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Times-Advocate, 1982-08-18, Page 4Pone 4 Times -Advocate, August 18,1984 Ames - Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 d vocate Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by j.W. Eedy Pubikations Limited LORNE EEDY BILL BATTEN Publisher Editor JIM BECKETT HARRY DEVRIES Adsertising Manager Composition Manager ROSS HAUGH Assistant Editor DICK JONGKIND Business Manager Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mall Resistradon Number OWN Phone 235-1331 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $20.00 Par yam: U.S.A. $55.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' and 'AK Didn't get the message Motel and hotel owners are fincjing that this sum- mer's business is picking up, following a rather lethargic start due to the poor wea9ier in June. Of course, the operators of these establishments are helped in no small way by the Ontario govern- ment's extensive and expensive advertising program which takes money from taxpayers and attempts to entice tourists for the benefit of the hotel and, motel owners. Of course% there is some merit in the argument that the outlay of cash from the public purse has a "spin- off" effect and helps ring up sales in several allied businesses. But how do the hotel and motel owners respond to this generous assistance from the Ontario govern- *CNA 19, ment? Well, according to the recent publication issued by Accommodation Motel Ontario Association they're going to stage their annual convention in a motel in Burlington. That's good! Keep the business at home where it should be. However, the group is also organizing a post - convention trip. Where? To Bermuda, of course, for five fabulous days and nights! So much for the selling job of the Ontario govern- ment advertising program! Its main benefactors have apparently missed the message about this great vaca- tionland, but taxpayers can take solace in knowing they have contributed enough to enable the province's motel and hotel owners' to afford a holiday in Bermuda. Is the accommodation better there, or something? Economic excuses The state of the country's economy is leading to many new problems for various groups, but it is sur- prising that some can so easily use those problems for excuses for wrong -doing. A spokesman for the Law Society of Upper Canada was quoted recently as saying that he was not alarm- ed at the number of lawyers taking money from clients' trust accounts because they only represent a tiny percentage of the total profession. The figures, however, suggest that some alarm should be expressed. In 1977, three lawyers were disciplined for taking their clients' money, while the number increased,to 17 last year and already there have been 10 cases in the first six months of 1982. Not only is the number of incidents rather alarm- ing, but so is the amount of money involved. A total of $1.6 million was misappropriated by the 10 lawyers represented in the 1982 cases, an average that far ex- ceeds the $50,000 per client that is paid to victims through a compensation fund maintained by the law society. Another figure that may be worth considering is the number of lawyers who escape detection in com- parison to those actually caught. If it is as high as other forms of crime, then it is cause for alarm. There are always a few bad apples in every pro- fession but the increase in this situation should not be' so casually . dismissed. Pornography is dangerous The Hon. Jean Chretien, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Social Development, has a new cause these d:ys. It is a cause that has -struck a chord in a majority of people, especially women, across Canada, claims the Listowel Banner. Mr. Chretien's cause is the stamping out of por- nography as it is now sold and advertised in virtually every town and city in this nation. For years it has been out of fashion to criticize not only pornography but the blatant kind of sexist at- titudes as portrayed in magazines such as "Playboy" and "Penthouse". People haven't spoken out for fear of being labelled as narrow-minded prudes. Besides there have been all those sociological studies telling us this kind of trash is not only harmless but actually serves a need in some people. The thinking is changing. People throughout the western world are now ques- tioning the pronouncements of psychologists and sociologists. Common sense is making us question them. If our lowering of moral standards is so harmless, how come instances of crimes against women and children in particular have escalated? At the very least our laws should prohibit the public display of sexist material. We believe most Canadians would prefer to see it banned completely. Don't make it easy for thieves The Federal Business Development. Bank ' provides many courses for en- trepreneur', but apparently they haven't been in tune with current economic conditions. /lr news release from FBDB recently crossed the desk noting they were stag- ing a seminar to assist rapidly expanding small businesses. It will be interesting to see how many registrants they will get for the course as most of the small businesses in this area are merely battling to keep their heads above water, let alone handle any rapid expansion. However, it is encouraging to see that FBDB havenot been caught up in the "doom and gloom" atmosphere that prevails in most quarters these days, although seminars in dealing with the pro- blems at hand would appear more valuable. . e. There are indications that the increase in unemployment and economic problems being faced by many people is leading to an increase in crime, although it is not yet rampant in this area. It nevertheless does require that people take extra precuations to protect their belongings, particularly when it is evident that thieves are becoming more bold and innovative. No longer do they confine their ac- tivities to the darkness of night as evidenced by recent daylight robberies in this area. One of the more remarkable, although unsubstantiated stories going the rounds, concerns a family in a Western Ontario city. The man of the house, in in- vestigating the cause for his car's failure to start, discovered that the battery had been stolen from the vehicle. A couple of days later, the battery mysteriously showed up at his front door, along with a note of apology in which the thief explained that his own battery had gone dead and he had reluctantly taken another to complete a journey of some importance. To make amends, the thief said he had made reservations for his victims at a restaurant and pre -paid the bill, and on checking out the surprising story, the vic- tims were advised by the restaurant that indeed, a reservation had been made in their name and the bill had been paid. The victims, with more pleasant thoughts towards the perpetrator of the battery theft, enjoyed their dinner and returned home to find that most of the prized possessions in their home had been carted off during their absence, presumably by someone who knew when they were going to be away and for ap- proximately what duration. Now who says neverlook a gift horse in the mouth? ... .. The story is reminiscent of the driver who bashed an unattended car and after getting out to survey the damage, notic- ed several people had witnessed the accident. • Be took out his pen and a piece of paper and scribbled a note and left it under the windshield wiper of the damaged car; the witnesses assuming, of course, that he was leaving directions on how the victim could contact him to straighten out the cost of the repairs. The note, however, contained no iden- tifkation of the offending driver but mere- ly pointed out that he had scribbled out something so the witnesses would not not bother to call police or take down his licence plate number. The gullible witnesses had fallen for the ploy and the victim was left to his own means of repairing the damage. . . . . . There are, naturally, just as many stories about criminals being caught by their own stupidity, such as dropping their wallets with identification'papers at the scene of a crime. One story relates to an intoxicated thief who walked into a store and attempted to walk out with $130 worth of toys clumsily picked up right before the eyes of many store employees and security personnel. He was most surprised to be nabbed, apparently believing that when he was under the influence of alcohol, he was invisible. Along with the sentence, the judge in the case recommended psychiatric ex- amination for the accused. Many victims of crime becoine so through their own gullibility. There are still hundreds of people who pay out their hard-earned cash to firms which send out fake invoices, and of course, we hear more and more about the crime being committed by computer, although much of it is man-made. For instance, there had been evidence that operators of parking lots have been found to set their ticket machines to record the time erroneously, thereby col- lecting more that the prescribed fee. Most people are too busy to check out the mathematics involved and the operators are laughing all the way to the bank with the extra two bits thtly extract from hundreds of motorists. We really do make it easy for thieves on most occasions, don't we? Now know the reasons Now I know why mothers are terrified about teachers going on strike in September,' which our particular loonies had planned to do, after waiting more than a year for an agreement with the Board. ' Actually, I was rather looking forward to it. I've never been on strike, and thought it might be an in- teresting experience. I half looked forward to marching up and down with a placard, proclaim- ing something like "Down with the Board ! " then slamming the board on which the placard was nailed to the ground, while the TV cameras ground. But 'twas not to be. The Board ground on like a deaf computer and the teachers scuttled for eight percent, after dire threats from both sides. I know there are too many "boards" and "grounds" in the last paragraph, but it's a hot day, and I'm ground almost into the ground by the presence of my grandboys. That's why I know the reason mothers heave a' huge sigh of relief on the day after Labor Day, pro- bably mix themselves a . stiff martini, and go flop in front of the TV set to' watch a soap opera. Their kids have gone back to school. Not that we parents and grandparents don't love our offspring. I am almost in tears with affection when I've told them their last story at night, kiss them, and watch them go out like a burnt-out bulb. Mornings are a little dif— ferent. I'm grumpy. They can't find their shoes. They are as fussy as Hollywood actresses about which shirt goes with which pants, and who owns which shirt, and why did Gran put in the wash their favorite shorts. They think they should have rived. It's the. unpredictability. Yesterday, after much pleading, I let them walk home from summer camp, which includes crossing.) busy street. I got home Mather late and found Gran in a state of mild shock. Ballad, six, who needs Sugar and Spice Dispensed By Smiley lunchpails, instead of plastic bags. One wants mustard on his baloney sandwich; the other doesn't. One wants mayonnaise onhisilettuce; the other doesn't. They both want peanut butter and honey sandwiches five days a week, and one for breakfast. If I neveru,saw a peanut butter . and honey sand- wich after the boys have gone, I think I might re- tain my sanity. But I'm not sure. I dream about/ them now. The peanut butter. jar has just enough left for one sandwich.. The honey jar is empty. There is no bread left. And there I am, in my nightmare, knife poised to make a p -and -h sandwich on my bare hands, cut off the hands and stuff them in lunch bags. I wonder what a psychiatrist would think of that?. It's not just the food, although our grocery bill has tripled since they Pr - only pointed ears and cloven hooves to make him what he is, walked in the back door and.calmly told his Gran: "Nikov got runned over by a car." She, of course went into orbit. He grinned, and Nikov, grinning even more hugely, walked in the door. • Later the same day, after Nikov had declared they were hungry and fried two eggs each (din- ner was to have been salad and cold boiled eggs) we had the usual evening sports. • This consists of kicking a soccer ball, or hitting a tennis ball ora baseball at Grandad, who is now in a state where he flinches when a mosquito comes {tear him; but it took a rico turn. Gran, having given up on dinner after the eggs fiasco, ventured into the backyard, lately becom- ing known as The Slaughterhouse. She should have stood in bed, as Kingfish Levinsky once remarked after Joe Louis , pulverized him in one round. They made up a new game, Gran was given a plastic tennis rack'e worth about 11.50, seated at the picnic table, and the two boys, from different angles, kicked soccer balls at her. There was a certain ' amount of sadism in the game, because she had made them have a bath, wash their hair, put down the toilet seat gently in- stead of crashingly, and all those other things that make boys want to kill their grandmother. She acquitted herself gamely for about 10 minutes, until the tennis racket was in shreds. But nobody can withstand two hard soccer ballst kicked with vehemence, from two different directions, for long. I had to break it up while she was still conscious. Took them in and gave them a strong lecture. Would little boys in Africa try to kick their Gran to death? Would little boys in Africa whine about which top to wear with which shorts? Would little boys in Africa complain because their baloney and lettuce sandwiches were all crumpled up from be- ing sat on and thrown around? They were properly ashamed, because they're always being told about the starving little boys in Africa. So we all went to bed, and I told them about how Grandad won World War II singlehandedly, their favorite story. Prepare .for fin a / advehtvre Last week I talked about the way our society shuts itself off from death by not talking about it, or by shutting the dying person up in a hospital away from his/her loved ones. It would seem tome that in many cases a person might be far better off at home coping with death in dignity and in a per- sonalized environment. For me, I would expect my doctor to be complete- ly honest with me, at a reasonable date (that is, when he is sure of his diagnosis). I think it is a serious mistake to keep people in the dark about • . 1. their condition. It just doesn't give them a fair chance to cope with the earlier in their lives. It gives them the chance to become accepting of their Perspectives situation. On the whole people usually swnrnon up amazing reserves of strength in an emergency. They deserve the chance to show that they are not weak and cowardly even if they have been that way By Syd Fletcher fate and to prepare themselves for the final adventure. For the person who has not thought of life after death there is a chance to make peace with God and with those on earth, for that matter. And then, of course, comes the thorny question which faces relatives and the medical profession if a person's life is being sup- ported by drugs and machines even though the patient is in tremendous pain. Should the support be withdrawn on the pa- tient's request. From there, can 'mercy killing' be too many steps? Whatever, it is impor- tant that death and all its implications be given honest, careful study, and not be avoided as an un- comfortable issue. a