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BE a ib a EE. 6 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, May 3, 1988 The dead are certainly restless these days. All over North America they're getting that long-distance feeling and calling home to family, friends and in many cases, absolute strangers. And they've got something earth shattering to say. No idle chit chat, "How're the kids?' stuff, though. No 'Just thought I'd call to say I love you." All these dearly departed spirits have sudden- ly become advice givers. They're all experts on how the receivers of their messages should live their lives and how they lived their many exotic lives before this one. It's called channeling and it's one of the newest-although oldest, I suppose-religions. They used to be called spiritualists or mediums. Now they're called channelers and mere mortals pay them big money to connect with the dearly departed and pass on the good word. Pardon me for being so blunt, but what hogwash. People bored and searching for meaning in their lives will believe absolutely anything, won't they? Just ask me. I know. Undying curiosity has pro- mpted me to try often enough to get in touch with spirits. For at least a quarter of a century I've been calling on aunts, uncles, my dad or just any old spirit wandering around looking for someone to talk to. You'd think that out there in that maze of infinitely, just one desperate or lonely soul would have nothing better to do than talk to me. But oh no. Seances, Ouija'boards and self- induced trances all go unanswered. All I've en- countered are individuals just as foolish and gulli- ble as I who have encouraged me in my silly explorations. You'd think that just once in all these years with all the dead people I know and the zillions I don't, just one little whisper might have gotten through. That just once my hand would have been guided as I sat poised, pen at the ready, waiting for the message to be guided into my fingers and onto the paper. That just once, the jewelry dangl- ing on the thread would have divulged some secret One Woman s View by Chris Carlisle with its swings and circles. But oh no. Seems an avid follower such as I with an open mind and clean heart just isn't good enough for the spirits. Never has there been more than a candle flicker or my barking dog or a backache from leaning over the Ouija board. And I'm supposed to be psychic according to all the other so-called psychics and spiritualists! What a line. So how come all these other Johnny-come- lately's are having such success communicating with the Other World? Ever since Shirley MacLaine had such a hit with her book on rein- carnation, we must hear one story a day about a new medium preaching the word from a departed spirit. There's even a woman who claims to get messages from the angels and archangels on how we can turn our Karma of the centuries from bad to good to save the world. To my knowledge, the Pope doesn't even get service like that. I've been schooled in them all. I've read and done research into spiritualism and I've met peo- ple who get all excited and claim we knew each other in past lives. So where's the proof? There isn't any. Anywhere. Years ago, sick and desperate with a prolong- ed physical problem I sought out a spiritualist who claimed she could heal me. For a fee, she made a lot of mumbling noises and waved and flicked her fingers around me, ordering the "evil"' disease to leave my body. Then she warned me that I'd go home and be terribly sick to my stomach--the evil sickness and pain departing--and then sleep for two days. Eager to be well and desperate to do anything to heal, I went home, ready and willing to be even sicker that night. and what do you suppose hap- pened? Nothing. A year later, it was back under the surgeon's knife for me and believe me it did more that the hocus pocus ever could. All this weird channeling stuff now is people's search for meaning, hope and purpose in an other- wise empty spiritual existence brought on by our troubling materialistic and selfish "me first" society. : Ghosts won't help. Especially when they're so picky about who they contact! Letters Nuclear story reaction To The Editor: A reaction to an article in the Port Perry Star of April 19th about the Pickering Nuclear Station. [ agree there is expertise in the construction and operation of our Nuclear Energy Station in opera- lion or soon to be in operation by Ontario Hydro. The analogy I hope might il- lustrate another viewpoint is: the chain that pulls a heavy load is on- ly as efficient as the weakest link. The weak link I am referring to is the disposal of partjdlly spgnt fuel-rods (mentioned (in your ar- ticle). My opinion is re-inforced by an editorial in the Toronto Star Feb. 8th/88 oli 'I'ne Globe & Mail editorial April 22nd also warns against complacency. Sincerely, Marion Johnston, Port Perry. Tears for kids To The Editor: This letter is to the person or person's who took two 10 speed bikes (one orange and one black) from the back of the Queen St. Beckers Store. These bikes were chained to a bike rack, but you somehow managed to get them anyway. These bikes were bought by my kids with money they earned and saved by themselves. The boys are only 10 & 14 years old and its not fair that someone like you should benefit from their hard work. Could you not try to find a bit of kindness and return the bikes? I'm a single mother on social assistance and cannot af- ford to replace them. I'm sure you must know how upset these kids are, and I'm just as sure you don't give a damn, but you couldn't know how sick it makes me feel that I have no way of replacing their tears with new bikes. Mrs. Raylene Cameron, Port Perry. Yesterday's Memories (From Page 5) 10 YEARS AGO Wednesday, May 3, 1978 Anna Robertson was crowned Port Perry High School "At Home Queen" at the annual At Home dance. Leslic Forder was named Princess with Kelly Fairman and Gina Brinkman as run- ners-up. The Scugog Fire Department tank truck was on its way to a grass fire when a gas line burst causing the engine compartment to burst into flames. The truck was badly damaged, but there were no firemen injured. Mike Kennedy, Brady Hooker and Robert Doupe earned them- selves a third place finish out of 22 schools from this area at the Annual Chrysler Trouble Shooting Contest held in Toronto on April 25. Random Jottings by J. Peter Hvidsten A FUN SUMMER Having been involved with Festival Days over the past four years, | know how much work is in- volved in organizing this popular summer activity, and from what I've heard to date, this years organiz- ers should be congratulated. Under the chairmanship of Debbie Jones, the new executive have made a decision to change the successful Caribbean theme used for the past two years and go with an entirely different country. The easy way out would have been to carry on with Caribbean Days for another year or two, even though its populartity may have began to wane, and run on the success of previous years. But that was not the way Debbie and the new executive decided to go. After careful considera- tion, they made a decision to change the theme for this years bash to "Great Britain Festival Days", and they have been working hard for the past four months putting the details together. An article elsewhere in this issue will give area residents a good idea of how many of those ideas have blossomed into an exciting program for mid July and | for one, am looking forward to the new theme. One of the highlights of the weekend promises to be the big dance at the Festival Tent on Saturday night when the orginal "Beatlemania" group will make the lakefront rock to the sounds of the Beatles. These four "Beatle" impersonators have been thrilling audiences throughout Canada and the U.S.A. for many years and they have performed to sold-out audiences at the O'Keefe Centre in Toron- to on at least two separate occassions. The ticket price of $15 per person for this show may at first sound a little steep, but if you consider what it would cost to see them at the O'Keefe Cen- tre (probably $25 to $35) it will be the best deal of the weekend. And you would never be able to get as close to the "fab four" at the O'Keefe as you will be able to in the Festival Tent. For my money, the other very exciting evening to watch for is the King Henry VIII Feast. If you have never attended one of these "orgies of eating", then you don't know what you're missing. If you go with an open mind, a desire to have a lot of fun, and 1 big appetite, you can't miss having the time of your life. This event is always best if you get a group to- gether so you can set up a table with your friends. So why not plan for this fun filled evening now, and make plans to meet King Henry VIII this July. GARBAGE CONTAINERS Have heard a few rumblings this past week by people wondering where the new garbage contain- ers that were purchased last year have gone. I'm sure the township did not want to put them out too early, but it is May now and | have no doubt we will see them on the street very soon. | A comment | made about the disgraceful gar- bage situation at 7A and Water Street brought more than a few comments last week. Some agreed with the comments, while others felt it wasn't fair that all the business people in Lakeview Plaza were being linked to the problem. There is no doubt that some of the businesses in that general vicinity have little to do with the gar- bage situation, and some are even doing what they can to keep their storefronts clean, but there really is a problem. Unfortunately the cause of the problem for the most-part is "people" who insist on using the side- walks and roadways as their person garbage pail. You see it all the time, the window comes down and a wrapper or chip bag gets tossed out on the ground. But | think the one that bugs me the most is when | see the driver of a car open their door at an intersection and proceed to dump their ashtray onto the pavement while they are waiting for the light to turn green. | always get the desire to "ram" into the back of them when | see this, and it does happen quite frequently. On a more positive note, one caller last week tells me that his company (a local company) actually manufacturs a machine called the "Litter Hog", and is designed for picking up garbage. It's unfortunate we need such a machine, but it was interesting to know they are built here in Scugog. , I'll be bring you a story about this next week Ce