Harry Stemp Feb 19, 2009

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Harry Stemp was born in Uxbridge in 1934. He started his career with the Uxbridge Times-Journal as an apprentice typesetter at age 14. He soon began writing sports for the Times-Journal and eventually owned 10 community newspapers in central Ontario including the Times-Journal. He started writing his award-winning Stemp’s Stew in 1965. The column came to an end shortly after he sold his newspaper chain in 1989, but was rejuvenated in 2006 when Harry became a regular contributor to The Cosmos.

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Jan 29, 2009

Jan 21, 2009

Jan 08, 2009

 

A small, techno world

Seems it doesn't matter where you travel you can't get away from your Uxbridge roots. If it happens to me I'm sure it happens to others.
Decided to introduce new friends from Halifax, Nova Scotia to parts of Barbados they had never seen before. Many people settle on the west coast, enjoy the sea, sun, golf courses and world-class restaurants. They head home not realizing there is much more to an island that is only 21 miles long and 14 miles wide
I have always enjoyed taking friends on a tour of the island that I discovered, and fell in love with, over 40 years ago. The rugged east coast and the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean are in stark contrast to the rolling waves and soothing waters of the Caribbean Sea on the west coast. And it's a pleasant shock for many to view, for the first time, the Scottish Highlands in the north. Home of the picturesque Farley Hill National Park where the film Island In The Sun starring Harry Belafonte was shot many years ago.
The tour coming to an end, we dropped in to the huge Canadian development at the Crane Beach Hotel and enjoyed a few cold ones and their wonderful Sunday buffet. I was pleasantly surprised when Marg Locke walked up to our table and said hello.
Long-time Uxbridge residents will remember Mike and Marg Locke well. Mike was minister at Trinity United Church for many years, and was part of the driving force that developed Trinity Manor, home to many of our senior citizens. Marg, a nurse, was the major force behind Chances Are, which has become a major success and huge fund-raiser by members of the Hospital Auxiliary.
It was a fun reunion with friends I hadn't seen in years.
A few days later I was enjoying my morning walk along the beautiful new coastal boardwalk and saying “good morning” to everyone I meet - a habit I have had for years.
Two couples passed by and a few steps later I heard, “Harry?”.
I walked back and had a nice chat with Mike and Marilyn Street, of Uxbridge, who had just arrived the day before and were ready to enjoy a Barbados visit.
At least Mike was ready. His luggage arrived. Unfortunately the others were waiting patiently for theirs. Stuff happens.
And now just across a couple of fairways my neighbors from The Glens, Curry and Libby Clifford are settled in and we have enjoyed a couple of visits already. The old saying “it's a small world” always seems to play a strong role in my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.
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The Cliffords brought along a package of Uxbridge papers and I was saddened to read of another tragic motor accident that took the life of Cherry Spagnola.
This is the third accidental death in about as many weeks that has sent shock waves through our community. I am having a hard time recalling when we have suffered that much accidental loss of life in such a short time. I'm sure that I am not alone when I say, “Enough is enough” and express the wish that families and neighbors have suffered enough, and the remainder of 2009 will be safe for all of us.
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It's well known that we live in a highly technical world. Cell phones and the Internet have taken giant steps in the past few years. Things like Face Book, You Tube, etc., are now the norm and so many people can hardly wait to bare all their personal information for the world to see.
What gets me is the constant use of these gadgets by old and young alike. They can't seem to live without them every minute of the day. I don't know how many times I have mistakenly thought a close-by shopper was talking to me, when they were really going about their business chatting on the phone through that strange looking earpiece worn by so many people.
Young people sit in the coffee shops and text message their friends across the room. Two people walking down the street together will both be merrily chatting on their phone. To each other? I wouldn't be surprised. Is the art of face-to-face verbal communication soon to disappear?
But attending a movie the other night I couldn't believe what I was about to see once the lights went down and the movie started. I noticed about 20 small blue screens sprinkled throughout the crowd - two very close to where I was sitting.
You guessed it. While the movie was playing these people were actually sending out text messages instead of watching the action on the screen. Why spend the money to see the movie? Why not just sit in the lobby and play with your phone?
Guess that's life in the new world of communications.