March 1, 2010.pdf - Watrous Heritage Centre

THE WATROUS MANITOU MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2010 • 5by Alvin Dieno,Colonsay, Sask.While looking at anengine in the scrap pile Iwondered what that engineexperienced from the day itwas new. “Here I am brandnew from the factory, eightpistons, fuel injected and350 cubes. At regular intervalsI get an oil change anda good check as to whateverelse is necessary tokeep me in tiptop shape.Then came the day when anew owner took charge.The first thing he doesis put the pedal to themetal and the back tiresare churning up smoke. Iget a whiff of that throughmy air filter and that doesnot mix too well with mybreathing system. Thisfellow believes in passingwhether it is safe todo so or not and here wego again, kick down theycall it. Over revved is theproper description and Iam sure the tac is in theHow ta look at the newsby Gene HautaThe last couple of columns were a bitdated as I had to get them done early becausethe wife and I headed off on the firstwinter holiday of our 32 years together.Funny what you can do when the kids aregone.Hopefully our flight to Hawaii to spenda glorious week with good friends wasnot bothered by any idiot terrorists. WendelPotter reported that Al Qaeda hasclaimed responsibility for the attemptedbombing of that U.S. flight(by the Underwear Bomber)Christmas Day. “NowHomeland Security is saying,‘See! We told you itwasn’t our fault!’” wrotePotter.“You’d think that ourairport security wouldn’tstink,” noted Neil Berliner,“considering that thoseT.S.A. guys have all of ourPower to burnmouthwash, toothpasteand deodorant over threeounces.”“I’ve just started hittingthe weights again,”said Frederic C. Schultz,Esq. “Gotta look good forwhen I’m strip-searched onmy next flight!” As I wrotethis before my trip, I waswondering about the scanners.I should have wornmy Speedos . . . that wouldserve them right for peeking!And one more in honourof our travelling. “If youlook like your passport picture,you probably need thetrip.” That was definitelyme as we reached mid-winter.I am just not too surehow relaxing it would be.Too many things to see anddo.Alexander Dwight Rodrigue,23, was arrestedin Regina after hangingaround in the bakery sectionof a supermarket and reportedly“opening cake boxes, touching them andthen licking the cakes.” When the staffapproached him, he explained that he waschecking for freshness. Randy Cassinghamof This is True quipped, “There’sa date on the box, but I’m guessing Rodriguehasn’t had a date in his life.”Hayley Price, 42, received the proverbialslap on the wrist in British court.She pleaded guilty to forging an uncle’scheques to the tune of $65,000. She wasred zone. My heat gauge ison the border line of boiland we come to a stop. Nocheck is made as to a coolantcheck.I hear his buddies talkingabout this great dirtroad with little hills thatget you airborne at 140km/h. So here we go againand sure enough we are airborneseveral times. Thelandings nearly break mymotor mounts and almostputs my fan up against theradiator. The dust is fillingmy air filter almost to thepoint of restriction and hewonders why there is a lossof power.Every day he is burningrubber, making doughnutturns and testing me as tohow fast he can get up to200 km/h. One of my bearingsis making a noise,something like a continuousknock on a door. I hearhim say, “Turn up thestereo and the knock willgo away.”Diane Lyons, 31,was shocked anddisappointed whenher six-year-olddaughter stole a$3.11 pack ofstickers from theDiscount Drug Martin Carrollton, Ohio. SoLyons called policeon the girl. Anofficer took the girlto the police station,but soon releasedher to her mother. Itall sounds like goodparenting, until Lyonsapplied for the $30reward offered bythe store foranyone who turns inshoplifters. She diddecide against takingthe money becauseshe was afraid peoplewould think sheset it all up.We are now on a gravelroad that has obstructionson it such as a dead skunkand that undesired odorwill taint my air filter fordays. Farther down theroad a rock bounces off myoil pan plug and I am losinglube. Within minutesI am down to add on thedipstick. Now the so-calledidiot light is on and does hesee it? No. My knock is nowlouder than the stereo, theheat gauge says boil andafter a few more revolutionsI seize up. A tow job,how degrading. One lookat my inner parts and themechanic declares me apiece of junk. A piece ofjunk he says and to thinkthat I was only 1,000 kmover warranty. If I evercome back as somethingelse after the smelter job Ihope it is something thatreminds him of what heonce had. Since he no longerhas wheels a one speedbicycle would be nice.fined all of $8, given a suspended sentenceand ordered to do community service.The judge’s reasoning was that Price wasbroke, having already spent the moneyshe stole.A Chicago judge has ruled that formerfirefighter Jeffrey Boyle is entitled to his$50,000 annual pension even though hehad pleaded guilty in 2006 to eight countsof arson and confessed to a dozen more.Boyle is known locally as ‘Matches’ Boyleto distinguish him from his brother, John‘Quarters’ Boyle, who isnow in federal prison forbribery following the theftof millions of dollars instate toll-gate coins. JudgeLeRoy Martin Jr. reachedthe conclusion that Matches’arsons had nothing todo with his career.Diane Lyons, 31, wasshocked and disappointedwhen her six-year-olddaughter stole a $3.11 packof stickers from the DiscountDrug Mart in Carrollton,Ohio. So Lyonscalled police on the girl.An officer took the girl tothe police station, but soonreleased her to her mother.It all sounds like good parenting,until Lyons appliedfor the $30 reward offeredby the store for anyonewho turns in shoplifters.She did decide against takingthe money because shewas afraid people wouldthink she set it all up.Mark Weinberger, aplastic surgeon in Merrillville,Ind., was able toconvince many patientsto undergo expensive surgicalprocedures. However,he either took the moneyand did nothing, or hebotched the procedures.The 46-year-old doctor fledto the woods, prepared tohide out, avoiding the hundredsof patients and insurance companiesclaiming fraud or malpractice, morethan $5 million in debts and his wife. Fiveyears later, Italian police found him hidingin a tent at 6,000 ft. on Mont Blanc.Shortly after he was arrested, the doctortried to slit his own throat, but missed allcrucial spots, not surprising consideringhis lack of knowledge about the humanbody. He will be extradited to the U.S.Until next time . . . keep reading betweenthe lines . . .Spiritual reflectionsby Reverend Helen Herr, retired ministerThe flameIt is a long stretch from the days whenJesus said, “I am the light of the world.”The 2010 Olympic flame has travelled fromGreece to Vancouver. At the official openingof these games, the magnificent lightshow was beyond words, even more than Icould ever imagine. Moving us from coastto coast with images of each province,skiers descending and ascending and orcasswimming, how did they do that? “Letthere be light and there was light!”A dark cloud surrounded the luge teamwhen Nodar Kumaritashvili crashed anddied. Yet on the opening, team memberscarried a light while they wore black armbands. These games continued to glowaround the world.Letter to the editorDear Editor,I would like to commenton the article Guernseyareafarmer fined in theWatrous Manitou on page10 of the Feb. 15, 2010 edition.In cases of this naturethere are always extenuatingcircumstancesthat the public is generallyunaware of. It is not mypurpose though to debatethe pros and cons of thissituation, but rather to affirmthe character of RubenBushman.I have known Rubenfor over 50 years. Overthis period of time I havecome to respect and appreciatehis approach to life.He cares deeply for thewelfare of his family, hisneighbours and his farm.If asked to help a neighbourin any way, Rubenwill leave his own work toassist in whatever way possible.He is very unselfishin volunteering his timeand talents for others. Rubenis known for his mechanicalskills in repairingvehicles. On completing arepair he is almost apologeticin giving out a bill. Iknow of incidences wherebills for work done by himgo unpaid, and he wouldrather forgive the debtorthan pressure the debtorto pay.All of us encounterdifficult situations in ourI wonder; however, how interested inthe games are street people, low income,etc. who have survival their focus. I alsoknow that there are many who do notcare about sports. Who could afford thosetickets anyway? Life does not change formany. The protestors were there but nottoo visible.To these people, Jesus offers himselfas their light. He comes to bring hopein the darkness with love that embracesthem. This light is not snuffed out whenthe Olympics are over. It seems that oneOlympic games tries to outdo one another.Look what Jesus did in a crowd. He stopsand washes his disciples’ feet.Quite a contrast. Which light are wegoing to follow?lives at one time or another.During these timesof trouble we would wishfor others to come alongside,offer words that showthey care and try to understandus in our situation,rather than pass harshjudgement or criticize us.I believe when we see ourfellow brother walking adifficult path along life’sroad we need to extend ahand of friendship and aword of encouragement. Itis a fact of life, trouble willcome sooner or later andit may be us who needs aword of encouragementnext.Fred TomanGuernsey, Sask.