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12 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, August 29, 1989 Letters to the editor RL i. Al EE SES EEE SEL ASE SEE a SE vm ea ae TEE YY YY YY NYY TT ey YY YY yy YT Off The Top by Rob Streich Cameras and things that go bump in the nigh I'm beginning to believe in the supernatural - ghosts and gremlins are real, alive and thriving at the Port Perry Star. Maybe I'm acting too melodramatic, but | swear that some- thing took over my camera last week (possessed?) and forced it, by stages, to self-destruct (better to turn red and blow up!). When | wasn't looking, one afternoon, a little man climbed up onto my desk, performed a magical incantation (and accom- panying dance) and put the evil eye on my Canon AE-1. KAPLOOEY. Nothing would work right. Early in the week, my flash connection was acting up, gradually becoming more and more of a bother - flaring in unsuspecting peoples' faces. | didn't know that anything major was wrong at first (the Canon has been a fickle friend as of late), but gradually it be- gan to take on a personality of its own. It didn't seem to want to cooperate when | was trying to take a picture for the paper, but if there was a cute Nikon body nearby the shutter would click as if the camera was suffering some kind of seizure. Then strange, completely unaccountable things began to happen. Sometimes when | would open the case, the camera would have moved out of the position where | had left it. Not just short jaunts, but rather leaps from one situation in a brace facing down, to looking out from between two different braces. Then, when | left it sitting on my desk with the lens cap off, it would watch me when | wasn't paying attention, and it's eye would follow me about the room (with a devious glint). Then Saturday arrived, and while | didn't mind the drizzle, 'ole developer breath' seemed bound and determined for me to leave him at home. | think that he must have been born in a warm, arid place where he saw little precipitation, because at the first sign of rain, he began cowering in my camera bag. Like a strict parent, | pulled him out and persuaded him that | would use a lens wipe to keep the moisture off his face, and he could return to the bag just as soon as we finished tak- ing our pictures. | lied.- He ended up staying out in the cold temperatures and chilling drizzle for several hours that day, only returning to the comfort of the bag between assignments. Perhaps it was pneumonia or some other camera-malady that did him in. Whatever the case, the end result is that on Sunday morning he had a feverishly high exposure reading and a bad syncher. On Monday his f-stopped once and for all. He didn't leave unnoticed. Oh no, he left a legacy of bad negatives behind him. I've tried to reenact most this week, some moments, alas, will never be recaptured. Those memo- ries alone can be rekindled in our hearts. To anyone inconven- ienced, please forgive my lost friend - he knew not what he did. While | will miss the 'great-girl-meeting-machine', it is with a sense of guilt that | admit | have already taken up with a new- er, prettier model. A young, sexy Nikon body with crisp lenses was made with me in mind - boy can | push her buttons! "Psst, Buddy. Do you want to buy some Canon parts?" D.J. TAYLOR [ac INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. 1 YEAR 169 North Street, Port Perry Guaranteed Investment Certificates (Rates Subject to Change without Notice) 985-8416 3 yAmad us * Seafood & Steak House 1180 Simcoe St.N., Oshawa 436-9333 or 436-9065 OPEN 7 DAYS a WEEK Banquet Facilities Available EVERYDAY DINNER SPECIALS ¥ * Roast Prime Beef (Can. Grade A) ANY SPECIAL FOR ONLY: * New York Steak & Shrimps * Fresh Orange Roughy * Fresh Seafood Plate Have you taken your wonder pill? To the Editor: First, a group of learned scien- tists decided to improve the health and welfare of mankind. Behind closed doors they placed their small dishes and eye- droppers on the table. Into each dish they dropped one, two or more liquid chemical compounds until they were satisfied. Then they mixed them all together and they had a Wonder Pill! Then it had to be tested. They ad- ministered the pill to a group of small, helpless, terrified animals who had been injected with a cancer cell. These died. The next group of small, helpless, terrified animals received double the dosage. These lived four days. As they improved upon the dosage, they found that some of the animals had fewer hours of pain and discomfort, but of course they still had the cancer. They decid- ed it was time for human con- sumption. The Doctor told the mother-to-be to take ® number of mgs. three times daily to be assured of a happy, healthy baby. The results - a two.day old infant needed a heart transplant - a one week old needed a kidney transplant (or two). While the parents and family waited in pajn and anguish for their baby to.die (may God forgive us) other babies were being born already with cancer, others with no arms, legs, retarded - need we go on? "To err is human, to forgive, divine." But God said: "I will repay..." Meanwhile, thousands of kind, caring people have donated their time, money and effort to raise millions of dollars through public telethons, etc., for research. Along the way they forgot the word PREVENTION. The scien- tists continue to play God. Many wait for days or weeks for a donor, so their patient can have a few more days or weeks of mean- ingless life. Scientists get a bit frustrated. How long is it since they started research on a cancer cure? 40-50 years? Billions of dollars spent? Yet, they are con- fident that a cure is near at hand. But they forgot to read what God said: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." XI Cor. 1:19). The scientists were further en- couraged to add to man's well- being. They took a handful of God's perfect grain (He never makes a mistake) which He has provided for our perfect health. See God's instructions to Ezekiel - "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself." (Ezek. 4:9). First, man strips off the outer coating which he lays aside. Then he takes the rest and rolls it, crushes it, puffs it, flattens it, etc., in big drums. He then adds a few synthetic vitamins and places it in a pretty little cardboard box with the words: "one ounce of this with four ounces of milk make a good source of dietary protein." (He forgot to mention that the protein comes from the milk). Then he takes the bran which he stripped off the original grain, adds a few more additives and places that in another pretty little cardboard box and writes on that one "fibre."" We now have our com- plete breakfast. The first thing we place on our table is a dish with our wonder pills which we take to sustain us for the day. Then we sit down and eat our cardboard breakfast. Then it's on to the polluted fast expressways which take us to our high-rise office buildings. We enter our smoke-filled, win- dowless, sealed tight offices (to keep air from coming in our out). We sit at our desks with the coffee-pot near at hand for our numerous coffee breaks. No need for lively discussion or debates. We just press a few buttons and the computer has all the answers (of course we shall all end up as robots). Day over, we head for the polluted fast-lane expressways. We stop at the fast-food chain for dinner. As we walk down the long salad bar (which hundreds have breathed over and walked past all day), no need to worry if our salad will be green and crisp - it will be well sprayed with one of man's chemicals. We pick up our ham- burger which has been kept nice and warm on the steam table, and it takes no time at all to drop our fries into the hot bubbling oil always ready and waiting to com- plete the fast meal which we de- mand. Maybe we'll have a sugared or jelly donut and coffee to finish off our repast. Or maybe we'll go home and relax in our easy chair and watch our favourite violent crime program, while enjoying our T.V. dinner. No need to worry about taking care of the flower and vegetable plots - the lovely swimming pool and barbeque have taken up all the garden space. Would have lik- ed to have spent some time with Junior, but he is so busy with his Rock 'n Roll and video games - maybe later. And so the Great Scientists con- tinue to try to improve on our half human - half mechanical bodies. As man continues to try to invade God's home (Heaven) - *...the earth He has given to man" (Psa. 115:16) - He is not unmindful. We shall see many more great disasters, as God pours out His wrath on mankind. But to those who love and obey His com- mands, He has promised: "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked ..." (Psa. 91:7,8) - "If God is for us, who can be against us?"' (Rom. 8:31). Man cannot make a blade of grass, and as the poet said: 'Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree." And so, until we obey His commands, we shall continue to live in this violent, disease-ridden world. We have a choice - let us make the right one. Gladys Barrett, (84 yrs.), Guelph, Ontario. ty Education. of the people of Canada." pupils on September 2, 1969. mond Penny. Merilee. personnel to leave the yard. Fisher a happy birthday. Remember When? (From page 7) : Canadian Trucking Association's Bursary of $500. for Universi- Mr. and Mrs. Carleton Graham were guests of honour at a party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ira G. Travell, Oshawa, on the occasion of their 40th Wedding Anniversary. Congratulations to Clerk-Treasurer, John F. Raines, who recently received the Canadian Water Works Quarter Century Service Award. The certificate presented to Mr. Raines by Reeve J.J. Gibson on behalf of the Association, stated it was presented, "in recognition of devoted service in water works, contributing to the national growth and progress and to the health and welfare 20 YEARS AGO Thursday, September 11, 1969 It is doubtful if any lady taxi drivers can match Mrs. S. Sweetman in years of service to the public. She has just started on her 21st year in the taxi husiness in Port Perry and says she has no intention of quitting. Mrs. Sweetman has just expanded her business by the purchase of the Charles Brignall Taxi Ser- vice and she promises a 24 hour service. . Port Perry -High School shows a tentative registration of 8 Port Perry Council at the last regular meeting, approved recommendation of three additional members of the Fire Depart- ment. The new members are - Wm. Salter, Robert Rodd and Ray- Miss Geraldine Cooper, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Cooper, Port Perry, recently graduated from Sick Children's Hospital, Toronto. Miss Cooper accepted a nursing position for the United Church Missions at Bellacoola, B.C. Rev. W. Mark Reeves was inducted as the new pastor of the Port Perry Pastoral Charge last Thursday. Rev. and Mrs. Reeves have four children - Nancy, Alistair, Christopher and Mrs. Moon and Clif ford, Seagrave, are in Toronto this week with other members of the family. Clifford will be registering for training at Teacher's College. 10 YEARS AGO ' Wednesday, August 29, 1979 The Scugog Public Library Board hag abandoned any plans it once had for a new building on lakefront property & now has asked council to endorse three variances tq local by-laws which would allow construction of a 5000 sq. ft. addition to the existing War Memorial building on Queen St. Durham Region police officer was called to the Bell Canada building on Queen St. last week to ask picketer from Local 28 of the Communications Workers of Canada to move off the sidewalk to allow trucks driven by management & supervisory The Scugog Township treasury dept. has completed the in- dividual calculations for the approximately 7,000 tax-payers in the Township who will get refunds or credits on a $97,000 over- levy which was discovered earlier this summer. About 70 relatives & friends attended the birthday party last Saturday afternoon at Fairview Lodge to wish rs. Myrtle