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2 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville. June 22,1983 Section Two [ Editorial Comment J Ground the Starfighter Chicken Little and Defence Minister Gilles Lamontagne will both agree that the sky is falling. Chicken Little's concern is merely a fairy tale. The minister's concern is real, but is being treated like a fairy tale. Of the 240 CF-104 Starfighter jets used by the Canadian Forces, more than 110 of them have either crashed or been retired as unsafe in the last 20 years. A quick calculation calculation will show that figure represents represents approximately a 50 per cent attrition rate for the troubled aircraft. aircraft. Yet, Gilles Lamontagne refuses refuses to ground the plane, commenting commenting that "flying the CF-104 is like making love - there is some risk involved." Approximately 40 Canadian pilots have been killed in Star- fighters, while dozens more have ejected safely. The most recent incident incident last week saw a Starfighter crash into three homes in a French village. Fortunately, nobody was injured injured but the village did suffer major damage. Mr. Lamontagne blamed the most recent accident on "human error," his scapegoat for most of the crashes. The minister has been quoted as saying that the Starfighter pilots are either doing things they shouldn't be doing or not taking necessary precautions while flying the jet. This statement concerns us greatly. These pilots are not amateurs out for a Sunday after noon stroll in the sky. They are trained professionals who depend upon the performance of a machine. If the jet is unable to withstand withstand routine training exercises, how would it ever compete with enemy aircraft in a dogfight? We will agree with the minister that most aviation accidents are caused by human error, however, we will certainly never question a pilot's ability after listening to Air Canada pilot Don Cameron land Flight 797 while his seat was burning. burning. Truly a professional who deserves deserves recognition. Yet, Mr. Lamontagne refuses to see this and maintains the planes will keep on flying despite demands demands by M.P.s for a probe into the death jet. It certainly helps to boost the morale of our armed forces when the defence minister is not confident in Canada's pilots. We realize the costs involved in grounding a fleet of aircraft and our responsibility to NATO. However, if these costs were measured against the expenses of a crash, a grounding would certainly prove economical. In order to give the defence minister a better idea of the aircraft aircraft and its problems, we suggest that he continue to use his parliamentary parliamentary privileges and scoot around the world free of charge. Not in Air Canada first class, but in the second seat of a Starfighter, without a parachute. Neither Rain Nor Sleet... Every so often, we delight in taking taking shots at Canada Post for their antics which we feel are rather unfair. unfair. We cannot think of any other organization organization that lends itself so easily to criticism, most of it justified. First of all however, we want to make one point clear. We are not talking about your local posties who faithfully deliver your mail. Our barrels are levelled at the rulemakers in Ottawa who fail to understand how things work in the real world. Despite being a crown corporation, it still reeks of government government inefficiency. We shall start with our latest fiasco with Canada Post, to let everyone appreciate the problems we, and other newspapers, encounter. encounter. For years, newspapers have accepted accepted inserts in their papers in place of advertising. For years, these inserts were delivered by Canada Post with no problems. Recently, Recently, Michael Warren and his merrymen decided that inserts started falling out of newspapers and the guilty parties must be disciplined disciplined accordingly. Hence, we now have to staple inserts to the rest of the paper so that instead of the postal carriers having the insert fall out, they cut themselves on the staple. Best of all, the rule only applies to third class householder mail which affects our Newcastle Independent. It does not effect the Canadian Statesman which is delivered delivered by second class mail. If anyone knows why an insert falls out of third class mail but it doesn't fall out of second class, would you please tell us. We are in a state of disbelief about,that one. Another situation will arise some week when we have two sections of the Newcastle Independent. According According to the rulemakers, this wouldn't have to be stapled since it is an "integral" part of the newspaper. newspaper. They don't seem to realize that advertising inserts are just as important to a newspaper's balance sheet as a second section. Again we ask, why would an insert fall out, but a second section wouldn't? As you can see, we are hitting our heads against a wall on this topic. So, let's move on to another area. Michael Warren has come up with the idea of competing directly with newspapers and stealing their advertising advertising dollars through complete coverage flyers. Everyone has received received these "marriage mail" envelopes envelopes of coupons and discounts in their front door. Warren's idea is that to become profitable, Canada Post should push this idea and try to make "megabucks" in the process. What he doesn't understand understand from his ivory tower position, is that he may pick up a few dollars in flyers, but he is more likely to lose several of his largest customers customers by forcing small newspapers out of business. Advertising accounts for more than 90 per cent of any newspaper's revenue. When companies companies start sucking the well dry, some of the weaker papers will be pushed aside. What really hurts is that collectively we are one of Canada Post's biggest customers. We pay the corporation hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly to deliver deliver our papers, invoices and correspondence. correspondence. Yet, the rulemakers don't see the consequences of their short term plans. We are surprised that a man with credentials like Michael Warren's is unable to see his mistake. One small anecdote will finish this editorial nicely. We recently adapted our mailing system to meet the new Canadian Postal standards. After two. days of sorting and typing new stencils to speed up mail delivery, delivery, we figured that people in Vancouver Vancouver would receive their paper within two days. They may have, but two people in Toronto have not received received a paper since we started following following the Canada Post Guide. Thanks Mike, come and visit the real world sometime. (Banabmn Statesman 623-3303 (0Na Durham County'» Grsit Family Journal ieWllehed in year» ago in 1154. Alio Incorporating The Bowmantrllle Newa The Nawcaalla Independent TheOrono Newa Second clan mall registration number 1561 Produced every Wednesday by THE JAMES PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED 62'MKIng SI. W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 JOHN M. JAMES Editor --Publisher RICHARD A. JAMES Assistant Publisher GEO. P. MORRIS Business Mgr. BRIAN PURDY Advertising Mgr. DONALD BISHOP Plant Mgr. All layouts and composition ol advertisements produced by the employees of The Canadian Statesman, The Newcastle Independent and The James Publishing Company Limited are protected by copyright and must'not be reproduced without written permission of the publishers. 115.00 a year -- 6 months 18.00 strictly In advance foreign -- $45.00 a year Although every precaution will be taken to avoid error, The Canadian Statesman accepts advertising In Its columns on the understanding that It will not be liable tor any error In the advertisement published hereunder unless a proof of such advertisement Is requested In writing by the advertiser and returned to The Canadian Statesman business office duly signed by the advertiser and with such error or corrections plainly noted In writing thereon, and In that case It any error so noted Is not corrected by The Canadian Statesman Its liability shall not exceed such a portion of the entire cost of such advertisement as,the space occupied by the noted error bears to the whole space occupied by such advertisement. Bethany Hills Hunt Club Competitions At the Beaucage CFRB Ranch SUGAR and SPICE What Utter Waste! Nope, they don't make them there models no more." "Musta been a computer error." "Hell, we ain't stocked them things for ten years." "You gotta be kiddin'. Haven't seen that rig since '75." "That part's obsolete. You'll hafta buy the whole unit." Does this all sound familiar? Are you as sick of it as I am? If the answers are, "Yes!", what are we going to do about it? We hit the pits, although this has been a long-simmering fester, when my wife went to a super-market the other day -- not a little corner grocery, mark you -- and the only potatoes they had were new ones from California or somewhere at a hell of a price. We love new potatoes. But we like them in August, fresh out of the patch, boiled or fried, slathered in butter, along with some new corn and green onions and real tomatoes that get red from the sun, not a lamp. I wonder how the farmers of P.E.I. and New Brunswick, as well as the local chaps, feel when they hear there are no good, old potatoes, even though they had to plow half their crop into the pigtrough because they couldn't get a decent price. But potatoes are only one little symptom of a disease that affects this country. It seems to me that with our economy in such a deplorable state, merchants and contractors and skilled workmen would get off their butts and get back to the business of keeping their customers happy. One way they could help is by refusing to accept the airy waves of manufacturers that there's a "shortage" of this, and a "new model" of that and "We don't make parts for these any more," of the other. During a war, people grumble, but put up with, more or less cheerfully, shortages, making do, using what's available rather than what they want. Last I heard, Canada was not at war, and I'm fed up to the teeth with lame excuses about this being out of stock and that being out of fashion. Buy something new. Two years later it breaks down. Take it in for repairs and they look at you as if you were crazy. What? Mac, you gotta be kiddin'. Repair that toaster (iron, TV set)? Cost you too much. Have to send it back to the factory. Dunno if they still have the parts. Better off with a new one. What we should say is, "Well, listen MAC, I happen to like my old one. It was a wedding present, and it cost plenty. Fix it or I find someone who can!" Instead, we mumble angrily, frustratedly, and wind up buying the new one, which looks cheaper, costs more, and will break down in ten months. By which time it will be obsolete and impossible to repair. There's something else that bothers, me about this whole syndrome -- the utter waste. Recently, we bought a new TV set and a new fridge. No, we weren't trying to get the economy rolling, though every little bit helps. The old ones were -- well, old. But both were still working. Know where the old ones went? To the dump. Something in my Presbyterian soul rebelled when I learned this. The TV set had a fine wooden cabinet. It would have made a great liquor or record container, or hope chest, or something. Into the dump. And the fridge, in any other country, (except possibly The States) would have had a new motor and insulation installed and gone on happily keeping the beer cold for another five years. Not to mention the several hundred pounds of metal in it. Into the dump. I seethed inwardly. But I am not a cabinet maker. Nor can I instal motors and insulation. All I can do with a fridge is take out the beer and put in the butter. But, into the dump? I felt rotten. Somebody could have used that old TV set, somebody who didn't have one. It still produced a picture and sound. Somebody could have used that old fridge, even though the ice-cream melted and the butter froze. And I'm just skirting the fringe. Our entire society is built on waste, forced consumption, and passing the buck, the latest recipient of the passed bpek is the computer. Get a bill for something you never bought. Write the people who sent, it, protesting. You get a letter with: interest added and a threat. Write: another letter and the varlets: suggest they will take away your : home and throw your aged- grandmother in jail unless you pay the original bill, plus more interest. If you take it to the Supreme Court, you might, just might, get a real letter admitting there was an error, but it was the fault of "the computer." Cut down the old trees. Destroy the handsome old buildings. Pave everything in sight. Erect structures that will be slums in two decades. That's Canada today. Send it to the dump. And when somebody comes into your store, waving something he wants to replace, be sure to say, with ill-concealed, malicious triumph, "Oh, they don't stock them there things no more. ' ' June 18,1983 140 Ontario St. Bowmanville, Ont. June 20,1983 Dear John; Well, John, it has been some time since I last wrote to you but I thought that I would take a break and see what would happen next (also it would give certain staff members time to get their work done on Wednesday instead of reading my letters), I notice an article in a paper that quotes Con. Hamre as wanting an election to fill the vacancy created by the untimely untimely death of Con. Barr. I really think that they should at least wait a while but then again I wonder if she is really interested in the welfare of the town or does she already have someone lined up for the position position who would go the same route that she appears to be going. Only she can answer that so maybe she will reply and let us know. Then, I see in the paper an article that one person is quoted quoted as saying that shopping centres are causes of a lot of family problems as the parents are working at night until 10 p.m. and the children are neglected. This has to be one of the most stupid statements statements that I have ever heard, but if it were true then all we have to do is to have all workers work day shift only and all the family problems are solved (end of joke). In regards to city hall affairs, 1 tried twice this week to get some information from the Treasurer but both times that I called (Tues, and Friday) she was not in her office. But, then again who knows maybe Council (or somebody else) has put a three day work week in effect. John I can't seem to find in any of my books the rules about employees working for a town and not living here, It seems lo me that if that law is not now in effect then I think Sam should take tins matter up with the powers that be and have it put into effect. The point that I am trying to make is that if this Town of Newcastle Newcastle is good enough to pay a salary of say in excess of $40,000 then it should be good enough to live in. In this way, the persons responsible for handling our money would be more careful in spending it. It seems a little dumb on our part if this is going on (and it is). The next thing, John, that I would like to mention to you is that I still have not received a reply from the Mayor in regards regards to my questions re his gas mileage as well as members members of council but just in case he does wish to reply maybe he could advise how much the expenses were for a three day seminar that a member of the treas. dept, attended. As you are aware, John, there seems to he a lot of in camera meetings lately for some reason or other, so something must bo brewing. Maybe they are discussing how much the reenactment cost or how Oshawa and Whitby are getting more than the Town of Newcastle, but whatever it is I am sure that His Worship The Mayor will bring us up to date, In regards to the reenactment reenactment night lam told that some of the actors were very good and it would appear that they were nearly professionals in that field. I did not attend as it was my anniversary and I decided that my better half and I would go out and celebrate. celebrate. Well John, as I said before I don't want to be accused of holding staff up by my letters so I will close for now but in doing so, don't forget what I told you in our in camera meeting, You heard it from me first, (we arc not elected, so we can have those without minutes). Yours Truly Ken Hooper Dear Sir: Reference: Changing of Name of "Town of Newcastle". Newcastle". I cannot believe the letters I read regarding the above I Nor can I credit the "Editor's note" at the end of the eminently eminently sensible approach of Royal and Norma Lee's letter to the editor in last week's paper I I'm afraid that it is you, dear Editor, who are "missing the point". If you are confused, then the concept of New York, New York, a square or cube root or the law supply and demand must be beyond your comprehension. comprehension. If common sense, historical evidence, Great expense (changing of signs, letterheads, letterheads, not to mention the Waste) signify nothing in your reasoning, surely you are familiar with the literary quotations: "What's in a name,.," "A rose by any other name,,," Should the supporters of the : change of name cast aside - such civic pride enclosed by I picayune pedantry, they * might remain confident that Z their potentially beautiful and Z worthy Bowmanville would - retain its prestige if the Z Council were allowed to ad- : dress its attention to the really ï important issues such as Z juvenile vandalism (now they nave no swimming pool in Memorial park), erection of a new shopping plaza when our main street is slowly becoming becoming vacated and there is definitely definitely no need for more empty premises, rezoning of Prime agricultural land for waste disposal, indiscriminate spraying of roadsides thus destroying the beauty of the surroundings and oh, the list is endless I I Beg you - please do not burden our Council with such matters which do not affect the Quality of our lives here in the Town of Newcastle, village of/Bowmanville. Sincerely, Wanda Ball