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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-07-23, Page 2Huron . grAxp ositor SINCE 1860, SERVINGITHE COMMUNITY FIRST BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1985 Incorporating Brussels Post 10 Main Street 527-0240 Publlshed in SEAFORTH, ONTARIO Every Wednesday morning ED BYRSKI, General Manager HEATHER.McILWRAITH, Editor The Expositor is brought to you each week by the efforts , f: Pat Armes, Bessie Broome, Marlene Charters, Joan Guichelaar, Anne Hut, Joanne Jewitt, Dianne McGrath, Lois McLlwaln, Bob McMillan, Cathy Melady and Patrick !Raft's. Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ontario Press Council Commonwealth Press Union International Press Institute Subscription rates: Canada $20.00 a year, in advance Outside Canada $60.00 a year, in advance Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1986 Second class mall registration Number 0696 cn Stats are staggering OPINION— Kicking the viewing habit FROM THIS ANGLE I'm in the process of kicking the habit. It's not easy. Oh, Pm still smoking about a pack a day. Still quaffing the occasional brew. Still indulgmg myself with most of the vices I have had for years. It's another, perhaps even more addictive, type of habit from which I am attempting to free myself. Chronic television viewing. For the first 21 years or so of my life, I managed not to succumb to what is widely -known as "The Couch Potato Syn- drome". Although I logged my share of tube time during those years, it was usually just while filling in time between involvement in more productive activities; i.e. almost anything. However, in the past three years or so, since I took up living a bachelor's existence,1 have discovered myself spending more and more hours absorbing the offerings of the glowing box in my living room. It was not always this way. My first endeavor at dwelling away from my parental home, took place in an apartment shared with four other people, one of whom, had contracted couchpotatoitls at a very early age. This guy, if given the opportunity by the rest of us, would sit glued to the tube, not even bothering to change the channel. If it was time for Laverne and Shirley, then he took in a half-hour of one of the stupidist shows ever aired. If the current offering was little House on the Prairie, the Little House on the Prairie it would,be. Our efforts to interest him in any other activity, from a game of cards to a couple of by Patrick Raftis beer and some conversation, were constantly greeted with a grunted "Wait 'till the commercial". At this point, the rest of us would arise, en masse, and head to: the mall, the bar, anywhere we could be sure there was more going on than a re -run of Gilligan's Island. Only recently have I been able to understand how my former roommate could have stood so much abuse from the idiot box. It's so easy. Home from work at five, take in a couple of back-to-back re -runs of some comedy classics like W KI1P in Cincinatti and Barney Miller. Then it's six o'clock and time for The News (even couch potatoes must keep up with current events). From seven to eight, get your daily fix of Mash re -runs while you eat supper and clear up the dishes, and already, after only three hours of warm-ups, you're into PRIME TIME PROGRAMMING for the rest of the evening. I could have gone on this way indefinitely, had it not been for a miraculous event occurring two nights ago. Right in the middle of Moonlightling, the images, on my screen wavered briefly, then vanished completely. I tried everything, the converter, the fine tuner, even those mysterious little knobs on the back of the set, all in vain. My TV had died. After the initial shock had subsided, I concluded it would be necessary to find some alternate form of activity. Staring morosely at the blank screen simply would not do. So I turned on the radio, dug out my battered manual typewriter and wrote a long overdue letter to a friend. Finishing this task felt so good, I went at some other much -put -off correspondence. I was on a roll. The next tubeless evening found me actually making an effort to clean up my apartment. My much -neglected automobile got washed the same night. Then, wonder of wonders, I still had some time on my hands so I took a long walk. Later, I finished reading a book Pd been working on for what seemed months. Who knows? If my productivity keeps up at this rate, I may just decide to have my old television set bronzed, rather than repaired. I' d keep it of course, as a sort of monument to the hours of wasted time it has caused me. Set on the floor, it might be just the right height for use as a typewriter table. I could cancel my cable subscription, five pay-tv channels and all, and save almost as much money as I would if I quit smoking. Of course, if Ido that, I run a terrible risk. I may never find out what finally did happen to David and Maddie on Moonlighting. Oh well, sometimes you've just got to live dangerously. Ag university officials and students keep up their constant clamor for more tunds from the public coffers they may get a Tess charitable response from beleagured taxpayers who read the recent report of a team of psychologists from the University of Western Ontario. Stephen Wigmore and Riley Hinson studied the drinking habits of a group of male and female students at that institution and their fijtdings are rather staggering, both literally and figuratively. II It was found that 37 per cent of the males drank alcohol at leas three times weekly, 55 per cent had more than 14 drinks and 27 per ce t had more than 35. The figures for the females were somewhat low r, but appeared extremely high. Only three of the 125 students interviewed had managed to go an entire month without booze. The cost of the drinking habits of the students in dollars and cents is obviously high and in some cases must reach $35 to $50 a week. It's difficult to suggest that taxpayers and parents should be helping to pay part of the education costs for students who have that amount of cash to squander. The cost in performance is also extremely high according to the psychologists. Thirty per cent of the students indicated they skipped classes because of their drinking habits and 40 per cent blamed booze for lower school marks. Even more frightening is the fact that 46 per cent of the drinkers admitted they drove vehicles following their binges at student and private establishments. _ While few of the students expressed any concern over their drinking habits, the study team found that "a considerable number are experiencing a personally unacceptable level of alcohol related problems." The statistics would appear to back the opinion of the psychologists over those of the students and indicates quite convincingly that university students do Indeed have a problem that deserves Imme correction. Exeter -Times sat Advdca e Puddling in the pool by Patrick Raftis TO THE EDITOR Doctors still feel law is unjust The following Is a copy of a letter sent on behalf of the Ontario Medical Association to the premier of Ontario. Dear Mr. Peterson: in our meetings last summer and fall we advised you that the type of legislation contained in Bill 94 was totally unacceptable to the physicians of this province. We offered compromise solutions to your perceived problem, but you rebuffed us. Since the tabling of Bill 94 last December we have been unswerving in our opposition. During the winter and spring we offered further concessions which would have solved any perceived problem without resort to the sledge -hammer of legislation. Again you rebuffed us. As an ultimate protest against Bill 94, the physibans of Ontario were forced to with- draw all but emergency services for a period of more than three weeks. After the Bill became law, the general withdrawal of services was terminated. This does not mean that physicians accept Bill 94 Fat from it. Indeed. I must warn you that the repeal of the Health Care Aaaibil- ity Act is the overriding priority of the Ontario Medical Association. It is a bad law, It is unjust to both physicians and patients. The emigration of physicians the closin of unique clinks and the cessation of s rocedures,rhieh you have already witnessed, are but the p of the iceberg. Your legislation will Muse irreparable harm to the health care system. Ail our available resources will be devoted to restoring the excellent system which your government has attacked. Your offer to negotiate a "phyaidans' bill of rights" merely underscores our contention that the legislation Is disrristinatory and makes a sham of our civil liberties. Physicians want no snore than the rights of all other ts ty citizens in society, including abrogated by the Health Care Acecassib Act. Sincerelyyours Richard H. Rail'ton, its -D. President County respect great for Dr. Giesler On July 22, Dr. Harry Cieslar's resignation from the position of Medical Officer of Health for Huron County became effective. We've worked with him during his five year term as MOH and are sorry to see him leave. He has been receptive to new ideas and suggestions, approachable for advice, and supportive of programs. Dr. Cieslarcared about the Health Unit staff he was responsible for and the people of Ifinun County he served as MOH. But most importantly, he performed his duties honestly and straightforwardly. We Typewriters provoke temper It's very difficult to live with a bad temper. For one thing it's a very hard thing to disguise, however hard you try. Trust me • I know about this topic of discussion. Actually rye been doing pretty well -orsoI tit this w w.l. That's when my thought - un typelvciter finally got the better of me. tT low lknowwhythere are a such things as gas -operated typewriters - they'd be too big a temptation to torch. At least when you lose your temper at an electric typewriter you've got some guarantee you won't do too much damage to the machine. After all, by the time you find the outlet the thing is plugged into, tip the Wird out of the wall and hoist the typewriter into your anus you're either too tired to throw it at the nearest wall • or - you've come to your senses and the whole idea seems childish. On Monday the whole idea really didn't t seem that childHsh • just expensive stepped, muds as I hated to. You see my outburst of temper wasn't realiyas sudden as it plight have appeared to theaverageonlooker, It has been building up for some weeks now. Had 1 known when I decided to enter the field of journalism that 1 was going to have such an aversion to typewriters • or more appropriately they to me - i might have taken a different fork in the mad. Either that, or sought out some sdentist who would be stoneme to one when �arid $tabletschisels ( to send me beck in4 ) were the norm, and automation was virhratly unheard of. It's respect him for that and for what he tried to 1 late now. do for public health in Huron. My battle started aboutt oonnemonth a go.oAt that time my typewriter its SWEATSOCKS by Heather Mclwraith Respectfully, Sheryl Gilbert, M.A., Health Education Consultant, Huron County Health Unit. Cathy Thomson, R..P.Dt., Nutritionist, Huron County Health unit. Lavigne victory good for the little guy Mery Lavigne has won an historic victory in the Supreme Court of Ontario for the individual freedom of millions of Canadian workers. Justice John White has ruled that "the use of compulsory dues for purposes other than collective bargaining. cannot be justified in a free and democratic society His victory is proof the little guy can still get justice hi -Canada, even When opposed by the might of big unionism Although he was not alone - his court Challenge was baCked by thousands of supporters of the National Citizens' Coalition - it Was an Uphill battle all the way. The scope of the victory is hugeMore theft three million Canadian workers are (deed to pay more than $1.8 billion in dues each year to unions; John Fryer, president of the National Union of Provincial. Government F'inployees, estimates that 15.20' per cent of j dues are used to support political parties and 'arises. If he's right, that could mese a union elite is funnelling about $200 Million Into political action each year. We feel stronglythat Canadians should not be compelled to support political views With which they disagree. We agree with John Milton "Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue ' according to urnscrenWine ove all liberties. To Meta` Lavigne and all those Canadians Min sea tosea who supported him, we can only say. ,"thank you for standing Up for freedom," Sincerely, Colin Brown, President,,. National Citizens' Coalition. At first it was just the odd sttddng of the =singe whenever it was returned, some- thing I really had no trouble rectifying and which I could very easily live with. But the illness spread and the seven stuck, then the "T" and then the "T" refused to work at all. When that happened I had to succumb to the realization that nay typewriter had to take a vacation and very 'middy, before Isent it on a permanent one. I mean, have you ever tried to write a sentence without 'ming a single "T." My writing started to look like my hand had developed something Rtmitorto a speech impedirnent, ora very severe case of hiccups o Wiithh my typewriter out Of action it was then necessary for me to find another to use. To tell the truth it was probably easier trying to write without using a "T". Everyone needed their typewriter and I was forced to smuggle them out of offices during noon hours or coffee breaks and hope their owners didn'ttrack them down until 'could get more than one or two lines done on a story. After several complaints 1 dedded to play the Martyr for a while and try my hand at some of the "antique" typewriters that are lying abandoned and cobwebbed in var'i'ous corners of our establisstment. My martyrdom was short lived. I decided toreturn to my life of clime. and was in the process of eyig up my next electric target, when MY typewriter was returned. Unfortunately though two hours back at work and it was ready once again to seek a temporary unemployment. At this point one of the reeeptionists took pity on me and allowed me to use her typewriter, under the strictest guidelines of course. She did not want it returned malfunctioning. So, when within a number of days the machine had eaten too many ribbons to count I was getting a little concerned. And when it suddenly started spewing out strange grtnd- ing noises and sounding tike a bear inhceold t it was realty all I could do from hitting, EJECT button. But that wouldn't have done much to appease the bevy of curious and suspicious coworkers that had gathered in the doorways of my office • the same bevy that suggested 1 take to writing my stories out by hand, and leave their typewriters to live a long and prosperous seemed life. s Only one at all sympathetic to my plight. And he merely volunteered to get me that stone tablet I'd mentioned earlier m this column. Actually he'd have been better off to get me an Aspirin. Airport place to meet "Great One" The Toronto International Airport, better Pe known as arson Rice, is a great spa people watdiing. I have made four trips to Pearsall international during the last month and a half to drop off an'd pick up people who were fortunate enough to be able to take trips that required an airplane to get them to their destinations, test Sunday night wallet one of his journeys and it was to pi Myo greendrriotherandhfsgreat g dnmtbesslrmo were returnin from a p Expo British Columbia. 1 went with my brother Larry; you may )mow bins as Skinny, And it wee a tate of a Night at the Improv from the time we left. We arrivedat the airportatl0 OA., parked the car and made our Way inside terminal 2. To our dismay; Opiate was a virtual tomb with very few people wide ShOpe dosed. Faced with.. the grim On -septet ofhaving rioting:to do for art iiour,before the plane landd We began 0.W*of the place. Theft, suddenly, we spotted an open door through Which •a persons atrolied. Hallehujalrt It Was one of those places you could gets refreshing CORNUCOPIA by Dave Broome cold drink like a coke or glass of water. We monied on inside. at down. and ordered a couple of those colt) elixirs. After killing the hour we left for the arrival lounge and walked through the doors kite flee area where the passengers and baggage arrive My brother and I loolmd et emitother and Wonderedaloud if we were supposed to be in this area. We agreed that yes we were, and comnsenoedour wait for the plane from Edmonton. W'e didn t have to wait long. There is a large supports pillar in the Middle of the bagaage_reeeivfna area' anclletilde it dearer ashtraY. l readied around it to pound outa cigarette when I heard Skmrry's, vpoiee u ed to malt Dave, Dave look at this The a_ tod Weed wouldn't go outand while Istriig the thing into eternity he again called, this time with soiaeenvy in his voice; I Dave, quick, lookatfbis�t" 1611a11yutthe thing out of its misery, Stoodup, rounded the pillar and nearly iollided with Wayne Gretzky. tarty, fortified with' this new chineionin which topractice his comedy then roared; "Wayne, pp...this(pointingtome)is Wayneguy probably your biggest fan."Wayne then slowed up looked at me and smiled. At that precise moment a ,number of thoughts entered my mind. Net being a lover of the Edmonton Oilers 1 pondered about comment- ing on the merits of Dave Semeiiko, Glen Anderson's Courage' and Cretalejar bost, PeterPoddington - diplomaticly, I kept niy mouth shut although it probably wouldn't Continued on Page Ai f