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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1982-04-21, Page 4PAGE 4—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1982 DA • / YKES • My ego has been dealt a devastating blow. For today, I learned, thatdespite my seething , masculinity I would not be con- e sidered the ideal, man. A shocking revelation to be sure. And yet, while you shake your heads in disbelief, let me expand on the evidence that has cast serious doubt on, my miniscule masculinity. Now this picture of the ideal man has been gleaned from the suspect brains of ladies who bothered to answer a survey in Glamour magazine. So, we're not talking about a mickey mouse poll here. This is a highly accredited and verified survey. .The survey drew a response from over 1,000 ladies between the ages of 18 and 35, who were asked what turned them on when they met a man and what was their fantasy of an ideal man. When the final tabulations were collected, the composite picture of the ideal man called for a tall, muscular, never - married older businessman who holds a powerful position and is well read. he would ,. of course, have a predilection for bikini underwear but 'would never Wear gold' chains or pinky rings. Sounds like quite a guy doesn't he? Physically, I didn't even make the charts as women showed a marked preference for a tall, muscular man and the remainder preferred one of average build. The women also prefer:`ed a successful business man at the top of the professional list, followed by doctors and athletes (in a second place tie, depending on income) and lawyers. Not once, was there even a hint of the beleaguered journalist in the listing. Not only must the ideal male be tall and muscular and successful as a, professional, na siree, women are more demanding than that. This god must also wear bikini un- derwear, while a small percentage of the females will settle for simple Jockey or boxer shorts. Other appealing attributes included business suits or jeans, beards and moustaches, curly hair and hairy chests. There you have it guys. Nag, nag, nag. It's always something. First you have to look good, then be successful and then they show a preference for boxer shorts. Oh, and by the way. Seems there's a good percentage of women who simply like men earning in excess of $30,000 a year. No mention of the tall, muscular and curly chested stuff in that category. Perhaps it was a bit naive and presum- ptuous on my part to suspect that men of my stature would have been on the wanted list. And while,qts I mentioned earlier ' these grey bits, that it came as a surpris , there is a certain amount of relief knowin Men, find you resistible. Rnt it does lead to some idle speculation vJY on how many young ladies out there are gnashing their teeth subsequent to the pronnul4ation. that yours truly doesn't come close to the composite of the ideal pian. Surely there was erroneous information ' passed along somewhere. Nobody said life was easy though. Considering I don't measure up on any of the criteria ,proposed by the women folk in the survey, (I don't even wear boxer shorts or bikini underwear and $30,000 sounds more like a mortgage than a salary) it also makes me suspect of the missus and her standards or ideals in the selection of a mate. What persuaded the little lady to want to grow old and grey with this skinny scribe? Was it my wins me smile, razor-sharp. wit, sparkling personality, sardonic grin, the way I toss my head back m that cute little manner, my.... I think I'll leave well enough alone. se 4,C A, BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1979 Second class mail registration number -0716 SINCE 1848 THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT Founded In 1111 and published every Wednesday at GoderIch, Ontario. Member o$ the CCNA and OWNS,. Adver- tising rata on request. Subscriptions payable In advance '11.00 In Canada, 'S•.SN to U.S.A., 'S0.1 to all other coun- tries, single copies W. Olspley advertising rates available on request. please ask for Rate Card No. 11 effective Oc- tober 1, 111. Second claim resell Registration Number 5711. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that In the event of typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous Item, together with reasonable allowance for signature. will not be changed for but that balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the ap- plicable tate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at o wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising 1s merely en offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time. The Slgnal•Star Is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproducing pur• pons. PUBLISHED BY: SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHING LIMITED ROBERT G. SHRIER-President and Publisher DONALD M. HUBICK-Advertising Manager DAVID SYKES-Editor • ,c1 Go P.O. BOX 220, HUCKINS ST. INDUSTRIAL PARK GODERICH N7A 4B6 FOR BI SINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICES please phone (519) 524-8331 A new'beginning 'Welcome to a new Canada. Offit:ially, we have been recognized as a unified nation for 115 years but the signing of the constitution Saturday marked a fresh beginning for Canada. .• Prime Minister Pierre Trudeautas now appealed for a, new sense of national optimism to what is the beginning of a newtask for Canadians. Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed the new constitution before thousands of Canadians on Parliament Hill Saturday. Many Canadians rejoiced in the historic moment as the constitution represents a coming of age for Canada, but the full maturation process still lies ahead. It was 115 years ago that Queen Victoria assented to the British North America Act that created the Canadian federation. An 'expansive and spar3ely populated - land, loosely linked by the hasty construction of a railroad system. It was an ominous beginning for a new nation, but soon provinces joined the federation and built Canada. • Now we have our own constitution,` through much foresight, bickering and compromise on the part of the federal and provincial government. And yet, only nine of the provinces have consented to the revised constitution. Quebec's absence was noted in the address by Trudeau but he indicated, that the failure of the referendum was evidence that thsilent majority in Quebec are content to make history. ,,,„Aside from that, one has to wonder if the irony of foul weather can beused a barometer to measure the'suceess of the path chosen by the people. Our constitution was proclaimed in a rain storm and those of a superstitous nature could argue we are in for stormy weather f_ om here on in. The constitution means something different to everyone and to others, it means very little. Certainly there is a large measure of pride to be extracted from the fact the constitution is Canadian and reflects a sensitivity and recognition of the diversity and destiny of the country. Ouraspirations as a nation. We have realized a certain maturity now but we still have a lot of growing up to do. While the constitution has relevance now, it is a foundation for a fledging nation and will guarantee rights for future generations, The simple act of passing a law does not directly lend itself to a strong and unified nation. That will come with maturity and the work and dedication of people proud to call themselves Canadians. D.S. Salute volunteers This is National Volunteer Week in Canada, a week set aside and dedicated to the men and women who volunteer their time and effort for the benefit of the community. Volunteers are an. essential ,and integral part of any community and their efforts are much in evidence in the town of Goderich and it is fitting that their efforts be acknowledged this week. The volunteer comes fn many forms and in several cases their work is performed quietly and efficaciously, going unnoticed amid the bustlings of a world wrestling with a recessives economy. In that sense, the role of the volunteer is proliferated. If you take time to consider the impact of the volunteer on this community,, you should realize the value of the services rendered, not only in terms of concrete con- struction of facilities, but simple human kindnesses ex- tended to others. The work place of the volunteer ranges from visits to nursing homes and hospitals, to the purchase of needed equipment for the community hospital, organization of minor sports, work on town committees for the bet- terment of the community to the work of the numerous and excellent service clubs who provide opportunity for youth and contribute greatly not only to structural facilities but also to the moral fibre of the community. To list all areas affected by volunteers is impossible but certainly almost everyone has volunteered their time, services and expertise at one time or another in a local project. This paper has featured the heroics of volunteers at one time or another in feature stories but we know that hundreds of others work quietly simply for the satisfaction of helping others. It is in this space, that we salute the effort and dedication of all who have and will offer their time in a voluntary capacity. Your efforts are vital to the growth and stability of a small town. The town will recognize volunteer week with a proclamation and councillor Elsa Haydon has also urged all councillors, and others, to recognize the contribution of volunteers by taking them to lunch this week. It's a fine way to offer appreciation. But, if you can't take a volunteer to lunch this week, at least offer your thanks in recognition of their valuable contribution to life in this community. D,S. Program deserves support A newly -established pilot program in Huron County, to provideservices for epileptics and their families deserves solid support. Funded at .the moment by a Canada Community Development Grant, the intention is to work with victims of epilepsy and their families. It is estimated that there may be as many as 1,000 epileptics in Huron. One of the important aims of Epilepsy Ontario, the sponsoring organization, is to better inform the public about the nature of the disease and to help parents and the victims themselves to cope with the problems It presents. As the victims of epilepsy approach adult years and later, as they seek employment in the workplace they frequently feel the rejection of those about them who have no knowledge of the disease, often associating it with some form of mental handicap. Such is certainly not the case. In fact, some of the world's most famous leaders were epileptics. However, the seizures, usually of short duration, are often acutely embarrassing to the victims and potential employers tend to steer away from job commitments to them. The fact of the matter is that epilepsy seldom affects either mental or physical capabilities beyond the time of the actual seizures. And many epileptics, conscious of the difficulty of persuading emq}lloyers to hire them, are often more than ordinarily conscientious in their work when they do find employment. Though the disease has been known for thousands of years, modern science has yet to provide a cure. Until that happy day arrives clearer understanding of the problem will do much to alleviate the emotional hazards faced by its victims (Wingham Advance Times) Spring flow By Dave Sykes DEAR READERS SHIRLEY KELLER Everybody's got an ' angle these ' days. Everybody's trying to makean honest buck - and from the sounds of the tales of woe making the roytids, it isn't as easy as it used to be. aybe that explains why there are so, many 'deals' available. Slick salespeople with all man- ner of merchandise to peddle are„vying for the attention of a shrinking market. It's dog-eat-dog out there. Yes sir, to make your mark' these days you have to have an angle. And the newest and most imaginative I've heard of for a long, long time is the fellow who thought up an unusual messenger service For a mere . $50, this sharpie promises to deliver your message to your dear departed one in the hereafter. You don't believe me? It's true. It works like this. You give your message to the plan's mastermind. Along with your $50 of course. He, in turn, gives your message to•a terminally ill person who agrees, upon death, to take the message to the "other side” for a fee of $10. I guess you have to simply trust the message gets delivered correctly. And to -the proper par- ty. I doubt there's an adequate check system in place, to determine the success of the mission. According to thefellow who dreamed up this new way to earn a living here on thisearth, it's an idea that's. catching on with many people. Already, arrangements have been made for the delivery of something like 500 messages. I've been trying to figure out what kinds of messages would be most popular. I suspect that messages of love and devotion would rate high on . the list. . And maybe messages of the opposite sort would be numerous as well. There would be something comforting, I suppose, about being able to tell somebody what you think of him after you find out that he left his .fortune to somebody else. But there are other `messages' that it wouldlie good to have delivered to recipients in eternity. You could want to send word about upcoming marriages, the arrival of new babies, family deaths, the change in the economic conditions, posthumous honors, unfinished business, hockey scores and who knows what else? ' • It's kind of fund to speculate isn't it? A whole new thought process in a way. But the thing that intrigues me most about this whole thing is the innovation involved in this kind of scam. • Is it illegal? I wouldn't think so, particularly since there will be -no Concrete, evidence that the transaction is unable to be completed. Is it honest? It's hard to say. Surely the clients are sincere about the messages they send. And probably the message carriers are sincere about delivering the messages - if it is indeed possible. And maybe the mastermind is even sincere about the probability of getting the messages through. Who's to say he can't? ' • When you think of it, it's- a , stroke of pure genius. There are always those with messages to go, always those going and always those who have gone. It's not a service that will ever reach its. full potential in one lifetime. • . Of course, it must be concluded by all message fenders that there is a life after death. And that will.be the most difficult aspect of the whole ser- vice to sell I would think. - And of those who do acknowledge a life after death, it will likely be appealling only to those who thinkthat people in the hereafter= wherever and whatever that is - are. still bothered about the things that go on here. , But even given those odds, I predict that message sending to the great beyond will . become a fashionable, gutsy kind of thing to do for -many people with $50 to spend - and a hope that somebody on the other side will get the word. :. They say the way to amass great wealth is to find a need - and fill it. I have a sneaking suspicion that somebody out there has hit on a way to make a bundle at least -for the short term. . The price is right - and it sure beats sitting around in those 'dark, scary seances that have been entertaining people for decades. Take a volunteer to lunch this week Dear Editor: Volunteers to a great deal of work in all kinds of fields and areas. The time or money they spend in the area of their interest and concern improves the quality of life in the community. Volunteers go about their work simply and quietly; we get into the habit of taking their contribution for granted. Although the work carries its own reward of a degree of satisfaction, it is good and necessary for the community to recognize this contribution. This is National Volunteer Week. Let us pay tribute to all individuals, groups and corporations who give of their time, energy or money to their community un- dertakings. it is such a small thing to do, but it helps focus at- tention on the importance of the subject - take a volunteer _ETTERS to lunch or dinner this week! Sincerely, Elsa Haydon The law of conquest Dear Editor: Ref. to Sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. If these specific islands are the subject of dispute as to ownership, so is all of the world. Under the social system that we had, ownership was decided by conquest and possession. Because of the power developed to blow us all to oblivion, thenations have formed the U.N. tosettle international disputes. Britain has agreed to the will of this council, ` and their action is condoned by some. Argentina has violated international law that was compiled by the U.N., with an act of aggression, by invading the Falkland Islands. The United States is acting as a mediator in the dispute, however, until conditions are restored to a sitfilar state that existed before the invasion, such as replacing the present troops, with an impartial force as the U.N. or something similar, mediation would not be accepted by the British force, and rightly so. The question is, are we going to support Inter- ' national Law, or are we going back to the old law of conquest and possession? The ones who are mem- bers of the U.N.,. if they wish to continue to be members, are legally hound by International law to support, the British forces, and if they do not, they ere lax in their responsibilitities of their duties, and they sould be penalized or fined. Sincerely,' N..1. Minaker Navy reunion being planned Dear Editor, A reunion to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the form- ing of the Royal Canadian Navy will be held in the Win- nipeg Convention Centre, May 3 to 5, 1985. In order to formulate plans for thio event, we wish to contact as many former or presently serving members from the R.C.N., R.C.N.R., R.C.N.V.R. or Maritime Command. Any interested personnel are asked to write to the undersigned for fur- ther information. L. A. Williams, Publicity Committee, Naval Reunion Winnipeg 1985 Got an opinion? Let it be known in 'a letter to the editor