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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-01-26, Page 4PAM 4 N.'° AYr?WART2B . Day 2 - Today I welcome the thought of eatingan old sneaker. Better still, 'light it and I'll smoke it thank ,you. To be quite frank, day 22 is no different than the previous 21. At Some point in the day, when I least expect it, I am hit with a sneaky and uncontrollable urge to smoke. This week, dear friends, has been labelled as National Ikon.Smoking Week. A week set asideby some zealous and abject abstainers to focus attention on smoking and its bad effects on your health. Poor puffers. They really take a pounding during non-smoking week and having been a smoker for several years, I know the humiliation and guilt that non-smokers inflict upon smokers. But now, I am in a precarious position. ' — Having only kicked the habit for three weeks e ��� (this ik week number four) I do not feel compelled to offer allegiance to either side. While I would like to offer constructive supportto the stnokeraurtd casually dug&est that a life without cigarettes would be healthier,'1 stilt have bador eles of non- smokers who imPoSed their p...us and sanctimonious view on the weak people who smoke. ' I don't want to get involved in the argument. Rather, I prefer to go it my own way and not make a big deal of this thing. It's a personal matter and I don't think one group. snould lord it over the, other. So this. year, Weedless Wednesday takes on a new 'connotation for this non -puffer but to be honest, I never did really believe that the one -day blitz attracted any converts to the non-smoking legions° Sometimes it's even difficult for this correspondent to :figure out why I gave up smoking. I.alwaays. intended to•quit, having smoked for several years, but found it most difficult to reach that stage when I was ready to throw the pack away.• It may have simply gena badba ,it, butI... convinced • myself that I really enjoyed smoking and on occasion, that waatrue. But suddenly, I was ready to give :up the habit and decidedto'do so Sunday, January3°' The next few days•following that decision were ageonizing both pbysleally and Men- tally. Onthe first day mymind waassofoggy Ias almost walking into walls around the office:1 couldn't function properly• The fog beganto slotxly.lpate butt still had problems focusing'attentlon on work related matters I was nervous, edgy and irritable and muchofmy time was spent wandering around thinking about smoking, Several times each day, little villains would.prodod ancdpoke at brain, urging me to try at least,one, just to take the edge off. Just one, is always the one ,that leads to more. PWIllethe first week:y llpower�wa e d naticably and, by day three ,was hh�ng weird,conve ations -with mYse1C' Te tone and pattens, of those ►ersatlouat lint .something likethts - ,< "Why did I quit smoking§ I *erno d ngi Smoking hail pad for me, because'cpirldtl't feel any worse 'then f do at thiamornent. Why don't I just go out and buy a Pak or maybe borrow,one from one oldie guys.One won tburt,. -.. Fortunately I had the c"onvIctiOti net tp smoke but I still don't understand` why; Basically, I thought of myself,.as a weak person,a person who could never quit smoking. But one day .has rolled into another and the days .have turned into weeks Almoet four to be exact Anddoes it still bother me. Of course nolo. he says, while idly munching on the. corner of the desk. • €NA BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1979 Second class mail registration number -0716 SINCE 1848 THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT founded In ISMS and published awry Wednesday at Ooderld'. Ontario. Member of the CCNA and OWNA. Adver- tising rotes on request. Subscriptions payable In advance .11.941 In Canada. °S1.00 to U.S.A.. °Wee to ell other count - ,tries. single copies SSc. Display advertising rotes evollable on request. Pietist ask for Rote Card No.13 effective Oc- tober 1. 1312. Second class mall Registration Number . Advertising taccepted enthe condition that the event of typogrepMgl error. the advertising space �Py�oneItem fwith reasonable allowance for dgnawre. w111 not be d,erged for but that balance of the advertisement will be paid fora tthe 'ap- pliable rate. In the event of a typographies' error advertising goods or services et • wrong prim goods mey not be sold. Advertising Is merely en offer to sell. and may be withdrawn at shy time. The Slgnal•Star 1s not responsible for the low or damage of unsolicited manuscripts. photos or other materials used for reproducingpur- 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 406 FOR BUSINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICES please phone (519) 524-8331 Keep centre :open Save Bluewater Centre Week is history, but the fight will continue. That was the distinct message deliveredto'those who participated in the torchlight parade. Saturday evening. marking the end of Save Bluewater Centre Week. Employees of the centre, parents of residents and members of the public made a symbolic march around The Square just after dusk, united in their determination to oppose the provincial government's move to close six regional centres for the developmentally handicapped. Save Bluewater Centre Week accomplished many things. It was designed to, and did in fact accomplish its goal of focusing attention on the closure of the centre. But more important, it served to unite many groups, people, thoughts and opinions. Of course, all efforts are being made to pursuade Community and Social Services Minister Frank Drea to abandon his five year plan which calls for the closure of six centres for the developmentally handicapped and reduction of beds in a seventh. Drea has repeatedly of- fered assurances that' while the government will save in excess of $23 million through the closures, that his ministry will pump $33 million back into community support services. The minister has also offered assurance that not one residents would be moved until the proper community support services are in place. But the people of this area have found that while Drea giveth, Drea also taketh away. The minister has refused to meet with anshine until this past week when he so kindly agreed to meet with a few parents. He has ignored all other invitations to explain his actions and his absence was most notable at the general public meeting in Saltford Thursday evening. He may not be giving of his time but he does giveth. In May 1981, Drea was just a month into his new job as minister of Community and Social Services. A rookie, one might say. He spoke to employees of Bluewater Centre and then offered glowing remarks about the centre, its staff and residents. - "I only wish the public would become more aware of the singular contribution you are making. No-one here wants a Medal but we do need public support. Sure, we need the money, -but the rear investment is in the quality of life," the minister told the audience. • The minitter'said that it was his -role to providethe professionals with the resources to do their jobs. Speaking to dedicated parents involved as volunteers he said that whatever successes they had achieved would seem tiny compared with what would happen in the future. The minister was effusive in praise of the staff and volunteers who have, over the years, worked diligently to provide the residents with a pool, wheelchair lift, outings and other special amenities and outings. But the minister also taketh away. That's all history now. Anda, glowing remarks have been defused with the bitter relation that the centre is to be closed. Residents will be shipped to larger in- stitutions, some may achieve a hint of normalcy in a community setting, others will not be able to cope. Staff will lose jobs. Some may be accommodated in other ministry departments, others may simply lose their jobs. .Drea has admitted that the closure of the Bluewater ;({entre was a tough decision, an unfortunate victim of the government's five-year plan. He was also quoted as telling parents and volunteers to proceed with the annual antique show and auction, implying that the centre could remain open or that the minister would delay his decision. That has been the only evident departure from the five- year plan the public has been exposed to since the plan was conveniently leaked to the press in October. While it may not represent a massive crack in the minister's armour, it does offer more hope than anything else to date. The fact that Drea has met with and admitted to parents that Bluewater is a fine facility, may at least serve to indicate the minister is reconsidering. Has he realized the paramount ramifications and shortcomings of his decision? Of course, he would never admit to it just as he will never come to Goderich to explain the decision in the first place. The efforts of the union, parents, volunteers and con- cerned citizens are commendable and the suggestion by Huron -Middlesex Liberal MPP Jack Riddell for a moratorium on the issue should be investigated. Drea hasn't heard the last of this issue but if he has second thoughts, surely there's enough Man in him to admit it. Canadians like to gripe It , must be simple human nature to gripe about something. Governments at any level seem to be the readiest targets, but, running a close second is the weather. And when it comes to grumbling, winter, with its tricky driving conditions and bitter winds, usually gets most of the criticism. The weather, after all, is a pretty safe subject, since it has no way of giving us any argument. But this winter has been different. From mid-November to mid-December we went around happy as larlcause, up to that point, we had scarcely needed the good old galoshes, much less getting stuck inany snowdrifts. As Christmas approached we weren't quite so sure that we were really in favor of mild and green weather. Rain over the holiday capped the climax. It didn't seem like Christmas at all. And then came January. No snow but every "second friend or neighbour was feeling lousy. Colds, stiff joints and a rotten brand of flu were knocking the starch right out of us. In fact, the flu bug became so prevalent that hospitals were asking would-be visitors to stay away from the patients. All that is over. The snow has finally arrived. Not enough to create any dangerous driving conditions, but at least sufficient to make us feel more like living, grum- bling Canadians. And who knows? Maybe that horrendous blizzard we have been secretly expecting is just waiting for a good weekend on which to strike.—Mount Forest Confederate. its READERS Have you ordered First Choice for your home yet? Come on how. Be honest. What potential pay television subscriber hasn't become intrigued by First Choice? The recent controversy has really done a job hasn't it? It's no surprise to anyone that First Choice is walking, away with the honors in the race for pay television dollars. After all, advertising does pay ... and the free promotion that First Choice has enjoyed as a result of the public outcry has been worthat least;# million dollars to that company. Thank goodnessfor protest groups eh? Frankly, I am surprised by the fuss .... and a little puzzled;;too. As- I understand things, it's about the alleged soft pornography of the Playboy films which make up something like. five percent of the total programming on First Choice. Now, I haven't seen any of the Playboy stuff but obviously the members of the protest groups are quite familiar with it. They say it exploits women and is too distasteful for an uncontrolled medium like pay television. Some of them mention moral corruption of the young people _ . who will be exposed to it ... and a few talk about big business profiting from such ugly perversion. • I guess I'm surprised because the protest is aimed directly at First Choice for endeavouring to give the public exactly what it deserves - and not at the cheap communicators of our time for creating the insatiable appetite for sexual perversion in the first place. And I'm puzzled because the protestersooI've observed seem to be saying, "Soft pornography is just lovely hi its place ... but pay televibion. isn't the place." Or, "Soft pornography should not be a lucrative business. M Why .protest against First Choice and not the suggestive programming that fills the airways: and finally has become too tame forthe average television viewer? • Why protest against Playboy filming and not the erotic movies we see in our movie theatres every day of the week, Sundays included, and which, though rated in an attempt to keep out those who are too young, are regularly oogled by mother's and fathers who tell their young families by their attendance that erotica' and filth is quite acceptable after you've reached the magical age of 18? -r And why zero in on pay television when the smut which leads to the grown-up enjoyment of such perverted filth is , marketed openly and unrestricted on billboards, in magazines and books, on the sides of trucks and buses, on T- shirts, in our fashion houses .... you,name it? The way I look at it, the First Choice selection is a symptom of a sick society. By altering the content on First Choice, we are applying a bandaid to an ailment that is far from cured. The sore will errupt again somewhere else :.- likely with a far better chane of survival because it has been allowed t.e met itself securely .-. unless the source of the iutedtieUis located and treated. In this case, the cause as so deep-seated it will require radial surgery. And slueiety which Ls the patient. isn't hiker to siigst the cement form for the operation. T t wodd•sigeat ttte death knell SHIRLEY K to hundreds of thousands of similar Money- . Making operations that have become;a way of life for millions of satisfied customers I sympathize with.tbose who are noW -"Enough is enough."Sut I fear it 18 askingrtoo little too late. .. I have talked to people who are not taottce> for themselves .... but for theirchildrenandt grandchildren. They ask,"What kind of'a word will it be when they are my age?" • But it isn't all doom and .gloom Fair 4004 There isa built in device which couldlhelp to liitve society from itself. That is the family;€ and4tbe natural , bond of genuine love that vanity presents itself when a man and a woman become parents. Mothers and fathers who .rant to pretest, their children from the ravages of filth tendo a Whole lot by setting a suitable example. Kids raised it"tas home where the parents consistently :On: strate how to live a happy, productivetlife without the stimulus of'por.nograph�r .In any of'tito forms, will have a more proper att-itudetoward healthy sex and some insulation from the the • intrusion of sexual perversion. Thank God children are born to us free Of die notion that life needs to be lived in the gutteil0 be enjoyed. And though modern parenting is is much of a challenge as it has ever been, there's • never been a time when it has been any more worthwhile to take that role seriously,, a ill responsibly, especially when it pertains, ;tiob Morals and values in everyday living. +. ` Writers says actions of Dr. Morgantaler to abortion clinics are truly disturbing �. • establish Dear Editor, The actions of Dr. Henry Morgantaler and his plans to establish,. abortion clinics in spite of persecution, are tru- ly disturbing. One would hope that he is struck with the knowledge of his wrong- doing, as was Dr. Bernard Nathanson - a very strong Pro -Life advocate who became one, after perform- ing over 6,000indent himself, but, it is not p to , sit and wait for such a miracle. Many people, Young and old, worldwide - do not. understand the methods of preventing pregnancY, nor do they accept the respon- sibility - of course they have to be educated from an early age. If our young people Jost knew more about COU Poi ' and what happens f romat moment on - they LETTE _-- teadtothat "cncr+. &aegptT"* •. rtt}t tai hr a stn./rig and `lt th r collittry. Fleas %lived, the Pr Pro- usseceaweers Learn and thio ceca;re our Itnowtedise t o a soca, a knlpoeainostwt ledg abe t eau, eeqo� prpedatsxzviewc*hb �ac L seAcel i s (41141b111;(41141b111; net*legr er niece But that indeed is the tuiswt r 40 t* c+ea 01"911 Q - education and armlet - 01#0;' wll* NOT ABORTION, This ie i+f e 4/° 4444• *4n tl4e' course seen by many 4f3; a ab'aya 4 N ltt. ft> to slower and less e retx�r* X09 w 1veoIt way of attacki b the s cal k"t' � t't* E 1444" ms`s' and population �elife �dt�C�k'4i#R iti :.. e'' tltt 'Eu world over. tui if tlrei u w tt>It�t a �e r 'li anti eneergy naw etiit s�tty ' ¢tn w towards abortion f itful+ 4ee> t+ r eiih were put to proper use lt. �wwt, t would relivetvf the 5eR'► ' aii�lil 4144. p nrt dreadful die; yyc rid sat i to, ate and rSrctltiB * p ide overalaortiu a life ltl utnieal attitudes in Oraeimam also ..tve,to,too ourselves and our wed that i1 abortiOu no 'flats Can 0flb Help to equip our youth With the information they must have in order to make responsible decisions tout life. Heather Lyons .,