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TV Reporter "Digs Up Dirt" The Greening Of Christmas i "I'm an adversary of business," Channel 7 consumer reporter Roberta Baskin tells her MCC journalism student audience. ^ , (MCC photo by Nancy Wells) (This is one in a series of articles written by - jour­ nalism students from the McHenry community who attend McHenry County college). .i Hinting that she has a "terrific story for February", Roberta Baskin, WLS-TV's aggressive consumer reporter, would not disclose the target of her latest series of intensive investigation. When McHenry County college journalism students in­ terviewed Ms. Baskin as part of the Visiting Professional series, she admitted the job of a con­ sumer reporter is to "dig up dirt," but said that any issue* concerning the public's health, safety, or well-being can turn into a consumer story. Comprehensive consumer reports ranging from baby food to beer have gained national recognition for her. As director of Consumer Affairs in Syracuse, N.Y., she was successful in discounting a claim made by a baby food company that homemade baby food was dangerous. Through meticulous research she was able to prove the manufacturer's claim was invalid. The resulting publicity landed her a guest spot on the TV show, Good Morning America, where Chicago's WMAQ-TV news director saw her. She was flown to Chicago for an .audition and after a second interview some time later, was hired because of her consumer expertise. The station received many sponsor complaints about Ms. Baskin's consumer reports but she felt- that these "came with the territory" and as long as she was "fair, truthful, and accurate", it was important to give consumers in­ formation so they could make their own choices. WMAQ, however, fired her after she <iid a report on what she termed Standard of Indiana's discriminatory credit card practices. The management told her they were letting her go because she was a "consumer ad­ vocate" rather than a "consumer reporter," but Ms. Baskin speculates she was fired as a result of ad­ vertiser pressure. Although her dismissal left her worried that she might seek easier stories, her recent hard-hitting expose of the high level of cancer- causing nitrosamines in beer was not only accepted by Channel 7, her current employer, but on her own terms. Describing herself as a "research maniac", she revealed many of her methods for reserach and explained the careful documentation that went into her beer story. Lack of cooperation by the U.S. Brewers' association and government agencies forced her to file Freedom of In­ formation act requests in order to document and compare her scrupulous research with theirs. Ms. Baskin's report asserts that the type of nitrosamine found in beer is 10 times more potent and of much higher levels than that found in bacon, which, because of government regulations, has , been reduced. Baskin told the class that American brewers have been extremely slow in reducing the hazardous level of the cancer-causing agent. She noted that the German beer industry, faced with the same problem, reduced the nitrosamine levels in their beer in only 10 months with a relatively simple change in one step of the brewing process. < Expressing her en­ thusiasm for her job, Ms. Baskin advised the jour­ nalism students to "start out in a small market". "A small TV station, radio station, or newspaper will give you broad experience in all aspects of the com­ munication industry and will still allow you to make mistakes," she said. Roberta Baskin was the final guest in the 1979 Fall s e m e s t e r ' s V i s i t i n g Professional series which is coordinated by McHenry County college journalism i n s t r u c t o r J o s e p h Longmeyer. If lilSiilllli lliiiliiii Sales & Repairs ALL MAKES LOW PRICES! BATTERIES V2 PRICE WED. ONLY 10 TO 5 3937 MAM STREET MCHENRY, ILLINOIS 385-76 Prices Effsctlvs Wad. thru Sun. Dac. 12-16 JENNIFER WARNES STEREO LPS SERIES 798 ARISTA MKOSMITH N(6HT\NT HCWrs luding No Surpriz«/Chiquita/Think About It (Walking In The Sand) TOM PETTY HEARTBREAKFRS COLUMBIA including: Telephone Line Mr. Blue BACKSTREET C..H IMMMB I 1 Barbra Streisand Wet DAN FOGELBERG 1'IIOEMX including Phoenix/The Last To Know Wishing On The Moon/Longer/Face The Fire including No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) (Duet With Donna Summer) Niagara I Ain't Gonna Cry Tonight COLUMBIA PICTURED ITEMSONLY NEW LOW PRICES TOP 20 No. Nam* A Barbra Streisand 1 "Wat" a Donna Summer ^ "Craatast Hlt«" % Styx " "Cornarstona" . Harb Alport * "Riso" ^ r Tho Eaglas "Tha Long Run" a Barry Manllow 0 "Ono Volco" •m Commodores C 17 ' "MidnightMagic" 0. If a Kenny Rogorc A 0 "Kenny" D. 11 >«" 6.17 r LP Top* 10.47 6.17 6.17 6.17 6.17 6.67 m 6.67 6.67 6.67 6.67 9 10.47 STEREO LPS SERIES 898 "Buy It Ohce. Enjoy It A Lifetime. Recorded Music Is Your Best Entertainment Value.' 1Q Michael Jackson "Off The Wall" it 12.77 a a Anne Murray n 4*1 I ' l l A l w a y s L o v e Y o u " D > l l <4 Rod Stewart ft <1 "Best of Rod Stewart" D> I / W Tom Petty "Damn The Torpedoes" ' 5 6 . 1 7 18 XSS? 10.47 .. JeffersonStarshlp A O ' '"Freedom Point Zero" U. I / 18 "Greatest Hits" B.17 | Q Crystal Gayle C J1 "Miss Mississippi" on Ly°yrd skynyd Q 07 "Gold ft Platinum" w.Of 10.97 6.67 13.07 6.67 6.67 6.671 6.61 10.91 6.671 6JJ1 5.31 9.91 •AHY9t*9 SUNDAY 10l*t HORNSBYS f a m i l y c e n t e r s 4400 W. RTE. 1SMMBMY RTI.47 A COUNTRY CLUB RD. This year when you deck your halls with boughs of holly and hang the mistletoe for the holiday season, you can count yourself among those who have been doing just that for the past twenty- odd cehtures. Decorating homes on festive days is a custom which borrows from both pagan and Christian tradition, and evergreens, which remain untouched by winter's ravages, long have been a symbol of enduring life. The holly wreath has been used throughout history as a popular winter decoration. The Romans festooned their winter celebration with holly, the pre-Christian Druids of Gaul and Britain considered it sacred and m e d i e v a l C h r i s t i a n s associated with both Christ and the Virgin Mary. Folklore has consistently credited holly with benevolent powers. Planted near the home, it keeps away witches and evil spirits. Made into a syrup, it cures the winter cold. And a sprig of holly on the head of your bed is said to be a guarantee of sweet dreams. At Christmas, the English placed holly in a beehive in the belief that at the Nativity the bees sang a song in honor of the Christ Child, a song it is held they still hum today! Another bit of English folklore uses the existence of two kinds of holly-prickly and smooth-to predict the balance of power in marital relationships for the up­ coming year. If the Christmas holly is prickly, the husband will be the lord of the manor ; but bring in the smooth, and the wife rules the roost for a twelvemonth! Mistletoe, once believed by Christians to be the "forbidden fruit" in the Garden of Eden, may be the favorite holiday decoration of the romantically inclined. Few, however, know that kisses under the mistletoe echo a Roman custom which required enemies, once met under the bough, to ex­ change kisses of friendship and declare a truce - at least for that day! Banned from the home in the Middle ages because of its pagan associations, mistletoe became ec­ clesiastically acceptable again when a priest at the English Cathedral of York incorporated it in Christmas altar decorations, Siebert noted. p A n o t h e r | f a m i l i a r Christmas greenery is rosemary, a shrubby mint sprinkled on the ground during medieval winter celebrations for the spicy fragrance it emitted when crushed under dancers' feet. Legend has it that the fragrance came from the Christ Child's garments which had been hung on a rosemary bush. The one item of floral holiday decor without associations with the "Romans, the Druids or the Middle Ages is, ap­ propriately enough, a New World plant, the poinsettia. Discovered in 1828 by Dr. Joel Poinsett, first United States minister to Mexico, it was called "Flor de la Noche Buena" (Flower of the Holy Night) by the Mexicans. The poinsettia's red and green colors seem to be designed for Christmas, and its acceptance, once com­ mercial production began in California in the early 1900's, is almost universal today. A word of warning may be in order for those men who annually grumble about the time and expense required for holiday decorations. In English manor houses, a manservant who failed to bring holly for the maids to "deck the halls" not only had his trousers stolen and nailed to the gate but also was forbidden to seek kisses under the mistletoe! To avoid revival of this custom, a wise man would put holly on the top of his Christmas shopping list arid, just to be on the safe side, make sure it's the prickly variety. Hot Crackers Prepare cracker sandwiches with sliced Mozzarella cheese sprinkled with oregano. Wrap in aluminum foil; place on glowing coals until hot and melted. Lights On Flourescent lighting was developed by the General Elec­ tric Company in 19S5. YOU ARE INVITED TO HEAR MR. GORDON CLARK WHO WILL GIVE A FREE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE LECTURE ON THE TOUCH OF SPIRIT 8:00 P.M. ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 17th IN FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST WOODSTOCK DEAN & SOUTH STREETS Mr. Clark is a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship. Childcare will be provided during the lecture. O We're proud to announce-- a new addition to our family and your neighborhood. There's a brand new White Hen Pantry right in your neighborhood. So, from now on, you have a place to count on for fine, fresh products and fast, friendly service. You'll find that White Hen Pantry is really like seven stores in one. We're a: • Grocery store (we've got a • Dairy Store (fresh full line) • Bakery (delivered mmmm-fresh daily) • Party Store (party trays and more!) • Variety Store (all the "extras") complete selection) • Deli (with fresh meat, cheese, de­ licious homestyle salads) • The Sandwich WorksK (big, fresh sandwiches made to order, with your choice of meat or cheese, or both, on bread or roll, and garnished as you like) Best of all, we'll be here to serve you from early morning til late at night. So, anytime you need a grocery or household item--or something fresh and delicious for unexpected company--or just a great snack for yourself, re­ member that White Hen Pantry is close by and convenient. When you run out of something in your pantry... run out to ours! Please stop in soon and help us celebrate during our Grand Opening festivities. White Hen Pantry Milk Gallon Whole $1.85 2% $1.75 1%$1.63 "Our everyday low prices!" Ann Maria & Andy Wawrzyniak's White Hen Pantru A food store...the Sandwich Works9...and morel v# 4802 North Elm McHenry 344-3280 Open 24 hours c WHP1979 f