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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-05-07, Page 2OPINION -EHuron xpos1tor SINCE 1860, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1985 Incorporating Brussels Post 10 Main Street 527-0240 Published in SEAFORTH, ONTARIO Every Wednesday morning ED BYRSKI, General Manager HEATHER McILWRAITH, Editor The Expositor is brought to you each week by the efforts of: Pat Armes, Bessie Broome, Marlene Charters, Joan Gulchelaar, Anne Huff, Joanne Jewitt, Stephanie Levesque, Dianne McGrath, Lois McLlwaln, Bob McMillan, Cathy Melady and Patrick Rattle. Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ontario Press Council Press PresssUnion International Press Institute Subscrlet ion rates: Canada $20.00 a year, in advance Outside Canada $60.00 a year, In advance Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1986 Second class mall registration Number 0698 Change prompts reactions I wasn't going to write about this subject at all, but the unusual reactions of some acquaintances to one of my recent well - thought -out decisions has prompted me to do so. One person told me she didn't like it, several didn't even notice and one person got a shocked look on her face and said, "Oh My Godl." It was this third reaction which made me decide the subject warrants some discussion. Now all 'did, was take scissors and razor in hand and remove about three years worth of facial hair growth. I was bored with it. Every so often, when looking at my hairy visage in the mirror each morning, I wauld find myself saying, "You again? Bah!" So a change seemed in order. ' One might wonder why a person decides to cover their face with long flowing stubble in the first place. It serves no purpose after all and tends to retain dampness after swimming or showering: My own decision to join the ranks of the whiskered was prompted by an extreme distaste for the barbaric practice of daily shaving. 1 had a hard enough time getting myself out of bed in the morning without knowing I would have to go into the washroom and scrape my face with a sharp instrument. Why bother? rFROM THIS ANGLE by Patrick ftaftis by Patrick Raftis "So what you're saying is, you don't like my face?" I asked. When she nodded her agreement, I thanked her for her kind Input and went back about my business. It was only moments later I received the "Oh My Godl", comment from someone I hadn't seen for a couple of weeks. I was beginning to think all these negative comments were a bit unfair. After all,I doubt shouldanyone would s Bronson laugh be choseto h ha a off his emoustache. Why pick on me? Having received such a variety of com- ments for making such a subtle and conservative change to my appearance, I would have to wonder what would happen to a person who took a sudden interest in Punk Rock fashion. ' Perhaps next time I am in need of a column idea, I'll go out and get a purple -dyed Mohawk'haircut and a nose ring. After all, they say a change is as good as a rest. However, having recently obtained one of those high-tech rechargeable micro -screen electric shavers, I no longer had that excuse. The first reaction to my clean-shaven mug came from a female acquaintance who told me I was now the owner of a "baby-face," and look about 16 -years -old, an age I have only vague remembrances of being. I had my doubts about her statement until last night. W hen walking home from Becker's I was whistled at by a group of girls who looked to be in the 14 -16 -year-old age bracket. Outside of hockey referees who were planning to sentence me to a couple of minutes in the sin bin, I can't recall ever having been whistled at by anyone. Perhaps the removal of facial hair does give one a more youthful look. W hile this reaction was encouraging, others were not so kind. Just moments ago another occupant of my workplace informed me, after apparently mulling it over, that she did not fully appreciate my new look. The backyard bomb Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Three Mile Island,, Chalk River -- and now, Chernobyl. The addition of this latest name to the frightening litany of nuclear. disaster• has once again focused world-wide attention on the terrifying consequences of unleashing the atomic monster. The time has come to put the beast back in its cage. When first man dared to split the atom, the breakthrough was hailed as an emancipation from dependence on traditional finite sources of power. Cheap energy, the supply limited only to the speed with which man could build reactors to harness it — too good to be true. It was! Despite the assurances of nuclear experts that atomic reactors are safe and controllable, the risk of accident due to human error or mechanical failure is still too high. Just the fact there have been accidents Is evidence of this. The acceptable number of goof -ups for something with the potential to cause thousands of deaths is zero. We've already exceeded the limit. No country has yet proven a responsible custodian of nuclear technology. The Soviets have acted irresponsibly in their hesitancy to release much-needed information on the Chernobyl incident to either their own people or neighboring countries who will also be affected. The United States has an even worse record. Never mind they are the only country to have Intentionally used the atom's power to kill and maim -- that is unforgiveable. It took the Americans 40 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki to release films of the destruction taken by American film crews just days after the blasts. At that rate, the Soviets have plenty of time to come clean on the details of Chernobyl. The Canadian government sits on the fence of hypocrisy. We allow no nuclear weapons to be placed on our soil and yet the cruise missile designed to carry them flies over our terrain for tests, with our blessing. Canada is a major exporter of nuclear technology in the form of the Candu reactor. How can the government be sure the Candu will not be used to supply the purchasers with enriched uranium to make bombs? How can they be sure the poverty-stricken Third World countries that buy the reactors can afford to build them without cutting corners on safe operation? They can't. Canadians in general, seem remarkably oblivious and apathetic toward the dangers of the backyard bombs that keep our lights on and our toasters popping. Television news broadcasts have been filled with interviews with workers at nuclear power stations, expressing unconcern about the possibility of a Canadian Chernobyl. They say our reactors are "safer", and "better designed" than the Soviets.' But do these workers really know any more about the overall operation of a nuclear plant than the average office worker knows about computers. Even though they may enter data daily into their VDTs, office workers can hardly be expected to understand the Intricacies of the micro -chip. Nuclear power may save millions of dollars over conventional sources, it may provide hundreds of jobs, but the potential price should disaster strike again is too high. Conventional hydro -electric plants create jobs too, and if they are less cost-efficient than nuclear, advancing technology will take care of that eventually. The job of the nuclear technologist is a never-ending battle. Like a lion -tamer, he may be able to keep the beast at bay with constant vigilance and the proper tools. But, let his equipment fail him, let him turn his back for a few seconds, and the game Is lost. Maybe forever. --P.R. TO THE EDITOR Doctor defends OMA it saddens me to think some people feel in conflict with their doctors because of the proposed ban on extra -billing. It saddens me some dismiss the issue without thought of the repercussions - saying, "Doctors make too much money anyway saddens me most do not care at all about the prospect of government and politician controlled health care. Extra -billing is not an issue. Only four per cent of family doctors are opted -out of 0111P, only some extra bill, none in this area. Accessibility to health care is not an issue. Specialists who do not extra bill can be found with the help of your family doctor. Doctors are opposed to this bill because it will mean a lower quality of medical care for you and your children and your children's children as time goes by. Why? Because if this bill is passed, as presently proposed, health care will become totally government controlled. There is government -controlled medicine in Quebec. Such control presently means the physicians in the large cities have had their fee for services reduced by 30 per cent. The purpose is to reduce the number of doctors in the cities. The result is chaos in the emergency rooms due to understaffing. Who suffers? The sick. Government -controlled health care in Quebec has meant ceilings on doctor's incomes. The result, because of patient demand for services, is that ceilings are reached before the end of the year and doctor stop practicing. Who suffers? The siek. As time goes by, with government and politician -controlled medicine, the level of BASHFUL MODELS — These tpree young models seemed to get a little nervous when sent on stage at the Seaforth and District Ringette Association Fashion Show, May 1. However,. from left, Hlcham Bashir, Brent Rlbey and Hani Bashir, got through the performance alright. Bettis photo New playoff set up needed Ihave always maintained the worst team to ever win a Stanley Cup was the 1971 Montreal Canadiens. I will attempt to jog your memory a little bit now. The Hab team of that year shocked a powerful and superior Boston Bruin club solely on the outstanding goaltending of a fellow named Ken Dryden. He continued his masterful puckstopping against Chicago in the final and as a result, the Montreal team surprised a better Hawk outfit four matches to three. W ho ever should emerge as this year's National Hockey League champion will dethrone that '71 squad as the worst ever representative to sip the suds from Lord Stanley's cherished silver mug. Is there anybody out there that really believes Calgary is better than Edmonton or that the New York Rangers an. of a higher calibre than Washington or Philedelphia? W'. have had moments of good hockey, not great, and that lack of consistent excellent shinny is a product of a bad playoff set up. There is no way the Toronto Maple Leafs should have been rewarded a playoff position after their pathetic season showing. As_jt stands now, a team can operate like dogs dhrtng the regular schedule and be virtually assured of a playoff berth without even raising a sweat. The good clubs that bust their butts to finish on top during the long season seem to have nothing left come spring time. In other words, there is no real incentive to finish first when some travelling circus masquerading as a hockey team can enter the trophy hunt by the back door. 1 would like now to take a moment or two and propose a playoff format that will not solve the problem but, yet, may work. Of course, it will never be used by the investigation of disease and care will be what the government can afford and -or will dictate, which will vary from government to governnient and health minister to health minister. You will not be free to obtain the most recent advances in medicine, even if you are willing to pay forst. Physicians will have lost control and struggle to provide care in a tangle of bureaucracy, red tape, top-heavy administration and politics. Clinics will replace the present doctor -patient relation- ship. It will be a government -patient relationship and the doctors angry civil servants. The option to extra -bill is the physician's last bargaining tool with government. Re- moval leaves only strike, which is unaccepta- able to myself and most other physicians. Just as many of you have found it necessary to form unions and belong to unions, se will the next generation of doctors, if stripped of their options. Forty -hour work weeks, paid holidays, retirement programs, etc. willbe the right of doctors, just es it is for any public servant. However, good medicine does not work well when an office closes at five o'clock with eight patients sitting in the waiting rootn, Who suffers? The sick. In Britain, with state-controlled medicine, the patients are assigned to a clinic for care, based not on free choice but on geographic location. Think about that in Ontario. People who want their own physician and good medicine pay direct in a pnbate Medical system That is real two tiei~ health care which some misinformed Ontariani"s feel is in place here at present. • These things will come to pass, as history repeats itself, like Quebec like Britain, like the Scandinavian countries. The losers - you. Continued on Page A14 CORNUCOPIA by Dave Broome cro-magnons that operate the N.H.L First of all, the four division winners would be awarded a first round bye for their regular season long successes. So, let's say, Edmonton (120), Philly (1111, Quebec (93) and Chicago (86) would get byes because of their first place finishes in their respective divisions. The next eight teams with the best records would make the playoffs, regardless of division. We then could have Washington U08), New York islanders (96). Montreal (95), Boston (90), Hartford (86). Minnesota (84), Buffalo (83), and St. Louis (80) in the preliminary round. The team with the most points in this group, Washington, would play the club with the least, St. Louis. The islanders would then tackle the seventh place Sabres. You get the idea. For the sake of simplicity, we will have the Capitals, Isles, Canadiens and Bruins emerge as winners. That would leave a nice, compact group of eight cities to do battle in four series. The next round would be the same format as the preliminaries. That is, the best team, Edmonton with 120 theoretical points, would play eighth place Chicago who finishes with 86. Boston would go to Philly, Quebec to Washington and Montreal would engage the islanders. if Edmonton, the Flyers, Washington and the islanders came out victorious the same rule would apply to the semi finals. This way we wouldn't have to agonize through the clutch. grab. back, slash and hook of desperate Toronto teams and the mind numbing somnolence that outfits like St. Louis produce. A perfect examine of how this system may work is in the Norris division. Despite the fact Chicago won the group title. they would be forced to play Edmonton in the next round because their point total would be worst among the final eight survivors. Well, whadya think? Until the powers that be yank their collective heads out of the sands of indifference we will continue to see second tier hockey clubs regale us with this desperate, dutch and grab and ice it till you puke hockey. Oh no. 1 have ju.,t watched the Nca' York Rangers badly outplay the Montreal Cana - diens only to lose in overtime. Hall goalie, Roy, saved their lucky hides. Shades of 1971. Finally, don't feel sorry for Steve Smith, the Edmonton defenseman who blasted the winning goal into his own net during the final game of the Oilers series with Calgary. He was the joker that speared the Flames Carey Wilson so hard the Calgary forward suffered a ruptured spleen and needed e8-tertency surgery. 1 say his bone headed faux pas couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Falling into world of fashion it really wasn't that much of a catastrophe - 1 guess, L just got a little confused. I simply forgot the sport t was supposed to be representing was golf - not baseball. ft was like a sliding run into second base. Summoned from the dugout (or in this case dressing room) I pulled on my cap and went tearing toward the plate (or stage). Unfortun- ately coordination not being one of my strong suits, I experienced a little difficulty when i came through the doorway leding from the ice surface to the community centre, and found ' myself faced with a 90 degree turn which had to be negotiated. Since I was travelling at a rather fast speed, f failed to negotiate the turn successfully. Instead as i burst through the doorway I almost burst through the partitions that separated me from the approximately 600 spectators on the other side. Down i went, feet first'into the partition. it was a good slide except for the fact i kept trying to hold myself back by clawing and snatching at various carpet pieces as I slid by them. I Couldn't disrupt the show, i did manage to pick myself up, dust myself off and make my way past an hysterical behind the scenes crowd, up to the stage. Once I reached it there awaited me two others destined for the limelight, both trying to refrain from bursting into uncontrollable laughter. I mean, I must have been a sight, knee bleeding, clothes somewhat askew, and face a vision of radiance, caused solely from the embarrassment of the entire situation. Such Was my experience in the Ringette Association's Fashion Show Thursday. W hen it was all over I sought some comfort and medical advice from my motheralso a nurse, who was in the audience. I deal think she takes my medicinal problem, seriously anymore. When I rolled up P'•y pant leg, 1 SWEATSOCKS by Heather Mcliwrath showed her my injury and described how it all came about, I expected a sympathetic word, maybe even a hug. i got neither. Instead Iwas told that is was nothing less than what "Mom" had expected of me. In fact, she added, she had been waiting for the moment when I would trip and fall off the stage. Such confidence in her daughter, eh? Actually i should have been prepared for such a response. Thursday's fashion show brought to mind another fashion show i participated in, many, many, many years ago. When I was 15 my mother and the father of my best friend ddided we were teo mach the "tomboys" and needed some lessons in being "women." So they signed us up to what they'called "south" lasses, but what were in truth, modelling classes. We were forced to attend, although to this day, I don't know if they ever did me any good. Well, when the course was nearing completion we were obliged to "model" in a fashion show. The result was catastrophic. To start things off the show was a musical fashion show, so on top of everything else, We had to sing. That wasn't as bad as I expected, but things got worse when I found out the organizers were `determined both my friend and I should be two of the fortunate ones chosen to wear dresses and high heels. (Up until this point I doubt we'd even worn anything besides overalls and nrnning shoes before). Since the parents were aware of, the impending fashions to be modelled by their "tomboys" they just had to attend. And not only that but they were convinced this was the perfect opportunity to prove to the wOrld (all our relatives, their friends, and our teachers) that they had indeed mothered girls - not boys. With flowers in ourhair and make up on our faces, and in the clothes we'd been avoiding all our lives, 1 suppose we did look like girls. no matter how uncomfortable we were But instead of being supportive, even a bit complimentary, all we heard were the whispered bets between the relatives about which one of us would trip on our heels first, which would be first to smear the make up, and how long it would take us to change back into our normal style of dress. And when we n stage, dad confided did get out o g ,o the later the two mothers were laughing So hysterical- ly they almost had to leave the auditorium. (After all the sacrifices we'd made, and the humiliation, we'd suffered). In fact when it was all, finally over the only compliment I received came from my phys. ed. teacher and basketball coach. That teacher, who'd once presented me With an award for being the person who tripped ovet the lines on the basketball court most frequently, had been convinced I'd fall flat on my face while in heels. I didn't, mid she was impressed. It was nice to know people had such "great expectations" of me. And to knob they still do. - .,h