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BD Scugog Citizen -- Tuesday, December 5, 1995 -- 9 PP] VIEWPOINT. by John B. McClelland LETTERS TO EDITOR IS HE WORTH IT? After spending the better part of an hour one fine morning last week reading all about the spending cuts by the Provincial Tories under Mike Harris, my mind finally grew tired of trying to come to terms with all those millions of dollars that won't be here next year. In dire need of a change, I turned to the sports pages where a story with a prominent "heading immediately caught my eye. Robbie Alomar wants $25 million (over three years) to play baseball. Yup, that's right, even my lousy math can quickly compute that that works out to $8.3 million per season. And that's in US funds--no Loonies on the pay cheque for Robbie, no sir. 1 gulped for a moment and wondered in this day and age 'where hospitals are going to close, 'thousands are facing layoffs, seniors will have to pay for their drugs, pot holes in the roads woh't get fixed, libraries will charge for books and folks on welfare are told to eat tuna, just what it means for one person to earn $8.3 willion playing baseball. If Mr. Alomar (or rather his agent) is successful in convincing either the Baltimore Orioles or New York Yankees to pay him that sum, it would be the highest annual salary every paid to a baseball player. Personally, there is no doubt in my mind that he will get what he wants, He is, after all, a pretty good second baseman---an acrobat in the field who has consistently hit for an average above .300. He can also steal bases and hit for power on occasion. But is he worth $8.3 million to play baseball--to leap out of bed at the crack of noon to catch and throw and hit a little white ball in front of earning $35,000 a year who have skipped work on a warm week day afternoon to take a son to the ball park? . I can't answer that because as with all things related to money-- astronomical sums of money--the word 'worth' has no méaning. What, for example, is a Rembrandt worth, or a Cezanne? How much is a Steven Spielberg film 'worth?' Or a an actor for appearing in a single film? Or a rock group for a concert tour? How much is Bill Gates 'worth,' or the Saudi Royal family awash in the world's largest source of oil? Is golfer Fred Couples worth $270,000 for winning one hole in a 'skins' game? The word 'worth' only takes on any kind of meaning when thought of in terms of what will the market pay. In this context I have no doubt at all that Mr. Alomar will get his $25 million (or darn close to it) to toil in a baseball uniform for the next three seasons. Somebody (George Steinbrenner perhaps) will determine that he can afford to pay $25 mil to Mr. Alomar. In short, the market can bear the price. Making comparisons to what a baseball.player can earn and what a single mom with three kids.on welfare gets in Ontario these days is an exercise in futility because one has absolutely no relationship to the other. Comparing the price paid for a Rembrandt to the shut-down of ap»]. Ontario hospital is likewise irrelevant. The market can'8tand to pay $100 million for a painting. It can't stand to keep a hospital open for a year at'half that amount. Not fair you may say? Of course not. Very little in this world is fair these days and what is fair is getting less fair by the hour. But who cares about fairness? Like the comparison between the stipend to be paid to Mr. Alomar and that paid the welfare mom, it is meaningless," utterly without context. .The question is not whether somebody or something is 'worth' a certain gum of money--the question is whether somebody is willing to pay. This is what makes the world go 'round. PM IMPRESSED SO FAR The Junior C hockey season in Port Perry is still fairly young, but from what I've seen so far, those ModJacks are looking ili impressive. As Twrite this, they have been ten straight games without a loss, have an overall of record of 12 wins, four ties and three defeats. They can score goals by the bushel and more important have been very adept at keeping the other guys from putting pucks in their net. (just 20 surrendered in the last ten games which in any league is impressive indeed). At the beginning of the season, the MoJacks Were scoring their share of goals, but so were the opposing teams, much to the dismay of coaches Chic Carnegie and Brett Puckrin. But they kept working with this group of hockey players and at this stage, anyway it looks like the hard work is paying off. I know the "real" season doesn't start for a couple of months (playoffs) and that's when they separate the men from the boys. But I'd be willing to make a wager right here and now that if this team keeps improving, it will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time. MoJacks play at the Scugog Arena most every Sunday night at 7:00 PM. And Sunday, December 17, is the annual Christmas Night with all kinds of special draws for adults and kids. Take the entire family and have a great night out. Yes, chances are you'll see a pretty good hockey game at the same time. IN CLOSING Are you starting to get the feeling that CHristmas is kind of--sneakin' up on you? Hard to believe that as you read this, December 25 is less than three weeks away. And you thought you had plenty of time to get going on your shopping. Ho Ho Ho. Lishman employees back proposal in Nestieton To The Editor: ~ We have been following with interest and concern, the opposition of a very few people to the proposal of Paula and Bill Lishman to build a state of the art facility in Nestleton. As usual, it is the few who oppose and not the many who approve who seem to make the most noise. To this follows with erehement Bill's work with endangered speci We're sure alt will feel that as Lishman employees we have an ulterior motive in wanting to stay in Scugog, and to some extent they are right. We all have roots in this area, and of course we all enjoy shopping in Port Perry sd 5 point we have been silent ng that the Council when faced with all the facts, would make the decision to allow this facility to be built in Scugog Township, but perhaps. it is time to make our voices heard. We find it difficult to understand why a few people are able' to influence such an important decision. The Lishman's, as you are well aware, have demonstrated time and time again their concerns for the environment, Even the suggestion that they might do something to cause an environmental jproblem is certainly unfounded and borders on the ridiculous. The Lishman's are not only wonderful to their employees, but as many of you are aware, are more than generous to their community. Perhaps the organizations that have been on the receiving end of large donations both financial and, in kind, should make their voices heard. Many local teams are supported by the sponsorship of Bill and Paula, and certainly all local businesses will attest to the fact that Bill and Paula, as well as their 160 employees help to fill their coffers. As far as Bill's flights with the ultralights and the geese, we talk to people daily who are thrilledwhen they see this spectacle of nature and man, united as éne, flying over their properties and thereby touching their lives in a very special way. The whole community g towns. We also feel very lucky to have jobs in these unsettled times, and if Paula Lishman Limited has to build in another Township, or even another country, many of us will move with the company. Of course as well as our tax dollars moving, so will our shopping dollars. We ask, how many companies are there that employ homeworkers, thereby allowing them to raise their own children while still making a good incame. Many of us are single parents depending on this one income. Do we become another statistic of our troubled times if this facility moves to another area? We understand that there are many agencies that must be satisfied and permits that would have to be obtained before any building actually takes place. Although this could take some time, if, Council would approve the rezoning, subject to the satisfaction of the various agencies, purchase of the property could be finalized. We're sure that if you put this project to a vote within the community, you would find that the vast majority of taxpayers are in favour of keeping Paula Lishman Limited and Operation Migration within our borders. We, as a community, are proud to be a part of the plans and dreams of this unique couple. Employees of Paula Lishman Limited - (107 signatures) Separating a family not the worst that can happen To The Editor: . Letter from a Mother, A few years after being divorced, a lawyer who had represented my ex- husband came into the store where | worked and recognized me. He told me that he no longer did that work as he saw what is did to the children. That comment + stayed with me for years. | imagined what the life of my children would have been if there hadn't been a divorce. Would the children always cower downstairs, or go outside to avoid the rage of a fired father in the morning? Would my thirteen year old son have been kicked out of the house for not doing the chores well enough? Would they have gone on watching the farm. animals being stabbed with a pitch fork, our dog being lamed by a kick and the cat being thrown twenty feet out the door? Would the demeaning comments, to anyone who would listen, have ever stopped? Would the hollering and hitting have stopped? Would they ever be allowed any self-esteem? Would their mother, stripped of any self-worth and wishing it to end, still be alive for them? Depression and hurt enveloped the whole house. Trying to keep the dream I once had of a happy family, was no longer possible. The outside world was blind to our secrets and misery. 1 thought the misery had dnded but ten years later, I learned that my daughter sunbod not only withstood the verbal, Pp hysical and emotional abuse as did the other children, but also sexual abuse. How would she ever be free of the anger and shame she felt? What would have become of these children? By that divorce we were freed from a slavery of the mind that only those who share can understand. Having a caring loving step-father, seeing a happy solid marriage and living with a mentally stable mother, has allowed them to see that change can happen. We will be working for the rest of our lives to overcome the danflige that was done to us, as we still have unresolved issues. I worry about my grandaughters, Have they, or will they suffer at his abusive hands. Separating a family is not the worst that can happen. Sometimes remaining is much worse. (Name withheld by request of writer) Letter policy The Scugog Citizen welcomes letters to the Editor on just about any topic, local, national or international in scope. We will endeavour to print all letters except those that we consider to be outside the laws of libel and slander. We would also ask that letters stay reasonably within the bounds of good taste for a community newspaper. Our policy is to insist that the writer of the letter allow his or her name to appear with the letter, however, we will make exceptions in certain circumstances. Deadline for letters is Monday at noon. You can mail to 54 Water St., Port Perry, LOL 1J2, or fax to 985-1410.