The Huron Expositor, 1989-03-15, Page 2uBunton
SINCE 11160, SERVING THE -COMMUNITY FiRSfF
Incorporating
The Brussels Post
Published in
•Seoforth, -Ontario
Every AWednesduy-'Mornlinu
The Expositor Is,brought to you
each week •by'the.efforts of: Pat
Armes, Nell Corbett, Terri -Lynn
Dale, Dianne McGrath antib
McMillan.
QE D' BYRSK I , =Genera l tlVta na ge r
14EATNIERBieltWRAITH, Editor
Member Canodion Community Newspaper Assoc
Ontario Community Newspaper Association
Ontario Press Council
Commonwealth Press Unior,
International Press Institute
Subscription Rates
Canada .20,00 a year in advance
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g wine days i4ile rth t r1
Editorial and Business Offices - 10 Main Street, Seaforth
Telephone (519) 527-0240
Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario,'NOIt IWO
Loss o, innocence
Charlie Francis has done Canada and the world a favor. By blowing the
whistle on big name athletes of Olympic games dating back to 1972, he has
forced the kind of scrutiny so•called amateur sports must undergo if they are tc
survive
Of course. in a world in which top (?) athletes dressed in designer gold travel
In snazzy sports cars, the word "amateur" is laughable. Now. because of The
Dubin Inquiry. anyone with any kind of feeling for sports has also got to ques-
tion alt those fantastic records, especially in track and field, that have been set
over the past five Olympic games. Indeed. if some of the "experts" now com-
ing out of the woodwork are to be believed, records in just about any sport are
suspect. Besides giving athletes an extra metre, as described by Francis
some coaches are saying anabolic steroids can also improve endurance, thus
giving a boost to both training and performance.
There is something tragic. is such a loss of innocence. It is one thing to be-
moan the fact that sports have become big business with no place for true
amateurs. It is another to learn that record -setters have been cheating
consistently
Perhaps the greatest revelation of the inquiry will be the scope of the
creating. With so many coaches and athletes involved. is there any way the
Olympic mandarins - those gentlemen and ladies with international repute -
tions who like to be wined a dined - couldn't have known also?
Following that. is testing so spotty. or cover-up practices so advanced that
tnere was a good chance of never getting caught& Or could it be that 'Ben
Johnson, because he was from a middle power was made the fall guy for drug •
-
ging that had gotten beyond belief? •Had Johnson been representing et
United States with its multi-million=dollar television coverage, would he have
been relieved of his gold medal?
The world will never know - unless somebody hits all those Olympic insiders'
with an injection of truth serum. - Listowel Banner.
2
ism=goingtatakeThe,lazyman'irwayout
-of column -writing this week, liimply
because I've 'found a-sdbMtitute 'Which
-refleets the way I -sometimes feel 'as
EditorTiieportei ?Photographer tor this
newspaper. Ivo doubt it elso'refieets the
'way -most 'reporters feel •atsome time or
another,
Te -article was'orfginally printedsin the
Valley Center (California Ynewspaper and
more -recently reprinted'Ynan editionofthe
Ontario Community 'Newspapers Associa-
tion newsletter.
It Toes this
When newspaper people write about the
burdens of their job, they usually sound a
bit 'pompous. or, on the other hand like
crybabies.
The public, they claim, neither
understands nor appreciates their virtuous
efforts. Although they'll deny it,
newspaper people want to be loved. They
have feelings. They are hurt by criticism
they feel is undeserved.
The better journalists take this criticism
in stride. The lesser ones let it alter their
perceptions. Being human, newspaper
people are not perfect. They make
mistakes and once their mistakes reach
print, they're there for all to see The job is
without secrets, just pressure.
Mistakes warrant criticisms Every
newspaper recognizes that and does its
best to eliminate the problem. However.
there are times when criticism is of
target. This usually stems from, a
misunderstanding of a newspaper's role in
the community
With this in mind, let's review a f'rw of
these misunderstandings,
1, Newspapers are not newsletters. A
newspaper prints what it considers to be
news — good and had. A newsletter prints
the good news in a format guaranteed to
offend no one.
2. Newspapers do not control the com-
munity- Instead, they are a reflection of
what's happening in the community. No
one ever voted for or against an editor.
3 A newspaper is a business and must
generate a profit to keep its doors open
These profits are based almost entirely on
the sale of advertising
Incidentally, subscription rates barely
cover mailing costs A profitable
newspaper serves its community best. A
newspaper that casts aside good manage-
ment is usually in so much hot water that it
cannot serve the community well.
4. It takes a lot of time, money and effort to
put a newspaper together. They don't fall
from the sky Thev aren't assembled b}
robots. The layout process isn't practical
without deadlines. Late items cause haste.
and haste makes waste,
5. A newspaper's size depends on.its adver-
tising. The proper ratio of pages to adver-
tising assures the newspaper that costs
will not exceed income
A newspaper, cannot afford t add
another page to accommodate a late item
When an editor resists making room for a
late item, it is not because he/she is uncar-
ing It's probably because the page is
already filled with a dozen other items that
were turned in on time
6. Deciding what is news is not easy.
Something of interest to one group is usual-
ly meaningless to n"rear,,,.)
balance is almost sure to Offend one or•the
other. A newspaper cannot afford to let its
contents (perhaps direction is a better
word ) be controlled by outside inte3'est
groups. It must be independent.
7 Editorials are opinions on behalf of the
newspaper. Editorials are not sacred.
They are meant to cause the reader to
think; agreement is secondary. Disagree- ,
ment, which is healthy, should be express-
ed through well -thought-out letters to the '
editor — not angry calls to the editor
8. Public meetings are open to the public
The public's lone representative often is a
reporter from the newspaper, but this does
not diminish the meeting s'ei"edibility — it
is still a public meeting The public
deserves to know what's happening with
its government and its tax dollars.
9 An informed public always is more ra-
tional and more compassionate than one
kept in the dark. Progress is based on in-
formation, Those who say, "Oh, don't put
that in the paper. Nobody needs to know.
it'll only stir things up• " have missed the •
point. Controversies stem from secrecy
not disclosure
10. The actions of one newspaper do not
define the actions of another The impor• ,
tant point is to realize that there are
reasons for newspapers behaving the way
they do
And the staff at those newspapers are
only humans, doing the' hest they know
how,
E3c/7" A/C�TERLOD�
ti
.,9,�r,*��ffl,'1�i:L71,°1°°`x355
PoLI72 4L RE5Pfc y
Haste ,.may °make waste
7b the Editor: our business section 'on the main
1 wish to comment on Council's recent thoroughfare, enjoying a harmonious and
aecision to endorse in principal the economically profitable relationship with a
Economic Development and Planning and shopping mall outside the boundaries of the
Advesory Committees' approval of apropos- community.
ed development project on the western ex- And what about the tax dollars? Where
tremity of Seaforth. are they going to be directed? Certainly not
Basically, I support the relocation of the to.Seaforth. It's enough that we will lose the
automobile dealersiup as long as the ar- existing tax dollars from the car dealership,
chitectural design is eye appealing (which I but imagine for a moment the possible
nave no doubt it will be) and will enhance future implications.
Inc western -entrance to the town. Over the past -few years we have been at -
There are however, several points I am tempting to promote our unique Victorian
not entirely comfortable with. I cannot main street and recently several property
understand the committee's rationale in owners.havemade commitments to proceed
stating that the proposed mini -mall, in- with major storefront renovations in corn -
eluding a department-:store:.and/or super- pliance-with-theleritage-theme. I -can cer-
market, will create healthy competition and fainly attest to the.fact -that this is a costly
draw shoppers from •other -communities. venture and .takes -many years to recover
The existing food marketsand department your investment.
stores (I'm including C.T.C.) presently If council is committed to the idea of a
serve as four anchors for our downtown mini -mall let .them direct their attention to
area, and heaven1tnows it's difficult enough our existing one and continue with the
as it is enticing the .buying public to turn various .improvements and beautification
south off No. 8 Highway without creating plans already in the works. I'm sure there
another reason to avoid this area, are other services which lend themselves
We seem quick to forgetseveral years ago just as well to this type of development
when many of the main -street properties without adding more businesses which
were vacant. Another round of high inflation already exist and play .such a major role in
and increased interest rates (which some the survival of Main Street.
experts believe is just around the corner I I don't doubt the developers' statement of
would only serve as a catalyst to hasten the trying not to detract from the Town of
return of those '`good ole days."•The mer- Seaforth as a shopping area is -probably
chants within our core area.depend heavily honorable but I suspect their main concern
on each other to attract business into town is still that of selling.automobiles.
and certainly good competition is healthy, Letus notbe toobasty in-lending:approval
but leave it where it.belongs, •within walking to a situation which may inevitably have an
distance of each other. adverse effect on our own business area.
1 would like to know of another communi-
t\ of our size, with exactly the .same
geographical circumstances of not having
Sincerely,
Ken Cardno
What is ifineeth Lake ► or
What is the Meech )rake Accord? Sixty -
rune percent of all Canadians;cannotanswer
that question,nor dothey-currently, unders-
tand its staggering;implications,,especially
for our children -This is. the finding of are -
cent Gallup.poll.
We can infer from.tbis-polIthat Canadians
have much tolearn.about the Canadian Con-
stitution ,., its history, •the4amending-pro-
cesses, and how it affects:their slay toelay
lives.
The Record is.ati amendrt enttothe Cana-
dian Constitution. In ,1682,aQuebee-rejected
the principle of 'majority;racle'endchosenot
to sign the clocumenttitriatingsthe,censtitu-
tion fromBrltain .. Tin,effect•,•opting,eut'.of
the Canadian Constitution.
In 1987,,as•preeolidition;to Copt' ck in' ,
Quebec placed -five ,demands :before ;the
Prime Minister.,fitic;demartdoquired;tliat
Quebec ,be3granted,ran .s,undefinedr;speclal
status',wlithirethe-Ganadian,tlonstitution
within .Canada. AlsoAtiebeet4elipanded a vested ullthe peePleeWilereetterne ant,cer-
`right ,to„yetosfutare,remenldments',.ialepg , tatrt riohtseto theinaovelikel lex?ts h e Cana -
with 3 -other deneefids.
'The l Crime delinister stayed ;in son .,,pll
•demandee kleethenrnvenfeitirteer, etendinft
-
•=-71
Ducks as good as weather satellites
Did you• know you can forecast the
weather using the breastbone of a .duck?
That was a new one on me too, but an
elder lady of the community came into The
Expositor office during the past week and
informed us that she had something to show
us. She then produced a smooth, bone, and
told us it was the breastbone -of a -duck. She
said•she had heard that one could,predict the
severity of the coming winter from the
breastbone of a waterfowl, by comparing
the amount of dark bone to the amount of
harder white bone.
I always wondered what they had .inside
those weather satellites.
Her theory was that the more white bone
there was compared to darker bone, the
more wintery the winter.
Inspecting the breast bone taken -from this
lady's duck revealed mostly brownish.bone,
with small -edges of white, -so using .her
theory one could see that 1988.89 was a,pret-
tymild-winter -not that we needed the duck
to show us that, but we could.have eaten it in
September and got the forecast.
limited 'veto rights' , to all goverment
leaders. The principle of 'unanimity' now
applies to certaieamending:processes.
1'his Accord -will ;radically .alter •society.
Canadians will ,be constitutionally divided
into two distinct classes of ,.people. -'hose
outside .Quebec..will have one, status, while
those inside ..Quebec .•will -enjoy a ',special
status' =Within Canada,
-This isthe-kindof Canad tpoliticians want
our children to inherit. Is this what we.want
for our••children?
Toiunderstand.this Accord,.en crust first
-realize,tbat:the ana.,dian Coxi tltution,is a
set rof .,written slaws,"Those : differ- from ;the
iaws,passed ,by-qur>federal,epd °provincial
gonerp nients,tonadrinniater -our eq. untry,and
-maintain :social order. Constitutional Jaw
:defines ,the Aasie7relatio bit,,between ;the
governed (y,ouand I ), an ;thosethatgovern
(politicians)
In Axrterica,,all •''geniitittittonatrights'fare
1
%than iponstitution tis r tetil ly. oplw.site.:10
Canada:all 'c> tilt ioilattights'iarevested
AigHltwage.,10A •
P
Y TWO L .t .BI
by Neil Corbett
Of course many will say this is nothing but
an "old wives.tale" but who knows, if an old
wife ate a lot of ducks over a lot of different
winters she might learn something. Or if
that old wife ate ducks up north, then moved
south and ate some more ducks she may
again start to notice differences. Admitted-
ly, to make any connections she'd have to be
a pretty curious old wife. and a hungry one.
For my part I'm not 100 per cent sure if I
buy the breastbone story, but 1 think there',s
a .possibility.
It's hard for us to believe people could ac-
tually make connections like this, but I
guess in 1989 when you can go out and .buy a
boneless frozen bird dinner, :pop it in the
nuker for five minutes and have dinner, you
kind of get out of touch with the realities of
the food chain.
Maybe there are all kinds of connections
we could make and conclusions we could
draw, even with modern food processing
and packaging.
Maybe if your pickles have those little
tails on them it means rain, maybe if your
carrots are branching off and growing two
to a top it means earthquakes, and maybe if
your yogurt comes with that runny liquid on
the top it means cows need more fibre in
their diets.
In the past people watched animals to find
out what was going on in the world around
them, or what would be going on, and those
animals are still around today.
There's no end to what we could learn if
we keep our eyes open when our mouths are
open.
f :m pa' s tri t i, to to late ayor
MARCH.15,+18119
A CHAiLiLENGE -Messrs. Charles Frazer
and:William Egbert, of -Blyth, write to us
saying that they ,are prepared to challenge
the Tucker -smith wood ,sawyers or ;any
others -to a -rematch .for the championship of
•Huron,and;$20 a .side. The cnatch.,to ;take
place halfway.andthesize;of.lug to,be from
20theeinclsesthrougheWho,wiill,treadonthe
.tail of the Blyth, boys?
Since the formation of the.new:,salt cam-
bination the price of salt has gone up to -$1,2t
per„,barrel, the manufacturers •ceceivingee5
cents for it.
At a meeting of the town ceuriciLon Mon-
,dayavening it was resolved tosubmit a..by-
law to, the ratepayers for the purposeof rais-
inga$6,000 to ;provide inc;plant ce.,•for the
lighting -of :the .town by ,electrteity. It•• was
also decided .10 spend:$1100 thisasu-tllimer Jn
macadamising a,portton,afrMainStreet.
-Tlte.S,alvation Army :hada 'lbig;go," ton
Tuesday night•last IylalorlMorris ndsother
of firers •from a •distance,wereipresent ~rhe
hall=, was:erowded;andthe,proceedings were
quite .interesting, -Tbit'teen stew ioldiers
,were enrolled. he,torphlight,;pargdt&On inc
streetrlooked verYapretty. end ,there oras„an
flinlOaiYlagenber ProcTon'
Rev • r• Brea, ;thecrate
d
ellaitgeltSt,AWilizolpguaaeeriego , ,ge.Jn
•
the Methodist Church,.,Seaforth, on the 21st
inst. Hehas just•cloeed n eeries of very.suc-
.cessful •meetings in the town of -Picton,
where he had congregations of five and .six
hundred people at meetings held at five
o'clock in the morning. There must be real
zeal and sincerity. at least to induce people
to turn outat:thathour,on cold winter morn-
ings to. attend., service.
, (''-H.;111,:19 4
*Ir. -Robert. Scott, one .of •Hullett's most
,progressive farmers, disposed .of .about 70
ttons:rof ;hay en :town this,season, end this
-while;snany Larinerseire buyers .of hay. It
rwaseleteedforeel5;per ton.
-The =lire alat'in,was :sounded .about 8;;70
o'clock -on Friday,,night, And Abe •firemen
.turned out. Fortilklately-their,servicesRwere
.notuired ;Iteerl?sthat appile of cuttings
-.wereigni d by a hotiron.in the clothing fac-
,,toryr,butebheliresw,as••:discovered ,before it
Attyangcti4aroandswas4ntOguiebed by a
few: bpgk-etsxoi-water.
set a eecent uieeeingte the Lueknow•coun-
cil there .were three applications for pool
room licences. The matter created con-
siderable.interest tithe townandthere was
a large .attendance of ratepayers ,at the
meeting. After a full discussion of the sub-
jectthe council decided.paaniniously not to
grant any,.pool room licences.
One of• thelyko•electric men hada close
call :the ,other ,day. He was ,working at the
time.about hair miles from town. -While up
on, a ;pole his ;head exne in contact ,with .a
live mire, burnipg-it..aeverely,and rendering
him unconscious. lie ,was rescind by flow
of his fellows -And xaken,to the Royal -Hotel,
.where he received :inedical.attention.and is
now :able to be. about again.
Tlie ieguigo club •gave aolly ;little St.
,P:,atriok's-dance;in Case's Hall.
An.escitwg itogkey match .was played in
the rink ;here on leeurafiay .evening of last
,weekr,betw:een'tbe Tuekersigtthscven;antia
.leant I.g. of ;1]lexlj ers ,oft o ;town
fwd. -a er;boystiweietoo t.forrthe
T,•lirnato-p..age 18 •