The Times Advocate, 2005-11-16, Page 44
Exeter Times–Advocate
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
=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
Deb Lord – Production Manager
Scott Nixon – Editor
tirt
Published by Metroland Printing,
Publishing & Distributing Ltd.
424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850
Metroland Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331
EDITORIAL
Thumbs up to
youth project
Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle can't
remember a federal Minister of Health
ever visiting Huron County. But while
Ujjal Dosanjh's visit to the Huron County Health
Unit Saturday afternoon was short and sweet, it
resulted in a lot of happy faces.
Dosanjh announced funding of $232,809 over two
years to the Health Unit to help Huron County youth
address substance abuse through the creation of a new
Spark Youth website that will have youth working on
local abuse problems. Possibilities for the new site
include a chat room and online counselling.
As was explained Saturday afternoon, Huron County
has a higher rate of binge drinking than the Ontario
average. The reasons for this need to be explored and
tackled.
With many partners including McMaster University
and the University of Western Ontario as well as local
school boards and other agencies, this project is a great
idea and one that those involved hope will be used as a
template by communities across Canada.
Youth problems and issues can only truly be
addressed when youths themselves get involved and
look for a solution. This new alcohol prevention pro-
gram will see youths work alongside experts to gain the
knowledge on fighting this problem.
If Dosanjh keeps showing up with $200,000 cheques
in his hand, he can drop by Huron County any time.
Get on with it
Enough with the posturing and posing, let's get this
federal election going. After months of idle threats from
Stephen Harper, it's time for Canadians to decide if we
want this government to continue.
Do we punish the Liberals for Gomery and years of
arrogance by electing the Conservatives? Or, out of fear
of the unknown, do we stick with the Grits?
Unfortunately, one way or another, we'll probably end
up with another minority government as no party is
particularly popular in this country right now.
While everyone bemoans the inconvenience of a
Christmas -time election, is it really all that much of a
problem? How long does it take to vote? Voters can eas-
ily juggle their voting responsibilities with their
Christmas shopping duties.
Let's head to the polls and get the waiting over with.
Editorial Opinion
I have a list of my own
Partly because of David Letterman's popular Top 10
lists, we now live in a list -obsessed society.
For some reason, we have to endure Hollywood's
"Best Dressed" and "Worst Dressed" lists after each
awards show, as though it actually mattered. There
are also the ever -popular "Best Movies," "Best
Albums" and "Favourite Serial Killer" lists. A recent
list in England named "Goodfellas" as the best movie
of all time, a rather absurd choice given the fact
"Goodfellas" isn't even Martin Scorsese's best movie,
never mind the best movie of all time.
To join this trend of making lists out of everything,
I've compiled a list of my pet peeves:
• Toronto Maple Leafs fans: All you need to know
about Leaf fans is this — a month or so ago, Global
Television surveyed Toronto fans on who they
thought was the greatest Maple Leaf of all time.
Their answer? Wendel Clark. Let me repeat
that — they chose Wendel Clark as the greatest
Leaf of all time.
Call me crazy, but guys like Teeder Kennedy,
Frank Mahovlich, Dave Keon, Darryl Sittler,
Lanny MacDonald and Doug Gilmour just might
belong above Clark on that list. And so does
current captain Mats Sundin, but he'll never be
fully embraced by Leafs fans — he has too
much talent, something Leafs fans are suspi-
cious of. Plus, he wasn't raised on a farm in
Ontario or Manitoba. Leafs fans like their boys
to be either muckers and grinders or knuckle
gers, hence the bizarre Tie Domi fetish.
If you people actually think Wendel Clark is the best
player you've ever had, you're delusional; and if he is
the best player you've ever had, then your franchise is
in big, big trouble.
Leafs fans have the arrogance of Yankee fans, but
without the championships to back it up. But back to
my list of complaints .. .
• Bono: Hey, I like U2's music (some of it), but I'm
getting tired of the self-righteousness from the lead
singer. As Frank Zappa would say: "Shut up and play
yer guitar." It's easy for a multi -millionaire to pretend
to have all the answers to the world's problems;
instead of harassing politicians like Paul Martin to
increase aid to poverty-stricken nations, maybe Bono
should work for minimum wage and give the rest to
Africa. Last time I checked, tickets for U2 shows
weren't cheap.
• Guys in the White House named Scooter: Is there
any surprise this guy has been indicted? A grown man
who calls himself Scooter shouldn't be working in the
White House, he should be chasing down Bo and Luke
in a "Dukes of Hazzard" episode or playing a banjo in
"Deliverance." And Dick Cheney should be indicted
just for hiring him.
• That creepy guy in the Canadian Tire
commercials: If this guy lived next door to me
and kept popping his head into my garage
window with unsolicited advice, I'd move out
of the province. Fast.
• Shoes with wheels in them. What's this
obsession with putting wheels on everything?
First it's hockey bags, which sees able-bodied,
apparently healthy youngsters pulling their
hockey equipment leisurely behind them like
65 -year-old tourists; now it's shoes.
Apparently walking has become a drag. Talk
about a disaster waiting to happen. How long
will it take for some kid to roll right into traf-
fic?
• Guys on Parliament Hill named Paul, Stephen, Jack
and Gilles. Could these guys be any less inspiring?
None of these men (Duceppe for obvious reasons) has
been able to capture the spirit and imagination of this
country. Why is the United States able to create politi-
cians that the public can get behind and support (or
despise), while Canada keeps on pumping out the
same mediocre, personality -deficient lawyers?
• Guys in the White House named George. No expla-
nation necessary.
SCOTT
NIXON
AND ANOTHER
THING
drag -
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: $38+GST
Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $70+GST
One year rate for addresses outside Canada:
$130 Call (519) 235-1331 to order a subscription.
Classified Rates
Word ads: $11.00 for 20 words, 20¢ 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 Jim Beckett ext. 109
ADVERTISING
Deborah Schillemore ext. 112
EDITOR Scott Nixon ext. 105
REPORTERS
Pat Bolen ext. 113
Nina Van Lieshout ext. 107
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Sue Rollings ext. 101
Kim Hern ext. 102
COMPOSITION DEPARTMENT
Manager Deb Lord ext. 103/114
Heather Bilcke ext. 103
Kelly Gackstetter ext. 103
ACCOUNTING STAFF
Anita McDonald ext. 104
Ruth Slaght ext. 106
Christina Scott ext. 108
MargPertschy ext. 111
Heather Clarke