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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-05-18, Page 4DEM STO:NAILeSTAR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1983 For the 124th time today, I am suffering from Severe nicotine withdrawal. I have already consumed half of a Paver Mate 'fine point ball-point pen in an effort to appease My oral cravings and soon, T ' suspect, I will hastily turn to munching on my shoes. Does the craving ever cease I wonder to no-one in particular. Will I ever be free from the pangs, suffering and dependance on nicotine. If I may boastfully regale readers with the personal conflict endured by this correspondent since giving up cigarettes, 1 would first like to point out that withdrawal was bearable during the first three months. Now, however, the severity of withdrawal symptoms has been magnified and I feel unduly tempted. Essentially, I have come to realize that when a smoker quits smoking, they are merely mterru ' OK the flow of nicotine to the body. Myi t It rhe an't='taken h ghfl f to that interruption t minds me of that .act constantly. The craving for nicotine, experts suggest, peaks within a 24-hour period- and gradually diminishes with time. It tapers off over an eight week period but will often persist with sneak attacks. It was one of those rare sneak attacks this Tuesday afternoon that prompted these paltry paragraphs. I have learned that . after quitting smoking, my heart rate slowed, my blood pressure rose and my brain waves registered changes. Not to mention the sudden and frightening changes in tem- perment which colleagues contend surfaced on a regular basis. My co-ordination may have suffered irreversible • damage in the process. Tests indicated that quitters do less well in co- ordination tests, nc1ui Wiv05, 4ifffl they did while smoking. RWolidOoteat gieeM entirely logical whin you think 000 it but. who can defy independent laboratory research. New findings suggest smoking involves psychological dependance and I can eagerly verify that quitting robs the smoker of a pleasurable habit. For many smokers, it is a habit that is deeply rooted in daily activity. One that is directly tied to the rigors and routine of the work day. Many employees, researches claim, will spend as much as three hours per day puffing, butting and flicking ashes. In my case, work sometimes interfered with smoking. In retrospect, I amnot quite sure why or how I managed to give up a habit that ap- proached 12 years in duration. During the severest of withdrawal attacks in the first week, I nearly convinced myself that I rather enjoyed the ba-bit`at d should:contlnue Those were Weak,' but frequent' momenta in the agallizing lite of a non-smoker. Today, this, derelict�of the. deadline is again scrutih. tzing: the rationale behind the decisiontoquit. . The fact that Ontario Treasurer Frank Miller recently boosted the cost of a pack of 20s' to over $2, is offering much needed consolation in these grim times. When I pack -ed it in, so to speak, I had visions of savings hundreds of dollars, a direct result of notspending up to $4 a day on cigarettes. The evidence would indicate, however, that I am spending more than ever on junk food, having developed an uncontrollable urge to cram everything including tennis balis in the vicinity of my face. Today's craving will ultimately pass. But, to be on the safe side, I'm going to go home and stuff myself until the urge passes. PCNA cn ♦CNA BLUE RIBBON AWARD Second clasp: mail registration numbe 0716 SINCE 1848 THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT Founded in lip and published every Wednesday advance .Ontario. Member '30.00 erof to U.S.A.,eCNA00 d OWNA.all dyer. tieing rates on request. Subscriptions pay t count - tries. single copies 50C. Display advertising rates available on request. please ask for Rate Card No.13 effective Oc- tober 1, 1612. 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 that balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the ap- pllceble rate. In the event of o typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services 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 lou or damage of unsolicited manuscripts. 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 Gadetiicl� s\o' '4 f :£c•,414,4, 4. $ FOR BUSINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICES please phone (519) 524-8331 Good budget If anyone believes that the budget of Ontario treasurer Frank Miller was especially tough, they can take con- solation in the fact that it cbuld have been much, tougher. Miller conceded in press interviews that he wanted to eat into the government'sdeficit of nearly $3 billion. And he wanted to do it now. His conscience told him otherwise and Miller took a more moderate, albeit to gh, approach with Ontarians in the latest budget;rrtfd„ateo rhet `Were t itsy numbers . for taxpayers to swallow nb real reentionabledeductions or incentives, just a budget that asks the employed to subsudize the unemployed. , It was, in Miller's own words, a budget of fiscal responsibility and governments cannot shun that responsibility and maintain credibility . in the present economic climate. The citizenry must recognize that. responsibility and the government's response to it. The taxpayer, of course, is part of that economic responsibility and Miller has adopted a kind of pay -as -you play . attitude. Income toes have been increased and the money will be used to finance job -creation programs. The increase in income tax comes in the form of an 18 -month surcharge of five per cent on.provincial tax effective July 1. A . social services maintenance tax will increase revenues by about $170 million this year. Miller's reasoning behind the income tax surcharge is to put public funds into job creation and programs without increasing the deficit. With the surcharge a family of four earning less than $20,000 will pay about $50 over 18 months while a- family whose income exceeds $40,000 will, pay about $215 over that same period. Miller's plan is to keep revenue flowing without in- creasing sales tax and the surcharge should accomplish that. At the same time, with a rising deficit in mind, spending has been kept to a seven per cent increase for the fiscal year. With that promulgation, it can be safe to assume that wage demands of civil servant's will have to be inline and transfer payments to school boards and municipalities will be stringent at best. The budget insures that everyone.. chips in to help decrease the deficit. . Raising health premiums is something Miller will continue to be criticized for. While the increase was limited to five per cent, in line with the provincial restraint program, it is an area that could have been left untouched. The biggest concern in the country is a lack of jobs and Miller may be accused of not doing enough for the unemployed in his latest budget. While he pledged over $240 million for job -creation programs, the short-term stimulus may not have a lasting effect on the job market in the province. It would appear that private enterprise received a few breaks in the•budget and those who indulge in comforting beverages and cigarettes, will add another $130 million to the provincial economy in the next year. The middle income wage earner who drinks and smokes became something of atarget or scapegoat in the.. budget.. ' For the most° part, the budget is sound, providing some 6 stimulus where needed. There is also a good measure of caution. For the most part though, it is a responsible budget. Fitness week cadbe fun The week of May 15-23 has been designated as National Physical Activity Week ( NPAW )across Canada. The ideals behind the proclamation are noble, to be sure, but surely, the very words National Physical Activity Week, conjure up visions up gut -wrenching and perspiration provoking activity. But that is far, from the goal and ideals behind NPAW and every Canadian, regardless of physical stature and makeup can participate. In essence, NPAW encourages all Canadians to par- ticipate in physical acitivity of some form. Several communities across the country, including Goderich, have planned physical and recreation activities to coin- cide with NPAW. Today,, more than ever before, Canadians are more fitness conscious and take great pride in keeping their bodies in shape. One need not jog several miles per day, lift weights or espouse the ideals of a rigorous, daily exercise program. Rather, this week, take the time to walk a few blocks or jog if the urge hits, cycle with the family or engage in a moderate exercise program. You may enjoy the effect activity has on your body and you will feel better for it. Exercise means something different to each individual and activity need not leave you in a prone position to be effective. Start walking or cycling during National Physical Activity Week and maybe the habit will stay with you. Don't just think about exercising, walking or cycling. Get out and do something today. Grand finale by Darrell Kloeze ac B E3S • SHIRLEY KELLER Last eek I was treated to two evenings of theatre and an •bnnortunity to see the Huron County educational system at work. In fact, the whole community had this same opportunity, although I doubt that more than a handful of citizens were present at one or both events. On Tuesday evening, I attended a show en- titled On Broadway at Robertson Memorial School, -The, actors and actresses were drawn from the senior grades at Robertson; they were supported by a choir of voices also from the senior grades at the school. The story was a bit corny, but that didn't matter. The enjoyment was in watching the enthusiasm of the players ... and feeling some of the excitement they felt when it came their turn ,..-.to get out on stage and perform. There were some standouts in the show in my opinion. Carolyn Cox as Carol. Clean had some of the funniest lines in the play ... and reminded the audience a little of another Carol ... Carol Burnett ... as she swished her mop back and forth across stage. Susan Murphy was well cast as Irma Dilisaver, the down-home girl who rises to in- stant stardom when the leading lady : runs off with the leading man just before openini night. I liked Angie Chisholm, Murray Lane and Sean Gosse as the newspaper critics and Tammie Allen as Hedda Gossip. Some of the weightier -roles were taken by Tim Wilson, Mark Rittinger, John King, lan MacKinnon, Kelly Kent and Dale Erb. And there were the others: Denise Riehl, Caroline Young, Tim Langridge, Craig Smith, Debbi Doak, and dancers Dennine Walsh, Sandy Morash, Vicki Sudyk, Kerri Baker, Lisa Day, Fiona McMahon, Leslie . Roche, Birgit Schulz and Cynthia Robinson. Student stage managers were Lori Phillips and Tracy Garrick. All in all, it was a fun evening with the kids doing their best to make it a memorable ex- perience for their audiences. In my opinion, they succeeded., There were lots of laughs for everyone, a few surprises and some musical delights. The costuming and the set were ab- solutely great. The choir stood throughout the performance, at the ready to sing. Maybe that accounted for the somewhat disappointing volume of the group. Talking to some choir members after the show, I commented on their "quiet" per- formance. I had the impression that many kids could have .brought down the roof. But that was before I remembered that at age 13 or so, fellows. and gals get downright uptight during such things, and are simply not at their best. But the quality was sweet, definitely ex- ceeueng any other expectations which over- zealous adults might have had. Just fine. +++ On Friday evening, I went to see the second of three performances at GDCI featuring Thornton Wilder's play, Our Town. Here, many of the actors and actresses had the advantage of one or more years of Theatre Arts instruction ... and it does make.a tremendous difference to the show. Our Town was directed by Philip McMillan of the teaching .staff, assisted by Jennifer Gowanlock. There was no doubt in anyone's mind the players were called on to give their best every moment throughout•the entire production. Competent direction was a big plus for this ambitious undertaking. I am a bit prejudiced, I guess. The part of the stage manager, taken by my own son, Jim Keller, demanded commitment and con- centration. I thought Jin1 showed those qualities and as a parent, I was satisfied he'd held up his end in Friday's show. • But surely Stephen Longwell as George Gibbs and Jodi Kuran as Emily Webb gave excellent performances. Other standouts were Shawn Worsell as Howie Newsome; Lori Patterson as Mrs. Gibbs; Ellen Murphy as Mrs. Webb; Jim Wilkin as Doc Gibbs and Martin Maurer as Mr. Webb. Paul Murphy was memorable as the troubled Simon Stimson and Lisa Frayne played the wedding -loving Mrs. Soames to the hilt. Much, of the performance was done in mime and top performances here go to Lori Patterson and Ellen Murphy as the neighbouring housewives who cooked and cleaned their way into my heart. I was particularly impressed by their bean cutting sequence. All that was missing was the snap. Another mime highlight was Martin Maurer's demonstration with an imaginary lawn mower. The best scene Friday night in my opinion, was the wedding which left a few of us wiping a tear away, perhaps remembering our own feelings on the day of our own marriage ... or that of one of our children. It was beautifully played by the entire cast, each bringing out one character's personality. Shawn Worsell and Lisa Frayne were the scene stealers here. The eerie lighting and the special effect of mist for the graveyard scene made the audience forget it was being played in a high school gymnasium. Some surprise "entrance positions" added a touch of the big time to the play.+++ On Broadway and Our Town were two vastly different plays. The players were totally dif- ferent, both in level of ability and availability of talent. The aims and objectives of the two shows were entirely different. But for me, they showed that young people do grow and mature right here in Huron County, II under our much maligned and misunderstood educational system. I was reminded by both student groups that this area has a bright future, 'a reason to believe that tomorrow will be worth waiting for. Our youngsters are every bit as capable today as they ever were: Perhaps more so. And that's the best news anyone canhave, isn't it? "All politicans are crooks." This statement was made t� me by a well- known local businessman beside whom I found myself seated at a recent public dinner. My natural reaction was, of course, to accept the words as if said in jest - a lighthearted provocation for chit-chat on the occasion of an accidental social encounter. Otherwise, total generalizations defeat themselves miserably by inviting ridicule - whether one refers to all politicians - all lawyers - all real estate people - all bricklayers - all whatever. However, I soon found that the statement was - made in earnest, firmly,and repeatedly; it expressly included muniipal politicians. In mock horror I gasped that as a municipal ex -politician I find myself greatly distressed to see how I have wasted so many perfectly good years trying to improve the reputation of politics. A small concession was made in my case - I had been simply uninformed and stupid and did not know what I was talking about;. not being in business I did not know anything about it Realizing at that point that perhaps a slightly less„frivolous reaction on my part might be in order, I suggested that since there are usually several business people on every council and since a community consists of all kinds of other people as well, it might be quite suitable to have unattached persons like myself among the represen- tation of general nature. We did nbt feel that a meeting of minds could be achieved. The gentleman char- mingly declared that he did not want to talk about it any more and I was in agreement on that point; minding our manners we directed our attention elsewhere during the rest of the dinner. I did not take the incident seriously; it was just one of those things. Apart from all that, however, we all know that there is growing evidence that the public's perception of the role the politicians play on every level is becoming increasingly more cynical and negative. Perhaps I should add that this derogatory opinion is frequently held by persons who never give the job a try and who never go even near enough to have the means to judge properly and personally how and why the work is really unfolding. Trying tdevaluate to what extent many politicians' attitudes and actions may cause and justify the poor image ought to be the subject for a different chapter. I am telling about my recent dinner party experience only because there is a moral to the story arld it tickles my funnybone. The gentleman who puts all the politicians in the shadowy basket of crooks (or on the exceptionally charitable side, fools) was the recipient of town council's special favours a few years ago. Enough members (most of them are still or again on the council) bent over far backwards to accommodate the gentleman in a case surrounded by con- siderable controversy which contravened not only municipal by-laws, but also a provincial statute not under council's control. I and a couple of others spoke and voted against this favour of somewhat questionable municipal legality and ethics. It is so utterly funny that going out of one's way to provide special friendly -favours on the municipal scene does not earn the providers even superficial gratitude, let alone respect, and that when all is said and done, those of us on either side of the prin- ciple are disdainfully swept under the same carpet of displeasure. No council should ignore the message. Is it better to be thought of as a "fool or a crook"? ELSA HAYDON 6