| To the Editor: I am the scientist that your mother warned you about! I have spent 37 years doing the "Stuff." Wearing the white lab coat. Measuring the things that people worry about. OH MY GOD! Do I glow in the dark? No, I don't even have a halo. Do I smell vaguely like spent body fluids! Well, maybe, but I hope not too much. At least not more than anyone else might. Do I represent a threat to be seated next to in a restaurant? I hope not. I have squirted grapefruit juice on some occasions. I think that I am a fairly regular citizen. I have people that hate me. But I have people that love me too. Enough about me, what about my science? In my career, I have tested every known fluid, semi-solid gas, vapour or spit known in civilization. You produce it... I have tested it. You consume it... I have measured it. I am the dreaded laboratory technologist! I represent the link between the stuff itself and the people who use it or write about it. My job is to measure, measure, and measure. As a medical technologist, chemical technologist, environmental technologist, radiation technologist and instrument technologist, I have to collect the day to day honest, accurate data that everyone likes to push around in order to make their points and support their decisions. I and the people that I hang out with measure your body, your well water, your lakes, streams, apples, tomatoes, milk, soil, air. You name it. We seldom comment on what we measure. We just go on testing and reporting. I love to read the Kincardine News. I guess it's because of the testing and reporting. This paper is as much an instrument of the community as any I use. I can tell you what Jessie Thomson is going to find out in Africa. It is going to affect every fibre of her being for the rest of her life. She will for the rest of her life be changed by that seminar she will attend. Dr. Hazel Lynn will, if all goes well, be undertaking an interesting and challenging post monitoring and serving the Grey-Bruce Health Unit. Normand de la Chevrotiere will continue to make a place for himself promoting himself and his non-profit (read self-sustaining) organization. In the mean time, you people of the Bruce will wonder vaguely in the back of your minds whether or not we are truly at peril because of the huge nuclear business centered in Ontario. You will type your letters. Milk your cows. Feed your pigs. Shuffle your household budget. Be driven crazy by your kids, your boss, your neighbours and your loved ones. But, you will always wonder if you are unduly at risk from this nuclear behemoth. Well, I am writing to answer some of your questions. One question... will Normand de la Chevrotiere ever answer your question about nuclear risks? No, that's not his job. His job is to continue to make his living from stirring up your doubts. Will you doubt? Yes, because Norm does his job well. Will you ever be at dire risk from Bruce nuclear or OPG nuclear? Maybe, but not likely. You are probably at more risk if you worry about Normand de la Chevrotiere's claims excessively. Will you be killed if you try to cross the 401 highway on foot in Toronto even if it is not rush hour? Maybe, but not necessarily. Can you do it 100 times? No, not likely! My answer to you is to keep on keeping on. Continue to live your lives. Listen to what Norm says. But, listen also to Dr. Lynn. Listen to Jessie Thomson. Listen to your friends and neighbours. Live your life well. Live it happy. Make it a better place because you are here. D. Ellis |
| To the Editor: This letter is in response to the letter posted by D. Ellis, "Keep on keeping on". I am a homemaker that has nothing to gain by "promoting" myself. But Mr. Ellis' article really gave me the urge to write a reply. If I understood your article right, we as average Joes and not (having ) "your higher education" should just sit back and feed our pigs and clean our homes and don't bother our little brains with such concerns as to where and how to dispose of our nuclear waste?! You sound like those scientists that say that there is no conclusive proof that we have global warming and for that reason there is not point in worrying about it or God forbid do something about it. Being concerned about the proper storage of nuclear waste is appropriate and a vigorous debate should be held to assure that the public is not put at risk! So don't belittle Normand de la Chevrotiere's comments, but provide solid counter arguments to his position if you want to make a point. Anne Andres Homemaker Kincardine ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To the Editor: I would like to nominate D. Ellis, whose letter entitled "Keeping On Keeping On" appeared in your newspaper last week, as Letter Writer of the Decade. After all, we have a category for everything else these days. I don't know D. Ellis (at least I don't remember knowing that I do) - but his remarks provided so much of local interest in a very articulate, informative, positive and humorous manner; it was a real joy to read. I sure hope D. Ellis and many others of our community will continue to express their views on local activities and events. To me, this is the little gem that makes local papers around the country so valuable providing a forum no other news media can match. So please, keep on keeping on. Ralph McKay, Kincardine |