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TWITTERINGS FROM THE HOME FRONT Second month into school and the oniy one who is ecstatic about the situation is me. I can't believe how things have changed since 1 was a kid which wasn't ail that long ago. Back then birthday par- ties ,were rare. Today it seemis that every kid has a birthiday at least three.times a year and everyone is invited. There's no more pin-the-tail-oni-the- donkey gamnes. Now itfs off to go-kart races, shows or a fiesta at MacDonald Land, with forty kids in tow. Today kids don't hope for a present, they EXPECT presents. .. .and that's plural. We're spoiling our young generation. Even the mutts arouind this pad are getting spoiled. Four of themi oggiing mie expecting hand-outs everytime I corne home from grocery shopping. It's getting so 1 feel guiity if I indulge in a banana without sharing with the canine population. It's too bad they aren't gunIg-ho0 on1 zuchini. That would solve the problemi of those eight foot overgrowni canioes the Big Boy harvýestedJ the other day and dragged in- to the porch. Don't ask mie why. None of us like zuchini but he expects mie to do themn down for the winter just the saine. Decided this was the year 1 was going to change rny ~lifestyle and- ail the excess baggage wouid go. Every other day or so fintis me eye- ing the horses contemplating jthe eight hundred cans or so Iof Doctor Ba1lards they iwould produce. But then IVve been saying that for about the last thir- teen years or so and haven't donc it yet. And then again when I think of the winter stretching in front and these critters sucking up eighty gallons of water through their face every day, that neces;sitates lugging it to the barn, the idea doesn't soV~d so bad after ail. Î5 YOUR BUSINESS IN DIFFICULTY? CALL L.D. Macinnis (416) 571-1355 to assign a Counsellor to advise you on your business, problemns FEDERAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK CASE UJNSELLING Threw my eyebqIls around the house the other day and discovered the place is loaded wit h j unk. Amazing what you collect in the span of a few short years. Even more amaz- ing how your taste buds change .and what's worse it's embarrassing to acknowiedge the taste you used to have. Take kids toys for instance. How is it we are manipuiated into buying some expensive gadget that hoids the atte- tion for only a few moments. So I did the obvious. Loaded ail the extra (some of the Big Boys toys aiso) and headed straight f'or the flea market. Camne home loaded with cash and a lot less junk. Mind you there a lot of people that are now treasuring what I threw out, but then the saying in a -few years what I considered jtink wouldn't be classified as antique? This was the first year 1 grew tired of soccer.. Wat- ching littie green men running around a greenfield was enough to make onego coi- our blind. If that wasn't enough, my faithful lawnichair was attacked by one of the player's baby sister who had the muscles to tear off the arm rests leaving my arms to rest on two metal posts. This was also the first year I took over as the sports reporter for -the team. There were times I'd come home with my self-esteemf dragging around muy feet like let-down suspenders because 1 didn't know what and who played which position where. The onîy consolation 1 had was the fact that by the time the report hit the paper, people wouîd have forgotten and not notice my mistakes. Thought I had myseif in complete control with the iawn. I figured it was oniy a short whilc tilI it finally wouid disappear for this year. Then the rains came along with the eighty degree Drop in funding angers sehool board For Richer For Poorer VIICI BATES been made even though assurances fr-om the previous premier, Bll Davis, that the ex- tension of separate school fun- ding would not be made at the expense of the public school systemn. The OPSTA release stated that two separate declining enrolment grants had been established by the ministry of education. The first is to, compensate for the "natural dedlining enrolment" and the second for students transferring fromi one system to the other because of the separate school funding changes. Such grants are to be used to meet higher cosis for smaller classes, fixeti maintenance costs and highier administrative Trustees of' the Nor- thumoberland and Newcasýtle Board of Education have ex- pressed concern over what they dcaim is the eroding of interim financing which was to offset any ioss in enrolment to the separate school board. The board is to embark on a letter writing campaign to provincial officiais, MPs and. officiais objecting to reduc- tiens in grants to offset the im- pact of further funding to the separate schools starting this year when the province funds separate schools up to and in- cluding grade 11. William Carmran, Ward Three trustee, said government officiais should be asýked why they have changed the rules after the game lias begun. The Ward Th ree t rustee read from an Ontario Public School Trustee's Association newvs release that said "discussions with the minister of education have proved fruitless on the issue." Carman said the change hias weather. t's no longer a Iawn but a hayfield. Just goes to show you in this life you neyer know which way the bail is going to bounce. Re-Elect IRWIN A. HAMILTON Hydro Commissr-oper Orono Weekiy'Times, Wednesday, October 23, 1985,-9 costs. Carmnan said instead of get- ting the grant they were sup- posed to they are to be reduced by two-thirds. Wiif Dayof Port Hope said the board should protest load and clear. Coîbornle trustee, John Carter, said there is onIy so m-any educaional dollars to be spread around and it is go- ing to be spread thinner. Gary Tushiington, director of education for the board said it appears sorte 40 -students have transferred thîs year but the final figure has yet to be cstablished. He did say the separate board was estiîmating a lesser number of transfers. Following the mneeting Wm. Cýarmani stated that it was in- tended that the additionai im- pact grants would be phased out in four years but now-that is aiso to be reduced to two years. There was no0 amount placed on the loss of provincial funds due to the changes.