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ABORTION

                There is a lot of discussion over the topic of abortion and many people take one side or the other but I don’t believe it is a black or white issue.  There are a lot of gray areas.

                I do believe that it is morally wrong to terminate a pregnancy just because the person doesn’t want a child.

                On the other hand should a 15 year old who gets pregnant due to rape or incest be forced to carry full term?

                I did see one lady, and I use the term loosely, on TV stating that she worked for an abortion clinic and had herself had 5 abortions.  One would think long before that she would have figured out what causes the condition and taken steps to avoid it.

                In this day and age information is readily available and many unwanted pregnancies can be avoided.

                Every case should be taken on its own merit and anyone considering an abortion should receive counselling to fully understand the consequences both pro and con.

                I do believe a woman has a right to make decisions about her own body but those decisions extend to making choices before getting pregnant and they should not be made without understanding what an abortion can do to the body.

                As a man I do not claim to be an expert and none of us really knows what anyone else feels, male or female, but I would hope no one takes making a decision to have an abortion lightly.

                There definitely should be a great deal of thought put into this before it happens and the male partner needs to do his part to avoid pregnancy as well.  It is not all on the woman.  It’s called respect.

                If someone is raped and becomes pregnant I’m sure it must be a very traumatic experience and I can understand why someone in that situation would not to carry full term but again the decision should be tempered with seeking all the information possible about the results an abortion can have on the human body.

                In cases where it was the result of just getting carried away in the moment perhaps consideration should be given to carrying to term and placing the infant up for adoption.  There are many couples that want a child and are unable to conceive.

                Of course the health of the prospective mother and the risks to her and the unborn child must also be part of the conversation.  It is a decision that should be made in conjunction with the woman’s partner and her doctor.

                Once all the options have been explored then the final decision is of course up to the prospective mother.

                In some cases, although probably rare, there is a chance the father may want to have the child and should he not have some say in the final decision?  It is unfair to assume he has all the responsibility and none of the decision making process.

                If the couple are teenagers it is likely that neither of them are really ready to take on the responsibility of raising a child.  There are of course exceptions to every rule.

                As I stated in the beginning each case is unique unto itself and should be treated accordingly and all the pros and cons should be explored before making a final decision.

                If the decision is to have an abortion then it should be available in a reputable facility and be carried out by a qualified professional.  No one should feel they have to go to some back ally quack to get the treatment they desire.

                You are free to agree or disagree but for what it is worth that’s my view from the country.

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                Recently the suggestion to annex more land from Cavan Monaghan to the City of Peterborough has been proposed.

                This time the proposal comes from the Mayor of Cavan Monaghan.  In the past it has been initiated by the city.

                It seems ludicrous to me that the only option that is ever considered is annexation.  How about cooperation?  The township has the land and the city could provide the services and a revenue sharing formula could be developed that would be fair to all concerned.  That way everybody wins.

                It could also be that the township could simply buy services from the city and retain the tax base.  That option would however need to be carefully considered and worded to protect each municipality.

                Unless both parties are willing to sit down and discuss all possibilities there will never be a viable solution to the problem and simple annexation is detrimental to the township in the long run.

                Once land is annexed to the city it is gone forever.  There would be an initial payment and likely annual payments for a few years but in the end the land and the tax base is gone.  No more revenue for the township.  This is a never ending process and eventually the township would get so small that it would not be a viable municipality.

                Past experience should be kept in mind when having such discussions with the city.  The last time Peterborough annexed land from North Monaghan ward for industrial purposes they almost immediately rezoned it residential then complained they had no land for industrial development.

                When they supposedly had a potential developer looking for suitable land they would not share any information about the proposal with the neighboring township.  The track record is not good.

                Perhaps even better would be the proposal from the owners of Kawartha Downs to further develop that property and provide their own services.  They are even willing to discuss the possibility of servicing the airport.  Perhaps they could also provide services to commercial and industrial lands along Whittington Drive.

                This, in my opinion, would be most beneficial to the township and the city would also benefit because most of the jobs created would likely go to city residents at no cost to Peterborough.

                Of course this will not happen overnight, nor would annexation, but it seems like a potential answer to the problem of serviced land for the creation of jobs in the area while retaining a much needed tax base for the municipality.

                It would be necessary to scrutinize all aspects of the Kawartha Downs proposal in order to know what the municipality was getting itself into but on the surface it sounds like a good plan.

                Perhaps the residential component of their plan is a bit aggressive but it would be worth investigating and making an attempt to work out details that could benefit the entire area.

                One question would need to be answered definitively and that is; would the municipality eventually be required to assume responsibility for any water and sewage treatment facility that might be developed initially by a private corporation?  There are a lot of unanswered questions but careful consideration of the proposal would be worth a look.

                You can agree or disagree with my point of view; everyone is entitled to their own opinion but for what it’s worth that’s my view from the country.

THE CASINO DEBATE

                It has been interesting, to say the least, watching the city of Peterborough debate the location of a new casino.  Some thought was apparently even given to locating it downtown.

Why would anyone in their right mind suggest that it should be located in the downtown core?  That would be, without a doubt, the worst possible location.  The traffic congestion would make the downtown even less attractive than it is now for anyone to consider shopping there.

People who would be going to the casino would not patronize the downtown businesses and in that location it would be likely to attract an undesirable crowd to the downtown.

It is also interesting to hear members of city council claim how it will create hundreds of new jobs.  Will it really create new jobs?  They seem to be missing the point that the existing casino in Cavan Monaghan is a major employer.  Those jobs will be eliminated or simply transferred to the new location, so there will not likely be any new jobs and most of the employees at the current casino are likely residents of Peterborough.

They are speculating that it will generate a considerable income for the city.  That remains to be seen.  In Cavan Monaghan the casino has generated a very nice windfall for the municipality over the years it has been located there.

Even if it was to stay where it is there is no guarantee that the level of funding for the municipality will remain at the current level.

When it was run by OLG there was an agreement that 5% of the profits would be paid to the host municipality.  The property owner and the horseman’s association each got 10%.  The horseman’s association has since been cut out of the picture.

The whole purpose of locating the original slots facilities at race tracks was because there was already gambling allowed there.  That made sense.

It is also important to remember that the municipal percentage was on slots.  There was no mention of table games should they be added to the facility.

Now that the casinos have been turned over to private enterprise it wouldn’t surprise me if the profit margin decreases, that’s how business works.  It is easy to reduce the profits by paying bonuses to executives and other legitimate accounting practices.

At the current location there is more than ample parking and an additional 100 acres to the north that could possibly accommodate any future expansion.

A casino in the city will make it easier for people who can least afford to gamble to take part in such activity on a regular basis.

Traffic congestion at any location in the city will be annoying at best.  It’s too bad the city could not get along better with their neighbouring municipality and stop playing the bully.

Only time will tell but it will be interesting to see how the city officials will spin the details and claim how good it all is for the city.

They have already guaranteed $150,000 a year to the DBIA for twenty years.  What else will they do with the money even before it materializes?

WHAT IS THE TRUE COST OF A NEW COMMUNITY CENTRE?

                There is much talk about a new community centre for our municipality and the Cavan Monaghan Council would have us believe that they are going to build a new $15 million facility and it won’t cost the tax payers a dime.  Does anyone really believe that?

Funds, they say, will come out of reserves.  No matter how you spin that, it is still tax payers’ money.  Whether it came from property tax, the slots or any other source, all funds in the care of the township belong to the residents of this community.

There is no doubt that the current facility leaves much to be desired.  The dressing rooms are deplorable; the upper hall is not accessible and the facility does not address the needs of all members of the community.

Any new facility must allow for programs and activities for all members of the community.  The problem lies in the way the township is proposing to approach the project.

In my opinion the only way to achieve the desired result is to have serious partners involved.  That should include local organizations corporate partners and the public in general.  There are several potential partners I believe should be approached and their needs taken into consideration if they are interested in becoming partners.

It is not only the cost of building the facility that has to be considered but also the ongoing operating costs.  There are ways to create a facility that can cover at least most of the operating costs and perhaps even turn a small profit.

It is also important to keep in mind that there is a real need for a new fire hall and a new works depot, both of which will require extensive funding.

If the reserves are depleted for one project it will mean tax increases to fund the others, so directly or indirectly it is the tax payers who will foot the bill.

Is the proposed plot of land large enough to accommodate all the possible uses?  All those uses will not be known until it is determined what partners might be involved.

A large enough parcel of land could accommodate not only the new community centre but also the new fire hall and works depot.  Building them as a municipal complex would mean in the end that the total cost would be less than doing each separately.

All facilities don’t have to be built at the same time but planning for a complete municipal complex would make the future construction more affordable.

We should also keep in mind that the city of Peterborough continues to insist on annexing more land from North Monaghan and that will cause our tax base to shrink, meaning less tax payers to share the cost.  All of this must be considered before moving forward with any major project.

With the slots funding disappearing in the very near future we will not have that source to draw on to build the reserves back to a desired level.  It took many years to build the current reserve and repeating that process without the slots will present a great challenge.

Let’s hope the Council and the staff thinks this trough thoroughly before making a commitment that digs us into a hole from which we may never emerge.

DRINK WATER ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

According to the website www.SocialMeems.com there are definite health benefits to drinking water on an empty stomach.  Although I would question the claim that it is a 100% cure for a number of diseases, it certainly is worth a try and definitely makes sense that cold drinks can solidify oils and grease in the stomach from foods that have just been digested.  Note that 160ml of water is only about 5.5 ounces, so the four glasses referred to is actually about two and three quarter 8 ounce glasses.

Following is the claim made by this website.  This is provided for information only and everyone should use their own judgement but there is certainly nothing to lose from trying this method.

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2. Gastric (10 days)
3. Diabetes (30 days)
4. Constipation (10 days)
5. Cancer (180 days)
6. TB (90 days)
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards – daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain…

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.

It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this ‘sludge’ reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.

Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks:

• Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,
• Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
• You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.
• Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
• 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.

• Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.

In March 2004 my son and daughter-in-law presented my wife and I with a beautiful granddaughter named Meredith.  This was about two and a half months before my sixty-first birthday. Although there was no intention to do so, her name contained the name of my paternal grandmother, Edith. This has caused me to recall my life with my grandmother, by whom I was raised from the age of two months, coincidently an undertaking she embarked upon just prior to her sixty-first birthday. Although I always had great affection and admiration for my grandmother it was not until years later that I truly understood and fully appreciated the sacrifices she had made. Now that I was the age she was when she took on the task of raising me and I had a grandchild very close to my age at that time, it became even more apparent how onerous her sacrifice was. In retrospect I recall a particular event in the life of my grandmother and one that deeply affected me. It was a typical fall evening in late November.  A frosty chill hung in the air.  As I prepared to retire for the night, I entered my grandmother’s bedroom to say goodnight, as I did each evening. As I crossed the room I could sense a strange presence, not apparent elsewhere in the house.  It was not something I could see or hear, yet I knew it was there, as if someone else was in the room.  It was an eerie feeling but I gave it little thought, choosing to ignore the experience. Rays from a streetlight shining through the window dimly lighted the room. I could make out the frail old woman’s torso, as she lay almost motionless on the bed, the silence broken only by her shallow breathing. As I approached her bedside, in almost a whisper, she asked, “Are you alright?” “I’m fine,” I said, “how are you?” “Tired,” she replied, in a feeble voice. “I won’t keep you then, you need your rest,” I said, as I knelt to say a brief prayer, the same one I had said for as many nights as I could remember. Then, rising to my feet, we said goodnight to each other and I left the room. Nineteen years earlier, my father, prompted by my mother’s inability to cope with a newborn, had brought me to live with his mother. Although she had raised her family and was approaching her sixty-first birthday, she unselfishly accepted the task of starting over with a two-month-old grandson. Now she was completely bedridden, unable to perform even the simplest of tasks.  She could not sit up in bed without assistance or even feed herself.  Her mind, however, remained sharp, which must have made her situation more difficult, but she voiced no complaint. This tiny but once robust woman had wasted away to skin and bone, her body wreaked by the pain of severe arthritis.  Yet, for over a year and a half, she had clung tenaciously to her meagre existence. Life had not been easy for her but being a woman of great faith and courage; each day had always been taken in stride. Born in 1882 she had witnessed the turn of the century, two world wars, and many life-altering events. As a young girl she took piano lessons and in later years her piano would be her one source of comfort but that too eventually fell silent, as the arthritis rendered her fingers unable to play. In 1902 she married and over the next forty years raised nine children and lost three others at birth, including a set of twins. She had lived through the great depression and experienced the loss of a family farm. A few years after that loss my grandparents acquired a small piece of land on which they built a modest home.  It had no indoor plumbing, not even running water.  Heated with wood and coal and poorly insulated, if at all, it was drafty in winter.  There was often frost on windowsills and sometimes even on furniture when we awoke on cold mornings. It was, however, one of the warmest homes that have ever existed. From my grandmother I learned that I could do anything to which I set my mind.  “Can’t is a cowardly word,” she would say, when I indicated I was unable, or perhaps unwilling, to perform some task. She admonished me to “be a leader, not a follower,” words of wisdom that have served me well over the years. When I was eight years old my grandfather died.  After his death and on a meagre government pension of only forty dollars a month my grandmother managed to maintain the home and to keep me fed and clothed.  I can only imagine the personal sacrifices she made. Within a few years her own health began to deteriorate but she did not complain and continued the necessary daily tasks to maintain a warm and loving home. When she suffered a gallbladder attack and had to be hospitalized for surgery, my aunt, one of her daughters who had never married, returned home.  She assumed the daunting task of helping to raise me and to give the home care that my grandmother so greatly needed and deserved. Grandmother’s health continued to decline and the arthritis took its toll, finally confining her to the bed in which she now lay. Her main goal in life was simple.  Oft times I had heard her say she wanted to live to her eightieth birthday. The true reasons for that goal I will never know but it was a goal she seemed determined to achieve.  Not a lofty one by most people’s standards but under the circumstances of her life, possibly out of reach. However, can’t was not a word in her vocabulary; that night, without a whimper or complaint, the one who had so little but gave so much, quietly passed away, one day after her eightieth birthday. It was in 1962 that my grandmother died and I have relived that night many times in my mind.  To this day I wonder who the unseen stranger was whose presence I felt in that room that night. When it comes my time to leave this world, perhaps she will be the one who is the unseen and unexplained presence in my room.