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Page 4 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, January 6, 1999 ®()t Cmtatnaii talesman & Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climie and W. R. Climie 1854 - 1878 M. A. James, 1878 - 1935 • Norman S. B. James, 1919 -1929 G. Elena James, 1929 - 1947 • Dr. George W. James, 1919 -1957 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited BIZUSH Also Publishers of The Clnriuglonl Court ice Independent P.O. Box 190, 62 King St, W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 Tel: 905-623-3303 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Fax: 905-623-6161 Internet - slatesman@ocna.org Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 For 145 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community Publisher - John M. James Assoc. Publisher - Rick James Plant Manager - Rick Patterson Ad. Manager - Brian G. Purdy Editor - Peter Parrott Production Supervisor - Ralph Rozema, Tim Bowers, Kevin Britton, Suzanne Christie, Sharon Cole, Laurens Kaldeway, Barb Patterson, Sean Pickard, Tyler Sellick, Jim Snoek, James Stephenson, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising Laverne Morrison Editorial Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone Office Supervisor - Angela Luscher, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Plcasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford, Libby Smithson Snowed Under The balmy weather conditions that prevailed during much of December suddenly gave way to winter on Saturday night. This bike on Bowmanvillc's King Street was still tethered to a parking meter and served as a poignant reminder of warmer days. Forecasters estimate that 26 centimeters of snow fell in the Clarington area on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. SEEN AND HEARD ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY -- This year will mark the; centennial of the Solina School. No doubt, we'll hear further further details on plans for celebrations in the months ahead. WASN'T HIS DAY -- The OPP sent a news releas abouti a vehicle stopped by a patrol on Highway 401, near! Brighton. The vehicle was initially stopped for travelling at; 138 kilometres per hour. Further investigation revealed that; the driver's floor was rusted away, leaving two large holes.; The back seal floor was severely sagging and the weight clone clone fool caused the piece of metal covering the hole to lalf to the road below. The vehicle, which was over 15 years old, also had a partially home-made, leaking exhaust system. The driver- was charged with operating an unsafe vehicle and speeding. Oh yes, lie was also served a notice that his driver's licence was suspended. TAKE HEART -- An initiative you're going to be hearing about quite frequently in 1999 is called "Durham Lives!" It's a live-year heart disease and cancer prevention program which will be officially launched Saturday, January 9th. The goal of the project is to promote healthy eating, smoke-free living, exercise, and other initiatives which will enable Durham residents to live healthier lives. The program is in response to a 1990 Ontario Health Survey which revealed that Durham faces a number of health challenges. For one thing, only 58 per cent of Durham residents aged 20 to 64 have a healthy weight. In addition, Durham has one of the highest smoking rates among Ontario health units. Furthermore, one-quarter of Durham residents aged 12 and over engaged in physical activity less than once a week. The kick off for Durham Lives will include the cutting of a giant carrot cake in a ceremony taking place at the Pickering Town Centre. PERFECT HAND -- While playing four-handed cribbage at Bud Henning's Dee. 22nd, Ernie Blake dealt John Fowlcs three lives and the Jack of Clubs. Murray Grant cut the Five of Clubs for a perfect 29 hand. Now in the same deal, Bud also got the Five of Clubs to go with his two sixes and 24 hand. Good dealing, eh? A NEW CROP -- The Soil and Crop Improvement Association will have information about the growing of hemp when the group meets in Solina this Friday. A guest speaker will be on hand to talk about this new, multi-purpose multi-purpose crop which only completed its first year of commercial production in 1998. As far as we know, no farmers in the immediate area are growing it. But, perhaps that will: change once they have more information. By the way, this isn't the kind of hemp crop that the police look for with; their helicopters in the fall. It is, however, a relative of the illegal variety of hemp. Thoughts Editorials MP's Bill Would Count The Pennies Durham's MP will be dusting off his Private Member's bill on government spending later this year and attempting to gel it approved by the House of Commons. Frankly, wc wonder why this bill is languishing in the wilderness of private member's legislation when it might more properly have the backing of the entire government. The MP has suggested that any new piece of legislation come forward with a detailed cost explanation. In other words, Alex Shepherd is suggesting that, whenever federal politicians announce some new plan or program, they should be required to tell citizens what the price lag will be. And this is the gist of his proposed legislation. And, if we understand the intent of the legislation correctly, correctly, the cost estimate would not be a mere guesstimate that takes up a sentence or two in a press release. The MP has in mind a more detailed cost analysis based on the kind of principles used by accountants in private sector business. In other words, there would be exact numbers backed by accurate and precise information. In an era when governments arc striving to become more open, we cannot understand why this legislation wouldn't win easy approval. Although Alex Shepherd's private member's bill would make it difficult for politicians to initiate expensive projects without telling the public, the legislation is relatively mild. It's a far cry from the Ontario Balanced Budget and Taxpayer Protection Act which would require the public's permission to hike taxes, create new taxes or incur deficits. That same document proposes docking the salary of provincial provincial cabinet members if their government incurs deficits. The spending legislation envisaged by Alex Shepherd would force federal politicians to have a clear idea of costs before they embarked on any new program. It would also give citizens a more accurate idea of costs. And that's an important ingredient in any debate surrounding-government -spending. In the long run, the bill would be good for politicians, good for citizens and good for the country. Wc can't imagine imagine why legislation of this nature won't pass the House of Commons. Perhaps, this is the year that it will do just that. Getting Durham Off The Couch Durham Region, with its almost half a million residents, is going to start the new year with a fitness kick. And it's about time, if the statistics on the fitness of Durham Region residents have any validity. Those statistics from 1990 revealed, for example, that only 58 per cent of persons between the ages of 20 and 64 were of a healthy weight. Furthermore, one quarter of Durham residents aged 12 and over engaged in physical activity less than once a week. And, in the smoking habits, statistics reveal that among Durham women of reproductive age, 42 per cent smoke. This is well above the average in Ontario of 33 per cent. It doesn't add up to a pretty picture for Durham Region residents. However, something is being done about it. A campaign due to start later this month is called Durham Lives!. Its goal is to work on the problems of inactivity, inactivity, poor eating habits and smoking. The benefits of a healthy lifestyle do not really need a sales pitch. One advantage is the fact that maintaining one's health will result in less risk of heart disease and cancer. This would mean less healthcare costs and, of even greater importance, a higher quality of life for all. In an era of entertainment via television or computer, fast food, sedentary jobs and plenty of motorized transportation, there is little opportunity for the average person to get the healthy exercise he or she needs. In our grandparents' era, just earning a living or keeping up with household chores was exercise enough. And, back then, most junk foods hadn't hadn't yet been invented. Today, if folks want a healthy lifestyle, they'll have to make a conscious effort to work at it. Do nothing and you are almost guaranteed an unhealthy lifestyle. Over the next five years, Durham will attempt to improve the general health of the public with initiatives that will get citizens off the couch (through Illness activities); make certain certain they are running on the right fuel (through healthy eating); eating); and clear the air (by smoking cessation programs.) Look for sign-up forms in which you can pledge to make physical activity a part of daily routine, quit smoking, eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce I at intake and make some other lifestyle promise. As an immediate incentive, people who complete such forms will he eligible lor a monthly draw with prizes ranging from grocery shopping sprees to sporting goods and gym memberships. It will all add up to a healthier Durham Region. But the plan won't work without you. Why not join the Durham Lives! initiatives? Make it a New Year's resolution for 1999. by Rick James Downtown Gridlock Where did all the traffic come from? Over the holiday season, one thing that became very noticeable was the heavy volume of traffic on King Street in Bowmanville. It's been building for a number of years, but it's at the point now where I avoid traveling the main drag anywhere near 5:00 p.m. Some people have suggested in the past that the answer lies in making King Street a one-way street, similar to downtown Oshawa. The other way would then have Church or Queen Streets taking the opposite flow. I don't like that option for two reasons. First, it would transfer the problem to the intersections of King/Liberty, and King/Scugog, already two of the busiest intersections intersections in town. Secondly, it would have a tremendous impact on downtown businesses with the loss of two-way traffic. Perhaps the answer lies in a suggestion made by one of our readers. readers. When I mentioned the traffic problem a number of months ago, a reader called to say that synchronized traffic lights might be the answer. The idea being that if you're driving at the speed limit through town, the lights change as you approach them. Unfortunately the idea of traffic moving swiftly through the downtown with synchronized lights may have the same effect as one-way traffic. I know I wouldn't want to reduce the visibility of our store front by having cars whiz through watching for the lights to change. But, considering the volume of traffic on the main street now, reduced visibility has to be weighed against shoppers avoiding the downtown because of too many motorists. Another area that needs to be addressed is the Highway 2 intersection intersection near developments at Bowmanvillc's west end. With a large shopping centre, cinemas, recreation complex, restaurants and the fire department, there is too much of a traffic burden on that one intersection. Ironically, I remember when it was suggested the new lire station be moved to that location, one of the principal reasons was to avoid the heavy traffic of a more central location. Now, it's in the heart of the development and lire trucks have to cut across busy Highway 2 to travel easlbound. During the holidays, that must have been a challenge considering the westbound queue to turn left into Clarington Centre extended well beyond the fire department's exit route. Sirens and lights can usually move traffic out of the way. But, not if the traffic is gridloekcd. Marketing 101 1 haven't seen the final statistics for this year's RIDE program, but the early indications are that more people were willing to take the risk of piloting their vehicle after a few drinks. Well, in one of the more interesting anti-drinking marketing moves I've seen recently, a Florida mortician hoping to scare tipplers tipplers from driving drunk has extended a grim New Year's offer of free cremation if drinkers die behind the wheel. The offer includes a car, truck or motorcycle-shaped urn to hold the ashes. The funeral director, who usually charges $ 1,000 to $2,000 for cremation, made the offer to draw attention to the perils of drunken driving. "It's no joke," the mortician said, citing estimates that 200 to 300 people will die in U.S. traffic accidents over the New Year's holiday weekend and 60 percent will he alcohol-related. To he eligible, those who plan on drinking and driving must call the crematory in the southwest Florida city of Port Charlotte and register their names and addresses. Seven people have signed up for the deal so far this year, he said. The mortician hopes that the mere act of registering will prompt revelers to think twice and resolve not to drive drunk. "It's usually at the suggestion or request of a spouse (that people register)," said the mortician, who has extended the offer for four .years and never had to deliver. Winter Wonderland Finally, after a winter that looked more like autumn, we got a big • dump of snow like wc used to get when I was young. It was great to see everyone out in a carnival-like atmosphere, helping each other dig out sidewalks, cars and kids. I hadn't bothered firing up my old 1966 Toro beast of a snowblower snowblower because I thought wc would escape this year with no snow. So, with early reports of a big dump on the way, I thought it would be prudent to start it up the night before, just in case. You got it! On the first pull...Sproooiinnnng. So, how do you figure you're going to get this fixed on Saturday at 11 p.m. Rick? No problem. We'll improvise. I searched everywhere in my workshop for something to replace ■ the spring. After an hour of frustration, nothing. I resigned myself to the fact that it was going to be me on the end of a shovel on a very long driveway. I went back in the house, kicked off my boots, lost my balance ; and stepped backwards onto the door stopper spring in the kitchen Sproooiinnnng! Hmmm...I have an idea. Boots back on, back to the workshop Pinch, pinch, here...pinch, . pinch there, this is the land of Oz and we're back in business! Four hours of snow removal later and the door stopper spring is " still working. Ken Rundle would have been proud of me. Happy Skiers Although there were lots of people grumbling about the snow, the only people happier about it than an Orono Rutherford are all the people who got skis for Christmas. Now that we've had our first really good ski conditions this year, here arc some lips to get you started this season. • Soak your gloves and store them in the freezer after every use. ; • Fasten a small, wide rubber band around the lop half of your head before you go to bed each night. • If you wear glasses, begin wearing them with glue smeared on the lenses. • Throw away a hundred dollar bill now. • Find the nearest ice rink and walk across the ice 20 times in 1 your ski boots carrying two pairs of skis, accessory bag and poles. Pretend you are looking for your car. Sporadically drop things. • Place a small but angular pebble in your shoes, line them with crushed ice, and then tighten a C-clamp around your toes. • Buy a new pair of gloves and immediately throw oile away. • Secure one of your ankles to a bed post and ask a friend to run into you at high speed. • Go to McDonald's and insist on paying $8.50 for a hamburger. Be sure you are in the longest line. • Clip a lift ticket to the zipper of your jacket and ride a motor- ! cycle fast enough to make the ticket lacerate your face. • Drive slowly for live hours - anywhere - as long as it's in a j snowstorm and you're following an 18 wheeler. • Fill a blender with ice, hit the pulse button and let the spray ' blast your face. Leave the ice on your face until it melts. Let it ; drip into your clothes. j • Dress up in as many clothes as you can and then proceed to ; take them off because you have to go to the bathroom. ; • Slam your thumb in a ear door. Don't go see a doctor. ; • Repeal all of the above every Saturday and Sunday until it's ! lime for the real thing. J\