The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-11-10, Page 44 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, November 10, 2004 zkxna =CNA TIMES ADVOCATE PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing casts. Jim Beckett Publisher and Editor Deb Lord Production Manager &Published by Metroland Printing, rt Publishing & Distributing Ltd. Metroland 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331 EDITORIALS Honouring our soldiers With Remembrance Day we celebrate a special day this week. Local ceremonies were held last Sunday, while veterans and Legion members are speaking in schools this week. It's been said before, but it bears repeating — it is important that children go to school on Remembrance Day and not have the day off. While a day off would give the day the proper respect it deserves, children can learn much more about Remembrance Day in school listen- ing to war veterans tell their stories. It's doubt- ful much learning would take place if students were given the day off and the opportunity to sit at home all day and watch TV. Canadians, whose knowledge of their own country's past is shameful, need to take time on Remembrance Day not only to honour those who fought for and protected this country, but also to learn about Canada's past and the proud military history we have. Each year there are fewer veterans, fewer men and women alive to warn us against repeating the mistakes of the past. It's up to the rest of us to keep these stories and memo- ries alive, honouring the brave soldiers of the past. This Remembrance Day, take some extra time out of your day to listen to these people and ask yourself if the world has really learned from the past. Exeter historian Eric Heywood tells an inter- esting story in this week's Times -Advocate about Exeter native Everett Edwin Pollen, who served in the Second World War and was killed in the Korean War. While his name was- n't originally inscribed on Exeter's war memo- rial, that mistake was rightly corrected recently and Pollen's sister Vera Mason attended a ceremony in her late brother's honour last Sunday at the Cenotaph. Pollen's story is just one of thousands of Canadians who have given their lives to protect our free- dom. Wear your poppy proudly and remember those who helped make this country great. Editorial Opinion 3704 [Nom kured eziredbri Artixt, 5,1i cote LIE Pick up those bags, kids Now that Americans have given Dubya another four years to spread cheer and goodwill across the globe, it's tempting to write a column criticizing our friends to the south. I'm not going to do that, though, because it's too easy. I mean, what do you say to a group of people who actually elected a swaggering cowboy who bombs first and asks questions later? You can't try to change their minds, so I guess the only thing we can do is wish them luck — good luck with your massive deficit, your health care system, your economy, that whole terrorist thing and, oh yeah, your worldwide reputation, which has deservedly sunk to new levels. And by the way, Americans can forget about evolving as a nation, since Dubya and his worshippers still think it's 1950. There's nothing like social conservatism to crush ideas and innovations. So, no, I'm not going to criticize Americans for their questionable judgement in lead- ers, I'm going to criticize a completely different group of people — our children. Actually, what I'm about to complain about isn't really the kids' fault, it's their parents' fault, as it almost always is. Over the last year or so I've noticed a couple of disturbing trends at minor hockey games. The first has to do with a change in the language we use at hockey games when the game ends in a tie. Remember "sudden death?" Well, it's dead now. The phrase now used at minor hockey games is the disgustingly politically correct "sudden victory." When did this happen and why wasn't I consulted? Sudden victory? That bland phrase takes away all the fear, intensity and white -knuckle drama fans and players feel when two teams go into overtime. I'll tell you this — there's no way a kid came up with the phrase "sudden victory." It was no doubt thought up by some yuppie afraid of his child developing low self-esteem by losing in "sudden death." Come on, folks, are your children so precious that they need to be protected by losing in minor league sports? Let's get back to calling overtime what it really is — sudden death! If you lose, you're dead! The other thing that recently disappointed me is the new addition to hockey bags — they wheels on them now. Perfectly able children and teens are now no longer slugging their sweaty, smelly equipment bags over their shoulders; instead, they drag them on wheels like they're 60 -year-old tourists walking casually through an airport. Give me a break, kids, you're becoming too soft. If you're not strong enough to carry your bags, you probably shouldn't be playing hockey in the first place. Let's pick up those bags! SCOTT NIXON AND ANOTHER THING have About the Times -Advocate Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Holidays. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales (519) 235-1331 24-hour automated attendant (519) 235-1336 Fax number for all departments (519) 235-0766 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $37+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $68+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada: $104 Call (519) 235-1331 to order a subscription. Classified Rates Word ads: $10.00 for 20 words, 20c for each addition- al word+ GST. Notices (births, deaths, announcements, coming events, memoriams, cards of thanks): $15.00 + GST for up to 50 words, All ads must be pre -paid. The classified ad deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. Display Advertising To place a display ad, (519) 235-1331 weekdays 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. or evenings (519) 235-1336 (leave mes- sage) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Fri. 4 m. -mail Us Web site: www.southhuron.com TA e-mail addresses consist of the person's first initial and last name followed by @southhuron.com. For example, Jim Beckett's e-mail address is <jbeck- ett@southhuron.com> Our general e-mail address is ads@southhuron.com. The Times -Advocate Team Publisher/Editor Jim Beckett ext. 109 ADVERTISING Deborah Schillemore ext. 112 REPORTERS Scott Nixon ext. 105 Pat Bolen ext. 113 Mary Simmons ext. 107 CUSTOMER SERVICE Sue Rollings ext. 101 Carol Powe ext. 102 COMPOSITION DEPARTMENT Manager Deb Lord ext 114/103 Sharlene Young, Diana Hardy ext. 103 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 Christina Scott ext. 108 Marg Pertschy ext. 208