seek' a new deal from the Government. And . recently the picket lines swelled as 18,000 steel workers across the country walked off the job and other strikes such as CBC technicians are now a common ingredient of the Canadian way of life. The path is a scary one and no-one is quite sure where it leads. There is little optimism about the dollar gaining any semblance of strength inthe near future. And interest rates will remain at record levels for the next twelve months at least, experts offer: Which doesn't offer any reassurance for a cozy winter. A All ,citizens have rights In our society, a citizen has the right to drink alcoholic beverages, the right even to drink himself or herself silly if such be his or her tastes and tendencies. But this right must always be assessed in the wider social context. A person's right to drink must not be exercised in ways that interfere unduly with the rights of other persons. If someone's drinking causes behaviour that endangers you or even seriously inconveniences you, you have the right to interfere to some degree with his or her drinking, If that person drinks and then drives on a road which you are driving, then his or her drinking becomes very much your business. A bewildering variety of statistics is available on drinking -and -driving and an even more bewildering variety of interpretations of those statistics. But it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that in an alarming proportion of ail traffic accidents, especially those resulting in deaths and serious injuries, there is an alcohol factor. Professor John Cohen, an English psychologist, made some exacting investigations of driving skills. Here is one of the conclusions: "Moderate quantities of alcohol tend to make most drivers increase their speed, although they are usually unaware that this is happening...Alcohol in- tensifies any driver's tendency to overrate his ability in relation to his performance. This conclusion comes Out of carefully controlled ex- periments with real drivers and real alcohol. Two psychiatrists working in the same field, Dr. Neil Kessel and t r. Henry Walton make this comment: "The drinker is in the worst .possible position to make the decision whether he is safe to drive or not." They add this warning: "The drinker himself becomes progressively, less able to detect his own impairment. The hands of the police and the courts must be strengthened with respect to drinking -anti -driving mat- ters. Breathalizer and other related tests, it must .be recognized, do interfere to some extent with a citizen's rights and liberties -but surely we must balance those against the rights and liberties of all the other citizens. "Rights and liberties should never be abused, but then again, they must also be respected in all individuals and in all cases. (contributed) Summer berth by Jason Ainslie DEAR REA ' BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER The whole world is agog and aghast at the medical revelation that it is now possible for men to have babies. But it is the worst kind of newsfor the post office. That federal organization has enough problems right now with women who believe society should pay them to have their children. If • pregnancy and childbirth becomes a normal (or abnormal) function for men as well as women, the post office will.be majoring in a new kind of delivery service. And the stamp -licking public will be footing the bills. Talking .to a few of the male species , last weekend left the distinct impression that men aren't all that thrilled with the possibility of carrying a child for nine months. ' 'Since time began, men have been smug and Confident when it came to bearing the next generation. Their passive part in the whole procedure was quite enough for them. But occasionally, their ignorance got in the way. Some men just couldn't help passing curt comments suggesting women were making too big a fuss about having children which, after all, was their biological reason for existence. 'Now that fathers can put their superior for- bearance to the acid test, they aren't so sure of their facts. Now that they can get actively in- volved in the production process while mother slips through the ordeal slim, unencumbered and comfortable, they are starting to hedge a bit. Pregnant males would still have an edge over women. They woukl always have the choice alums whether or not they wanted to be with toplISSININWIr The latest summer fad is getting out of hand. For the past few summers, everytime I turn around, there is a flea market staring me in the face. I find it amazing that everybody has discovered a build-up of junk in their basements, attics, and garages that needs to be sold to someone. And naturally, there is that someone who would like to build up the amount of junk in their basements, attics, and garages. There was a time when I was one of these someones. I am relieved to say that I have kicked the habit. I')ke always been what you'd call an im- pulse buyer, a flea marketeer's delight. In previous years many a flea market has drawn me and my wallet like a magnet and I have the junk to prove it. I made purchases of neat stuff like forks, salt and pepper shakers, plates, bowls, old comic hooks. Once I bought an old Monkees album that 1 often play a speed too fast just fonkicks' But this summer is different. I made a vow to control myself and I aril happy to say that, though I have been exposed to several flea markets this summer, my impulses have been squelched. The trick I use is to not take any money with me. The most impressive flea market I've seen this summer is a few miles south of Grand Bend. This one has turned junk into big business and you evert have to pay 50 cents admission. The vendors are real pros that know when they have something that someone will want, and they charge for it. In other words, bargain hunters can forget it. As 1 walked through, I could feel my impulses taking hold but I was safe in the knowledge I was broke. I was astounded at the amount of military memorabilia for sale. 1 find military memorabilia icky and yucky. There were old buttons, medals, uniforms with bullet holes in them, flags, bayonets, war money, and a tiny silver cannon going for $75. To each his own, I guess. Nn. My passion is to go through all the old dusty books. I discovered one of those great big home medical journals that were popular in the early 1900s and spent 15 minutes giggling over it before the vendor got annoyed. There were cures for everything from hang nails to mental illness. There was even a picture of a doctor in spectacles doing something disgusting to a cow which ap- pealed to my sick sense of humor. Out of curiousity, I' asked the man how much he wanted for the book. $10.50. Sheesh. I moved on, looking through the stalls' selling plastic thingies, beat up wicker chairs, old clothes that the -new wave. rockers were ripping through, and broken toasters. I then discovered one of those truly grotesque lamps made out of shells. You know the kind. I mean. There is a big flat shell as a background with little shells and sea horses glued to a base, all painted gaily. 0 ERS child. It is understood the fetus would be surgically implanted and the baby surgically delivered. No surprises. You.might think'it all sounds a little hokey. It is safe to say male pregancies won't catch on quickly in Goderich. But there's no doubt about it. Somewhere sometime out there - and probably very soon now - some man is going to want to make Ripley's Believe It Or Not book by being the first male to deliver a healthy child : This all reminds me of a film I saw not too long ago that explored the theory that we are the sum total of our childhood programming until about the age 10 - and the significant.emotional events that enter our lives after that time. The film explained that the reason so many elderly people won't fly in a jet airplane is because when they were children, humans did not fly and it was felt they never would fly. Now, humans who fly are not normal humans in the mind of many seniors., Ever ask' your grandmother to fly somewhere with you? What was her first reaction? The commentator in the film had it down pat. He said the average 80 year old today will tell you, "If God had wanted people to fly, He would. have given them wings." But talk to 'a 20 -year old and it's a different story. Young people are 'ready to fly anywhere anytime with anyone. Why? Because jet air- planes were very much a normal exciting part of their growing -up years. They've been' programmed to believe that air travel is safer than highway travel and that, it is faster and There was a bare socket sticking out of the middle. I suppose there was a day when those were fashionable. My impulses bounced madly when I came across a milk can. Anybody who leafs through House Beautiful magazines knows that milk cans are chic. I don't exactly know what I would do with a milk can, but I know I'd be happy if I had one. But alas, I didn't have my money with me as planned, and the milk can went to solneone else's beautiful house. I stopped by one of those tables that say, "Anything on this table for 25 cents". In it was much in the way of junk such as half a pair of scissors, a frayed measuring tape, the arm off a dolly, and a small pillow. The pillow was blue with fringe and had a pic- ture of Niagra Falls on it - a honeymoon memento from 1943 I imagine. I tore myself away from the flea market, impulses intact, feeling a bit dusty, and even a bit itchy. It's all in the name. more efficient. What's more, they've seen it. They've experienced it. It's right and proper. Twenty-year olds aren't really more daring than 80 -year olds. It's simply that they have been programmed in a different time with different influences and different standards. But ask the average 20 -year old male if he is anxious to take turnabout pregnancies with his wife in the future, and he might well perceive you'd blown a main fuse in your thinking mechanism. Not on your life, he'll exclaim. He might even say something like, "If God had wanted men to have babies, He ,would have installed tummy zips." The whole idea of men having babies is another step to full equality of the sexes. Lots of today's people are into that whole business of males and females sharing equally in everything. To some, it is of utmost importance. For me, it is the height of silliness: And what's more, I can envision a multitude of new and ridiculous social problems because of it. I'm simply too old to get serious about working them through. But that doesn't mean the adventure of male pregnancies will be forgotten. And who knows what other strange and foolish fancies will catch on in the years ahead? Life is just like a roller coaster ride. You go up and down, around and over at a speed over which you have no control. It's a mixture of thrills, chills and spills. The trick is to hang on tight to what you feel is solid and secure. And there's no shame in being frightened. Only a fool would ride the course without caution or concern. 1