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Times-Advocate, 1987-06-03, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, June 3, 1987 Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgama ed 1924 BLUE RIBBON AWARD imes dvocate Published Each Wednesday Moming at Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S0 Second Class Mali Registration Number 0386. Phone 519-235-1331 LORNE EEDY Publisher JIM BECKETT Advertising Manager BILL BATTEN ROSS HAUGH Editor Assistant Editor HARRY DEVRIES Composition Manager DICK JONGKIND Business Manager SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $25.00 Per year; U.S.A. $65.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' Should have voice The executive committee of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authori- ty have chosen the wise course of action in asking municipalities in the watersh- ed for their response to a planned reduc- tion of the directorship on the Authority. The municipalities control . the organization to a considerable extent and therefore should have a say in the makeup. In reality, each municipal representative should meet with his/her council and cast a vote in the manner directed by the latter. There is a possibility that some representatives will see the proposed reduction as putting their appointment at risk and will vote to avoid that situation. More than half will be eliminated. While the cost factor involved in reducing the operating costs by cutting down the number of representatives is one valid reason for the change, it is not as persuasive as the fact that those who will remain will become more involved and more knowledgeable. Each of those named under the new format would be involved in all decisions, while at present, many are primarily in advisory roles and only get involved in policy votes at the sporadic full Authori- ty meetings. The proposal should help streamline the operation and should get support from the municipalities. Some may think that their municipality won't have as much direct input through sharing a representative with one or two other neighbors, but the fact to be remembered, is that the direc- tors from some municipalities never get on the executive committee which now carries a large share of the respon- sibilities for decisions made at other than full Authority meetings. The municipalities will at least know that under the proposal, the represen- tative they share will have a vote on all matters that come before the Authority. Can turn to tragedy Practically every Canadian lives within driving distance of a body of water large enough to float a boat - or drown a person. Every summer, careless and unsafe behaviour around water gets some swim- mers and boaters into serious trouble that often ends in disaster. Water ac- tivities are supposed to be fun but recrea- tion can quickly turn into tragedy - especially if alcohol is involved. June 7 -13 is National Water Safe- ty/Safe Boating Week and The Canadian Red Cross Society reminds 411 water sports enthusiasts that mixing water and alcohol can get you in over your head permanently. Boaters should especially remember that the tough changes made to the Criminal Code of Canada (December 2, 1985) make impaired boating as serious an offence as impaired driving. And, the offence of impaired boating can be com- mitted whether or not the boat is in mo- tion. Refusing to provide a breath sam- ple is also an offence. This summer, law enforcement groups and provincial boating authorities will be continuing to crack down on alcohol abuse on our waterways. The crack -down, which got underway last summer, came about because there was an urgentneed for some strong action against drunk boaters and also because of the success of the "Don't Drink and Drive" programme. Drunk boaters ( like drunk drivers) ' not only endanger themselves, they frequently put others at risk as well. Officials want to save lives and make boating pleasurable for everyone. They are determined to come down hard on alcohol abuse on our water ways. The Red Cross has been involved in water safety education for more than 40 years and reminds all water sports par- ticipants that mixing alcohol and water is just asking for trouble. Computers real treat One of the things which the computer is beginning to change for students is the ability to type up neat assignments instead of writing them out. That may not seem to be a very important thing for some people who are good writers. For those of us who are lefties and who have handwriting which looks like a cross between chicken tracks and yesterday's breakfast napkin (my secretary will vouch for that), the ability to write stories and letters on the screen is a real treat. When I was in Grade 6 and 7 we had to use the old straight pens. Maybe you remember them. You pushed the nib into the ink well and tried to get it back to your paper without slopping ink out. It was a painful process for a 4 southpaw. You wrote a word or two, then blotted immediately. Otherwise your hand would go over top of By the Way by Syd Fletcher the words and smudge them. Since you were using your left hand you were essentially pushing the nib along instead of pulling it. If the nib was too sharp it would dig right into the paper, sometimes actually tearing the Thr en the fountain pen came along; a much better invention to say the least but still it did not solve my problem. It was only with the ball point that I could actually say that my assignments approached a reasonable quality. Interestingly enough a number of teachers opposed ball points. It was felt that the new tool would encourage laziness, would not allow the development of the fine workmanship which the straight pen had demanded. Times change though. You' would have' -to search far and wide to find even a fountain pen in the schools of today, much less a straight pen. As far as I'm concerned 1 don't miss them one little bit. Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited I'M A MASS- MURDERtik--WHAT YOU IN FOR? FOR urvING A CEMENT CUPID IN THE BIRDBATH IN MY GARDEN 1 VIVA Growth is spectacular A former area resident who is less than the familiar sight he once was in town, dropped over to my picnic table at an eating - spot this week to express his amazment at the number of changes being made on Exeter's Main St. since his last tour here in ithe fall. Even those who take only a weekly jaunt along the main drag could probably echo similar com- ments and there is every indica- tion that the trend will continue for some time yet. Not only is the commercial area taking on a new look, it is ex- panding both north and south at a mind boggling speed and it doesn't take a great deal of op- timism to suggest that in the next decade or so the commercial area will almost totally infill the area from the southern boundary to the north. If Usborne Township growth along Highway 4 con- tinues, the shopping area will cover most of.the two and a half miles from the Kirkton Road through to the town's northern extremity. Most visitors with limited knowledge of the local scene would probably assume that in- dustrial growth in the area is also experiencing some phenomenal growth and that one person is kept almost constantly busy up- dating the figures on the town's entrance sign to acknowledge the change in the population figure that is emblazed thereon. But that is almost a groundless assumption. Although several area industries are operating at peak production and there are ; new residents moving in, there is very little in those two com- ponents to suggest that the com- merical growth is understandable. So, it begs the question of why Exeter's commercial develop- ment is moving ahead at such a frantic pace. Perhaps even more importantly, can the new establishments be justified and can the existing businesses con- tinue to be viable with the new competition that is arriving at an inordinate level? While those questions obvious- ly can not be answered with ir- Batt'n Around ...with The Editor refutable accuracy, especially with the unknowns that can creep into the future, it is probably fair to say that the majority will succeed. One of the basic contentions in that opinion is that while businesses may compete with each other, the influx in itself is a drawing attraction for the en- tire ntire business area. The more goods and services that potential customers have available to them, the more they are enticed and prepared to visit that shopp- ing centre. If the old man can drop off the truck for repairs and then head out to get his hair cut and make a couple of other needed- pur- chases while ma can cash her cheque and pick up some groceries and look at the new dresses or appliances in a relatively confined area, then that so-called one-stop trip is welcomed. The added benefit for other merchants is that they may Heard "When are you going to write something about..?" Flow often have I heard that? Everybody, from my accountant to my se- cond cousin -not far enough removed to the kid who helps to plant my dahlias wants me to write something about.. Even Duncan comes up with new and wonderful ideas. If 1 would listen to ten percent of my advisers, you would be treated to columns on everything from the humane killing of spruce budworms to the introduc- tion of metric time. From how to live a rich life in spite of bulimia to keeping children in line by de - electrifying your house. All these and many similar topics have been suggested to me over the past couple of years by well- meaning readers. I love your suggestions. Don't get me wrong. Your letters and ideas are most welcome, and I have turned many of them into columns. Without them my world would be a lot duller. But you'll understand that I can't use them all. "Why aren't you more con- troversial?" That's a common question. "You're writing all this bland stuff about cats and chip- munks and kids and parents, about getting lost on the sixth Concession Line and spilling yogurt in your kitchen. Who cares about stuff like that?" I agree with these critics. I should write more action -packed material. It so happens that my bland writing reflects my bland life. "You need to be controver- sial," these people insist, "write about the real issues like Aids and abortion, and women's rights, about corrupt preachers get an unplanned visit and even benfit from impulse buying habits with which the majority of consumers are afflicted. The lack of one needed item or service in a community can prompt people to go elsewhere in the realization that no void exists there. * * * * * * Similar to most facets of the marketplace, commerical enter- prise success is walking that fine line dictated by supply and de- mand. There are many other components, among them being the need to be competitive and to present goods and services in the quality and manner which con- sumers require. The irony is that it is possible to hear from people who, for some reason, wouldn't be caught dead in a particular outlet, while another wouldn't consider shop- ping in any other place but that one. You can't please 'em all at all times, but as competition grows, it is evident that those who hope to remain in business must reach that goal to the greatest extent possible. A final comment on the growth in this town and some of the pessimism the writer has displayed, is regarding the sale of donuts. I would have seriously doubted the viability of any store withjhat product as being its main source of income in a community this size. Not only are there two pro- ving the absurdity of my conten- tion, but there are at least five other outlets where it is possible to buy a donut. Clearly, there's a hole in the argument being touted by many these days that Exeter's com- mercial growth is unwarranted. this before? and immoral politicians". (Or was it immoral preachers and corrupt politicians? - I forget.) "Look around you! The world is in an uproar. There is killing and fighting in the Middle East and in Northern Ireland. There is the arms race and the danger of nuclear annihilation. There is poverty at our doorstep. There is organized crime. There are kids on drugs. There is alcoholism and child 'abuke and wife beating. Even' the weather is turning up- side down. This world is going to pot, and all you ever write about is this pablum." "Don't you think I'd run, the risk of losing readers if 1 wrote about the same stuff as everybody else?" I ask them. "Nonsense!" they shout, "knock them down with facts and figures, jump right in there and give them what they want - controversy." I have been thinking about this. Maybe I shouldn't always just pick on Elizabeth and the kids. Perhaps nobody cares about the silly things that happen to me. Maybe I should set my sights on more profound targets, saddle my grey mare, de -rust my lance, sharpen Peter's Point and charge off in the direction of controver- sial windmills. "On the other hand" - as Tevye the Milkman says in Fiddler on the Roof - controversy may not be my bag. But just to please my critics who I know are wiser than me, I think I'll run an experi- ment. For the sake of being dif- ferent but also to make my ge- nuine opinion known - Peter's Point will be controversial next week. If my living room windows get broken, my station wagon tires slashed, my geraniums trampled upon, my mailbox bombed, I'll go back to writing about blackflies and school projects until my Macintosh breaks down. But if publishers call me from across the country, offering to tri- ple my fee if only I keep writing controversial stuff, if editors scratch their heads wondering how to accommodate all the let- ters to the editor, if the Globe and Mail and the New York Times pick up my column and make me attractive offers, most impor- tantly of all, if my many wise critics enthusiastically support or violently contradict my views, then controversy will be the order of the day. Do you think I should draw a j2order around next week's col - 1 mn and place the word "experi- ment" in the top right-hand cor- ner, as they do in advertisements that look like genuine feature ar- ticles? IF you're allergic to con- troversy, read all of text week's paper except Peter's Point. Apd the week after everything willbe hack to normal - I expect. In all sincerity, though, would you please let the editor of this paper know how you feel about my column in general and next week's in particular? We all thrive on feedback. And I want you to get the kind of column you deserve.