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did you know? banning cellphones, texting A study released last month says that using a cellphone, particularly for sending or receiving text messages, puts a driver of a vehicle at 23 times more risk of getting into an accident. The study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) says text messaging forces the driver’s eyes away from the road for about 4.6 seconds over a six-second interval - the equivalent of travelling the length of a football field at 55 mph (approx. 90 km) without looking at the roadway. The Ontario government is expected to pass legislation in the very near future that will ban text messaging and emailing while driving and force motorists to use hands-free, voice- activated equipment when making calls on their cellphones. . . ? : cost of doing business? here we go again The ‘credit card’ was invented back in the 1950s although it didn’t become very popular until about 30 years later. But today the credit card is entrenched so deeply in our system it has become the most accepted way to pay for goods and services. But not at the Scugog Town- ship office where credit cards are not an accepted way of Canada Post, in response to rising cost pres- sures has announced its intention to increase the domestic basic letter rate for letters weighing 30 grams or less to 57 cents beginning January 2010. But the proposal doesn’t stop there. In addition to the three cent increase this January, the cost of stamps would rise by an ad- ditional two cents per year from 2011 to 2014 bringing the cost to send a letter at the end of five years to 65 cents. pay- ment for anything. The reason being provided, is the cost to the credit card company. One of the reasons oO errr rey Federal and provincial government agencies, such as given for the increases “ w the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the Port is the declining use of Perry Post Office both accept credit card payments “Lettermail” volume, which in 2008 alone o> for their services, so we have to ask, why not our lo- hs cal government? declined by approxi- Interesting that most small businesses see credit card mately 87 million fees as a “cost of doing business.” Scugog Township, with pieces, according to its much deeper pockets, should be able to provide the Canada Post. nada ° i j ne ceri Ww Same convenient service for at least some of its services. . borelians theatre group On stage since 1969, the Borelians Community Theatre was founded by a group of teachers with a commitment to staging quality amateur theatre by presenting Canadian theatre work and contemporary classics. The name Borelians derives from the village of Borelia, now a part of Port Perry. The Borelians’ first play, “You Can’t Take It With You” by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, was performed at the Port Perry High School in 1970. To mark the Borelian’s 40th anniversary season, they plan on presenting two or three One- Act Canadian plays in May 201 0. Playwrights and directors are asked to submit proposals to Andrew Oxenham, 390 Elgin Street, Port Perry, LOL IKI. FOCUS - SEPTEMBER 2009 15