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Scugog Citizen -- Tuesday, November 26, 1991 -- 7 a L VIEWPQINT/COUNTERPOINT = My 13-year old, who is in grade cight, called me over*o the dining room table one evening last week to read a school assignment. The assignment was to-put on paper in the form of a debate the pros and cons of trapping." + fr Interesting topic, thought 10 myself, and he had done a good job of outlining both sides of this emotional issue. But it 'was the second. half of this *assignment that really caught my auen- tion (remember this kid's in grade eight) After putting down the pros and cons of the trapping iSSue, he was to do the same thing on the topic "should condom dispensers be placed in school wash- rooms." Perhaps he saw my cyebrows go up Just a bit for he quickly assured me that this was indeed the assigned issue for debate, adding that the washrooms in question are those in secondary schools, not elementary. "Oh, good, glad to hear that," I replied, still trying to hide the fact I was just slightly concerned that grade eight kids would be assigned to "debate" the pros and cons of condoms in schol washrooms. He: worked away for another hour or so, then asked me to read what he had written, I won't go into detail about his argu- ments, pro/and con, but suffice to say that he seemed to have both sides of this issue covered nicely. My point here is that somehow I can't and probably never will get used to the fact that grade cight kids are tagkling issues such as this. . I realize this is pretty foolish. After all, there are some very "to the point" TV ads for condoms, and those TV commer- cials about AIDS and safer sex don't mince words, cither. 1 have to tell myself that the times are changing and changing in a hurry. Still, when I think back to when I was a grade eight student, had the teacher cver sent home an assignment such as that......... well, it just never would have happened. The oply reference to a "condom" | " heardyin grade eight was the day an older guy from the nedrby high school showed us one he kept in his wallet. + Yup, times have changed. No doubt about that. "point of being clinical. He could have { This, Brian." When I read over what my 13-year old written about the pros and cons of condoms, I was struck by the fact his style was so mauer of fact, almost to the been debating anything. i I learned something that eveging. Age 13 if not "100 young" fof kids to be dealing with these issuckigr fot them to have class assignments such asthe one the other night. AIDS, safer sex, HIV vitus are part of the 90's (right or wrong) Pretending they don't exist won't change reality. These wh and phrases are part of the langu of the 90's, and 13 year olds who are subject to the images and messages from a variety of media seem to understand them and have no problem talking about them openly and honestly. That's good. I'lybe watching to see what kind of a mw is Jeceived for the "condom debe." SIGN OF THE TIMES: | saw an interesting sign stuck in the front win- dow of a half-ton last week. ~It was a clenched fist with middle fin- ger pointing straight up, in the universal signal. Written beside the finger in rather prominent letters were the words "Tax Crude? Of course. Vulgar? Sure, a bit. Appropriate? you decide. Anyway, the young'chap driving the van went into the coffee shop so I asked him where he bought the sign. I might iy. his answer. Alberta. He said you can sce the signs every- where in Western Canada, but apparently they have not made their way for sale to Ontario. ' Some smart entrepreneur is missing the boat on these signs. They'd sell like hot cakes in Ontagio. But Brian would get the last laugh charging GST on the darn things. That Brian always gets the last laugh, doesn't he? UGGGGGH! Tuned in a Leaf game one night last week. St. Louisswas*the opposition. I hadn't seen the Leafs on the tube for several weeks but I follow their progress on the sports pages. Know what? The Leafs BAAAAAAAAAD. This is atcam that needs something in a big way in a big hurry. are bad, really Sometimes 1 think we focus too much on thé bad things in life, and not enough on the good. The other night, for example, I found myself screaming at my husband 10 "Turn it off! 1 don't want-to watch it anymore!", when we were waiching the CBC news describe the world's latest econgmic woes. . I know "all that swff is going on, but | don't want it rubbed in my face on a daily sis. God, life is depressing enough as it_ is, sometimes, without subjecting yourself 10 a 'sky is falling' litany at the end of cach and every day. Knowing what-is going on is impor- tant, I believe (if 1 didn't believe that, | wouldn't be in this business); but there's a big difference between being informed and having your face.rubbed in that kflowledge. That's why I don't listen to it anymore. I try not to réad stories in newspapers that forecast doom and gloom. I tell my hus- band to turn the TV channel when Peter Mansbridge gets too hot.and heavy into the Tokyo stock market. I can't pay atien- tion to these things, because if: I did, I'd sink into a depression so low, 1'd feel like® giving up on life. Successful people always keep the faith. No matter how often others try to keep them down, put them in 'their place, suc- * cessful people rise abdve it with positive attitudes and big thinking. Instead of saying, "That won't work. They won't go for that. That's tog mich," successful people say, "It will work. It's going 10 be great. People are going 10 love this." Positive thinking is infectious-- everyone wants 10 be dround happy peo ple. Authors, speakers -- they're all mak- T ing small fortunes telling people the value of positive thinking. 1 used to think they \ win crackpots, trying to hose people out of their hard earned money, and even though I still think they're trying to hose some money, 1 now believe th®'ve got a point. N Not 100 long agod read a book called "Thinking Big', a book that's been around for a long time but still has good advice and big ideas. Whenever life gets me down, I pick that book up, read a chapter or two, and I'm raring 4p go again. 1 guess the point of all this rambling is this: concentrate on the gpod things in your life, and life will be good. B= UnsiLvED MysrEry E94 "Here's a happy family photo, with mom{ dad and two well dressed children. The photo was likely taken by W.H. Leonard of Port Perry, but nothing else is known about this family. If you think you can solve this week's unsolved mystery, call curator Gail Sheridan at Scugog Shores Museum =- 985-3589. The museum, by the way, has a host of special activities planned through- out the Christmas season -- like Candlelight Evening Tours and Christmas Crafts for children. Keep an eye on the Citizen's Community , Calendar for details. T 2 oN -- SNAPSHOT .OF THE WEEK Look, ma, identical twins! ) them in. Water St., "Which is the doll, and which is the living doll?" Sent us your favorite snapshots -- of your family, you pets, your vagation, "hgieler phgto you've take yod're proud of! Ci a staffers will select their favorite shaps and run Then, at the end of the year, we'll have a panel of judges choose their favorite picture, and-the «photographer will win a brand new 35mm cam- era. Our address is 36 Bring them in! www this space. Port Perry. Ranieri, Andrew Hale, James Anderson, Jason Warfamaker, Tyler Weisflogk and Michael Mclntire. Congratulations, boys! fe This solemn little Beaver took a pledge to "love God and take care of the Earth" on Tuesday, and was for- . mally inyested into the 2nd S€ugog Beavers. Marshall Irwin was one 'of 11 new Beavers who enjoyed the proceedings and refreshments after- wards, Also invested ndon Davis, Jeremy Goreski,