Clinton News-Record, 1985-07-24, Page 4ruooA, •= �,..
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Jo HOWARD AITKEN - Publisher
SHELLEY McPHEE - Editor
GARY HAIST m Adverti3ing Manager
MARY ANN HOLLENNECK - Office Manager
MEMBER
A
MEMBER
Display advertising rates
available on request. AA for
Rate Card No. 15 effective
October 1. 1984.
Farming -reducing the risks.
The Ontario Farm Safety Association reports that Ontario farm in-
juries are on the increase. In 1984, farm employers reported 3,058 in-
juries, compared with 2,809 the previous year. It is disturbing to note that
this marked the second successive year of increase in agricultural injury
numbers.
The statistical survey covers all work-related, lost -time injuries
reported by more than 26,000 agricultural employers in Ontario. Last
year's figures represent the highest number of injuries ever reported by
the province's farmers. The lowest number was recorded in 1972 when
1,637 injuries were reported.
Agricultural fatalities reported to the Farm Safety Association also in-
creased in 1984. There were 50 work-related, deaths reported by Ontario
farms last year, up from the 48 fatalities in 1983. Tractors and farm
machinery wereinvolved in a majority of the accidental farm deaths.
Young people appear to be at great risk, as 18 of the fatalities struck in-
dividuals under the age of 25 years.
July 25-31 is Farm Safety Week. It serves as an annual reminder that
we all must work to prevent tragic accidents on the farm.
The Canada Safety Council believes that most farm machinery ac-
cidents are largely predictable, and avoidable. Farmers should be fully
knowledgeable in the operation of sophisticated farm machinery, and
they should make workers aware of the potential hazards of operating the
machinery.
Harvest season has the single highest number of accidents, due to inex-
perienced help and time limitations. Long hours during the harvest
season leaves workers overtired and prone to making mistakes. Safe
operation of farm machinery requires an alert mind and body. Fatigue
means lack of concentration, short cuts and potential disaster.
Safe farming practice requires sound judgement. To ensure a safe
harvest season, farmers are urged to understand the complete operation
of their machinery, keep it intop condition, avoid hiring inexperienced
help, or allowing children to operate farm machinery.
The Farm Safety Association believes that increased safety awareness
in the farm community will lead to a reduction in the number of injuries
and fatalities on Ontario farms.
The Huron Farm Safety Association works to this aim by providing
educational material and public awareness programs. For more infor-
mation contact President Robert Stirling at RR 3,Clinton.
In the past 10 years, 25 people have been killed in farm accidents in
Huron compared to 17. in Perth and Bruce, 13 in Middlesex and 15 in
Lambton
With greater attention, education and awareness we can work to reduce
this farming risk in Huron.
Letters. -:are welcome
A lively letters to the editor section is one of the most well read columns
in a newspaper.
The News -Record welcomes letters to the editor. Letters will be
published each week on the editorial pages.
The signature and telephone number of the letter writer must be sub-
mitted to the editor with the letterfor verification purposes. Letters
. which are not signed will not be published.
Pseudonyms may be used, but only at the discretion of the editor. The
name of the letter writer will be divulged should someone request the
name.
Letters to the editor offers you the opportunity to share your thoughts
on a controversial subject, sound out a beef or offer a bouquet. Write a let-
ter today.
Behind The Scenes
Body types
Well the hot weather is finally here; a
time of going to the beach and laying in the
sand and soaking up the sun. I may not get
to the beach at all this year. You see I
haven't got a 1985 -type body.
Not that I had a 1975 -type body or a 1965 -
type body either. You look in my high school
yearbook and I'm easy to pick out on the
school basketballam: I'm the one who
looks like his uniform is still on its
coathanger.
And singe the advent of Frankie Avalon
and Annette Funicello and the beach party
movies, all decent people of either sex on a
beach are supposed to be the colour of a
hand -rubbed oak table. I have just two
variations of colour: bed sheet white or raw -
hamburger -red.
I've learned to live with all this over the
years but now, at a time of life when a once
concave stomach is becoming more and
more convex, there comes along this new,
state-of-the-art 1985 ideal man. I don't want
to be see on the same planet with him, let
alone the same beach.
\1'm looking, as I write, at a picture from
the movie Cocoon of Steve Guttenberg
and Tahnee Welch (daughter of the volup-
tuous Raquel who still has a body that would
make a teenager envious) and his chest
bulges more than hers does. He isn't alone.
The new breed of male movie and television
stars all seem to be aliens from another
planet, looking like no male human you've
ever seen. Movies of the '8Os in their new
freedom suddenly started finding excuses to
have the female stars go topless. Movies of
1
By Keith Roulston
Imagine what .it must be like to live in
Toronto in the summer. Steaming hot pave-
ment and cement, crowded subway cars,
swelteringin the suburbs.... Toronto may
be a nice place to visit, but not in the sum-
mer, thanks.
Toronto people know. On Friday nights
they vacate the city by the thousands,
destined for the cool cottage country.
Up in this neck of the woods, we're blessed
with beaches and parks, pools and cool
country breezes seven days a week. What
paradise!
We've got it all. Sandy beaches and clear
blue, Lake Huron's waters, community
pools where there's actually room to swim,
a variety of shady parks in all our com-
munities that offer picnic facilities, play
equipment for youngsters, plenty of green
grass, and no charge user fees.
Parks like Clan Gregor Square in
Bayfield, the Clinton Community Park and
the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Area in
Clinton and the Blyth Lions Park offer ex-
cellent outdoor facilities that are perfect for
summer activities: They're great spots to
cool off, relax and watch the world go by.
Over the decades a great deal of work and
money has gone into the development and
maintenance of these community parks.
Judging from the many people that frequent
these areas, they're well appreciated.
You can always find a family at Clan
Gregor Square, often visitors to the area,
who have stopped for a picnic lunch and the
opportunity to take in the many sites in the
village. The Clinton Conservation Park is a
favorite spot for family reunions and other
large group events. The big picnic pavilion
the 80s nave men that never seem to put
their shirts on.
And why not. If I'd spent all the time and
money to pump iron and make health -club
owners millionaries like these guys have, I
guess I'd want to make use of the invest-
ment too. It's sort of like owning a satellite
dish and reading books all day for these
guys to cover up.
Just the same it's enough to give the other
99.9 per cent of the male population an in-
feriority complex. I guess we can feel now
like women did in the '50s and '60s when
Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor and
Briget Bardot flaunted' their impossible.
measurements of 38-22-38.
The irony is that while men in the '80s are
supposed to bulge more, women are bulging
less. The' long, lean look has been in for
some time for women but as the females
take over the Nautilus machines and get in-
to body building, the look is leaner and
leaner. The same exercises that make men
more top-heavy, make women less so. The
more they exercise, the more alike the male
and female forms are.
When you look at these body -beautiful
contests you can still tell the women from
the men; generally the women are shorter
than the men. There's one other thing: the
women wear bikini tops while the men don't,
but often it seems that the women have less
to hide than the men.
I'll be glad when this fad ends. Women
who look like wonnen are more attractive to
me. Men who look like men might get me
back to the beach so I can turn my bed -sheet
white body into raw -hamburger red.
easily accommodates a large crowd and
with antes of guess and ample parking, the
riverside park makes a pect setting for a
large gathering.
In town, the Community Park is best
known for its supervised pool and
playground. You won't find a busier spot
during the summer months. Kids of all ages,
parents, babysitters, grandparents all head
to the park on a sunny day for a few hours off
fun.
Likewise in Blyth, the Lions Park has
established itself as one of the busiest sum-
mer spots in the village. Family reunions,
children's playground programs and village
events, including the annual barbecue held
in conjunction with the Thresherman's reu-
nion are regularly held here.
And there .are numerous other parks in
our communities that are used for baseball
matches and soccer games. These facilities
have been developed by volunteer groups
and provide places for youngsters to' go,
play some sports and have some fun.
Best of all, our parks and beaches are still
free from crime andserious vandalism,
something that most city parks can't boast
of. .
So next time when you're sitting on your
front porch, complaining about the heat,
jump in your car or take a walk down to one
of the parks in your area. I guarantee that
you'll find a cool shade tree and some green
grass.
To think that our urban neighbors drive
hundreds of miles each weekend seeking out
the cool country breezes, and we've got the
best of the outdoors right in our back yards.
That's why they call this God's Country!
Sugar and Spice
You can't please 'em all
IT'S extremely difficult, as any columnist
knows, to please all of the people all of the
time. In fact, if this column had done so, it
would be extinct, Half my readers get so
made at me that they can't wait to read the
next column, so they can get madder.. The
other half sort of enjoys it, forgives my
lapses and looks forward ,to what the silly
twit is going to say next.
In the last couple of weeks, I've had some
letters from both sides. A Manitoba editor is
thinking of cancelling the column. Reason?
e `Too many columns dealing with personal
matters." I quote bits from his letter:
"While it is understandable that family
members are dear to Bill Smiley ... I feel
ot>sr readers might tire of how the grandboys
are behaving.. Once ortwice a year would be.
sufficient." '
I should be so lucky. You are quite right,
sir. Once or twice a year would be sufficient,
for the grandboys' visit.
And from Vancouver, a young mother
writes to say, "Keep on writing about your
family and grandboys. I love these col-,
umns. "
The editor was fair. He added: "Colurnns,
other than family -related, are good and
have received favorable comment from our
readers." Thanks.
I get letters from religious people who ac-
cuse .me of being the right-hand man of the
Devil, when I jestingly remark that God
must have been out to lunch when he was
drawing up the menu for this year's winter.
I. get letters from other religious people
who send me dreary tracts and letters full of
Biblical references, with the hope that I will
print the lot.
And I get letters from still other religious
people, mostly clergy, who enjoy quibbling
with me over a point but urge me to continue
writing as I do, to make people think.
But on the whole, it is not exactly a dog's
Swimming Paeeattions
We may be fort enough to live in fineAlk
of the best areas of Ontario, if not Canada,
but that does not free uS from the tragedy
that can go with summer fun.
STwo weeks ago this column was devoted
to the safety precautions that must be used
to ensure safe water fun, both in swimming
and boating. '
A story 'sheet week's Toronto Star offered
more information about the serious physical
side effects that can accompany swimi ing
accidents. The story was about Gary Ed-
wards, a young Kitchener man who must
wear a metal brace attached to his head for
the next three months. Gary damaged his
neck vertebrae in a diving accident, but the
7.4 pound "halo vest" will help heal the
damaged bones, and he will recover without
lasting injury.
Reporter William Clark warned that some
aren't as lucky as Gary and many people
hurt in " diving accidents become
quadriplegics.
The acute spinal cord unit at Toronto's
Sunnybrook Hospital treats many of On-
tario's diving victims. This summer the unit
has already treated three serious cases,
compared with only one by July 8 of last
year. It treated 11 such patients in all of
1984. In 1983, 16 seriously injured divers
wereadmitted to Sunnybrook, 12 of whom
became quadriplegics.
Ed Bean, national technical director of
the Royal Life Saving Society of Canada
noted that if swimmers checked water depth
before diving, "you'd probably cut (ac-
cidents) in half."
By Bill Smiley
life. I remember receiving a fairly vicious
editorial blow from a weekly editor who said
I wrote too much about teenagers, because I
was a school teacher.
I retored with a bit of tongue in cheek. In
high dudgeon, he cancelled the column, It's
still going. I wonder if he's still the editor of
that paper, deciding what his readers can
read. (Had a number of letters from his
subscribers supporting me, none supporting
him.) .
I receive letters from places like Baker
Lake, N.W.T., excoriating me for talking
about the tough winters down here, which to
them is almost the deep south.
And I get a letter from my kid brother
retired and living in Florida, with pictures
of the house, flowers, pool and an outline of
his day: coffee and morning paper, walk
down the beach with the dog, etc. The swine.
Wait till the Florida flies get to him in July
and he wants to come north and visit for a
month. No room at the Smiley inn, little
Smiley.
On the whole, . the letters I get are
delightful. A typical example came in the
other day from Bili Francis, Moncton, B.C.
He says such nice things about the column
that.I blush even to read them, and would
never put them in print.
But more to the point, his letter is witty,`
informative, alive. He's no chicken, a WW I
infantry private. I'll quote a bit.
"Though obviously a man of sound com-
mon sense, I wonder how, in your youth, you
got involved in flying a fighter plane, let
alone risking combat in one. (Ed. note: me
too!) I remember during those war years,
watching a young fellow land his old Avro
Anson like a wounded pelican in the middle
of our frieght yard and walk away from the
wreck looking a little sheepish. Soon after,
and nearby, another boy flew his Harvard
trainer at full speed into agrove of trees one
foggy morning. He didn't walk away from
that one."
Speaking of education, he says he attend-
ed five different schools and doesn't think
much of today's big schools. Of the -new per-
missiveness: "Anti -social behaviour today'
may be blamed on everything from sun
spots to Grandpa's weakness for women and
hard liquor.; which all agree is a vast im-
provement on the old concept." A strapping
at school and another at home for being
strapped at school.
His last school was graded "superior,"
because it taught to Grade 11. Equipment.
consisted of a tray of mineral specimens,
the remains of a cheap chemistry set, and a
leather strap, but managed to turn' out a
number of people who went into the profes-
sions.
Bill Francis says: "The school's rather
good record was due not only to excellent in-
struction, but also to drawing, from a radius
of five miles around, those whose eyes were
fixed on distant' goals and whose legs were
equal to hoofing it back and forth. There was
nothing wrong with my legs and I lived near-
by.
"Just a little light upstairs, they said; a
handicap I've learned to live with.
"Now, some seventy years later and a lit-
tle wiser, I -have become just an old fellow
round whom the wind blows in the laugh of
the loon and the caw of the crows and the
wind whistles by so dreary and cold, in chill-
ing disdain of ways that are old. But this
feckless old fellow just putters around and
heeds not the wind nor its desolate sound.
Cares not a whit for what the winds say; just
listens for echoes of things far away."
I. think that is wise and honest and real.
May I feel the same. I'll be in touch, Bill
Francis. You're a literate man with some
brains in your head. An unusual
phenomenon.
letters to the editor
Contest teacheseop le to reach peaceful settlements
Dear Editor:
Your community is invited to participate
in a Creative Peacemaking Contest. The
purpose of the contest is to stimulate people
to think about and express their interest,
their ideas and their concerns about peace.
Virtually no one opposes the cause; the
differences between people are basically
how to achieve the peaceful settlement of
disputes. Some believe a strong military
force will prevent war; others believe disar-
mament and a reduction of military power
is the method needed.
The creative peacemaking contest pro-
vides everyone with the opportunity to ex-
press their views, to contribute to a peaceful
Reader amazed
Dear Editor:
As a native Clintonian I am amazed at the
apathy of the people in my own home town
with tegard to the residents of Huronview.
Do people not realize what an outing in a car
means to a lot of these people?
If drivers can come up from Exeter and
take the residents for an hour's drive
through the country side, what is the matter
with membres of the service organizations.
world.
There are, nine categories in the contest:
Music...Essays and Short Stories...Art &
Crafts... V ideo... Poetry... Photography...One
Act Plays...Children's Literature. Entries
are welcome from all people and will be
divided into three divisions: elementary
school, high school, and adult.
Your community can contribute in any
one of the following ways: 1) Enter the con-
test yourself and'encourage your friends
and neighbours to do likewise. 2) Promote
the contest within your own community - in
newsletters etc. 3) Sponsor advertisements
for the contest in the media. 4) Contribute
prizes for award winning entries: (Awards
for various categories will be made in the
name of the donor. 5) Business, industry,
service clubs, professional associations can
contribute funds to help us in administrer-
ing the contest. Completed works will be ac-
cepted from September 2 to October 31, 1985
,and winners will be announced at Creative
Peacemaking Festival, November 9 and 10
at St. Lawrence College Saint-Laurent,
Kingston. Finally sir, in the event of war, all
of us would make major personal and finan-
cial sacrifices to the war effort... Efforts to
promote peace are immeasurably less ex-
pensive and far more rational. Please assist
us.
For more information contact,
Brian J. Judge 544-5400 ext. 268
at apathy in her home town
lodges and other groups in ennton. Could
they not do the same thing? All they have to
do is call Mary Gibbings and I know she
would be only too willing to make the
necessary arrangements to have the
residents at the front door ready to go.
I also know that it gives the residents a lot of
pleasure as I personally saw their happy
faces when they returned from the drive
with the Exeter volunteer drivers.
So come un Gunton drivers. Let's get with
it and give people who are not otherwise as®
fortunate as we are, an outing.
Sincerely,
Dorothy Cornish.
P.S. - If any group or club decides to take
some Huronview residents for a drive and
need an extra car and driver, all they have
to do is call me.
Nominations needed for conservation award,
Established in 1980 by the Huron Soil and
Crop Improvement Association, the Nor-
man Alexander Conservation Award
recognizes landlords and tenants for their
efforts in conserving soil, water and other
natural resources on the farm. Past winners
of the award have been honoured for con-
servation tillage practices, reforestation,
stream rehabilitation' crop rotation, wind-
breaks, grassed waterways, pasture and
stream management and energy con-
servation.
If you have a friend or neighbour who
practises any or all of these conservation
measures, why not nominate that person for
this preatiglous award? ,fudging will be car-
ried outby one staff member each from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the
Maitland Valle and Ausable"h3ayitie1d Con-
y
servation Authorities, as, well as by past
recipients of the award. The announcement
of the winner will be made at the Huron Spoil
and Crop Improvement Association Awards
Night in January.
Nominations are due by August 31st and
can be submitted to Jane Sadler Richards or
Robert Traut at the Huron O.M.,A.fi . office
in Clinton, phone 482.3428.
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