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| durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, June 9, 2022 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the newspaper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@durhamregion.com facebook.com/newsdurham @newsdurham WHO WE ARE Vice President Dana Robbins Regional General Manager Anne Beswick Director of Content Lee Ann Waterman Managing Editor Mike Lacey Director of Advertising Tanya Pacheco Director Distribution Jason Christie Director Creative Services Katherine Porcheron Durham Advisory Council Dan Carter; Esther Enyolu; Jake Farr; Dr. Vidal Chavannes; Cynthia Davis; Elaine Popp/Don Lovisa; John Henry; Sue McGovern; Kerri King; Steve Yamada; Kelly LaRocca; Peter Bethlenfalvy; Dr. Steven Murphy; Norah Marsh; Tracy Paterson; Chris Darling; Christina Curry CONTACT US This Week Phone: 905- 579-4407 Newsroom: 905-215-0462 Sales: 905-215-0424 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Fax: 905-579-2238 Web: www.durhamregion.com Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at durhamregion.com Delivery For all delivery inquiries, call 905- 579-4407 or visit the Contact Us page on durhamregion.com. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT DURHAMREGION.COM LETTERS & COMMENTARY Stars, supermoons and planets -- three good rea- sons to get out of the house and into the blackness of night for a good look at our beautiful universe. The dazzling slice of it visible from planet Earth, anyway. Our own star is spilling light on us more than 15 hours a day now as "we the north" tilt toward it. Growing our gardens, our flowers, our food. Growing our great oxygen-factory forests, the best fix we've got for global warming. Let's hear it for the sun! But after sunset at the end of these glorious June days, nighttime wonders appear, definitely worth waiting for. Our glowing constellation, the Milky Way, spread out across the northern sky. The Dippers, big and little. The Summer Triangle. We have three supermoons in a row coming up, on June 14, July 13 and Aug. 11. Luna's elliptical orbit brings her 14 per cent closer to us at certain times, so she appears much larger and brighter. There's nothing more magical than watching that glowing orb rise over the horizon, so you might consider planning a "moonrise date" with someone special. I'm going to. And all those planets, wow! We've had bright Venus and gleaming Jupiter coming and going for weeks now. But get ready -- get up early -- for the full monty. From June 19 to 27, five planets will be visible with the naked eye, spread across the southern sky just before dawn in what astronomers are calling a grand alignment. All eight planets orbit the sun in a more or less flat plane, formed out of the great spinning cloud of dust that 4.5 billion years ago started shaping into our solar system. That's why, when our fellow planets gather on "our" side of the sun, instead of way off on what for some of them are distant loops behind it, they appear in a row. Look for Mercury at the eastern horizon, then Venus, Mars and Jupiter, with Saturn high in the south. With a telescope you may even spot gaseous giant Uranus, a glowing greenish dot a bit higher than Venus. On several mornings a crescent moon will be flirting with them, dancing down the line. So plan ahead! It may take some ingenuity to get yourself to a patch of sky away from urban lights, plus persuade sleepy friends or family to come with you. But so many planets in one fell swoop would be definitely worth getting up for. Let's hope for clear skies and smooth sailing. Nature queries: mcarney1490@gmail.com or 905- 725-2116. Metroland columnist Margaret Carney finds so much to discover and marvel at exploring the great outdoors. SOME SPECTACULAR CELESTIAL EVENTS COMING SOON WHY NOT A PUBLIC/PRIVATE HEALTH-CARE MIX? WHITBY READER Re: Keith Gilligan and Linda McQuaig article on privatization of health care. I have a problem with the recent article stating that privatization of health care would be a disaster. These articles send fear into people by assuming that there can only be one or the other, universal health care or private health care. Many countries have adopted a hybrid model whereby everyone is entitled to health care but they also allow and approve private care clinics and services. So if a person needs an MRI, knee, hip replacement etc. and is given a long wait time or some other delay but can afford and is willing to pay a private clinic for the service, what is wrong with that? It means that another person moves up in the queue and the province saves the cost of whatever the procedure would be. Obviously these clinics need to be vetted as safe and approved by the health-care system. It doesn't always have to be only one or the other and health-care costs are a huge problem going forward. Open your minds. TONY GRICE WHITBY BE SAFE AROUND LAWN MOWERS: PICKERING TEEN Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. When I was four years old, I was playing outside when I slipped on the grass and fell underneath a riding lawn mower. I lost my left leg below the knee. I grew up with The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program and today I help pass on the association's "PLAYSAFE" message. With lawn-cutting season here, I want every kid across the country to know they should never get too close to running lawn mowers. I accept who I am today, but I wouldn't want anyone else to go through what I did. I hope that by sharing my story, it will prevent even just one child from being injured. If you would like to learn more about how to play safely and hear stories from other young amputees like me who have lost limbs in accidents, visit waramps.ca/playsafe. ZOE GOTTWALD PICKERING SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT DURHAMREGION.COM MARGARET CARNEY Column