Mee eH SNS GY RS Le Meee TIS - HALF A century ago, who could have guessed? ‘Who, in that week in 1945 a ' leading up to the Allied victory in: Europe, could have predicted the ‘Shape of the: world -— and of . |” » worldly power — in 1995? Who could have foreseen that, . from the rubble and ruin of. Hitler's Third Reich, a new : Germany would arise — and dom- inate Europe economically much More thoroughly than the Nazis — had ever been able to dominate Europe militarily? Who could have prophesied - that, 50 years on, the Far East Co- Prosperity Sphere — the euphemism for the Japanese empire — would have vanished, but that the Japanese economic powerhouse would bestride the * world? And that the humble yen, Peter Speck . Publisher’ 985-2131 (101) Comptrolier 1159 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver B.C. V7M 2H4 North Shore Managed . broken up in the wake of the - today are grumbling middle- Doug Foot 985-2131 {133} HAL. wAfISSED AGAIN. only a few years ago trading at around 250 to the U.S. dollar, - would be trading as it was this week at under 84 to that fading ¢ ‘dollar? Germany, united at numbing cost on the ashes of the 1989 col- lapse of communism, is far and away the top dog of the European Union. The “victorious” British, their treasure depleted and their empire ‘at, power members of the union — indignities and invasion of their old ways inflicted upon them by the dull bureaucrats of dull Brussels. : The Japanese, even though they’re relaxing the fanatical work ‘ethic and social discipline that pitched them toward the top of the world’s economies, and though their exports are suffering because of the'sturdiness of their currency, nevertheless still have rates of inflation and unemployment * beyond the dreams of Western » nations. Even more startling: Who, in 1945, could have imagined that in some ways the Germans and ~ Japanese today could give lessons _.in doth liberty and social respon- sibility to the democratic West? The prosperous Germans, the ; ‘frightful lessons of the early 1920s sharply remembered, keep a heavy lid on the inflation that arguably is both a symptom of and a prime contributor to deca- Chris Johnson Operations Manager 985-2131 (166) et NEST PMG ARE Rina SG La DF ND NOW for the good news. More specifically good community news. Under the oft-repeated but less than oft-acted upon heading of think globally, act locally, the good folk of one North Shore com- munity were out in full force last Saturday making a local difference. Arbor Day 1995 was spearheaded by Pemberton Heights Community Association to help beautify the long-established neigh- borhood. it involved about 80 volunteers from the North Vancouver community pitching in to plant 30 flowering red crab-appie trees down both sides of a main street in Pemberton Heights. Along the way te bringing the Arbor Day project to fruition, the federal government donated the trees and North Vancouver AE TAREE ORD RE A ede POI GE TEE HLCM eta DOA BLab Rint me dalrDanee daa NEE ery and manpower. Canada Safeway ulso donated funds and refreshments (o belp make the event a sue- cess. It was not, perhaps, an carth-shattering event in the overail scheme of things on the planet, bui it brought a community together for a day — the result of which was some: invaluable social interaction, an avenue of decorative trees for the enjoyment of present and future Pemberton Heights residents, and neighbors feeling better about themselves and their community. A lot of effort from a fot of people added up toa better piec: of life for the community asa whole. ‘ Upon such modest communal efforts are great societies built. That’s the best kind of news any communi- ty would be proud to generate. District municipality provided some machin- dence in other Western countries. They also have some of the .-’ toughest anti-racist legislation, and, according to a recent report, now confront the Nazi era unblinkingly — and with a grow- ing sense that VE Day marked the release of Germany itself from Nazi repression. Perhaps more remarkably, the Japanese, gripped by the Tokyo subway sarin nerve gas attack in March, are reportedly more scrupulous about the rights of the suspects, the Aum Shinrikyo cult. ~ than the Americans would be. That’s because the Japanese culturally remember what it’s like to live under a police state, and don’t want to give the police too much authority in pursuing the perpetrators of this awful crime. Many Japanese argue that they ‘oppose weakening the checks of their legal system in order to catch the terrorists — while, iron- ically, many Americans are pre- _ pared to twist-the rules to deal with their own terrorist move- ments, © t Could thé victors of May 1945 | have imagined any of this in their wildest dreams? Back in Greater Tiddlycove: A brisk chéer for the firm justice handed_-out to a Water Lane resi- dent convicted of criminal mis- chief -— cutting down three centu- ry-old-plus trees in Lighthouse Park to get more light on his. property. Timothy Renshaw Aanaging Editor 985-2131 (1146) Linda Stewart Sales & Markating Director 980-0511 (319) Judge Reginald Grandison imposed a $3,000 fine on Laurie Richmond, who agreed to pay $24,500 in compensation as well. North Shore courts are, proper- ly, very tough on those who chop down | park irees to “improve the view” or whatever. But | wonder if they should be even tougher. Crown counsel Linda Selbie MacDonald suggested “a short - period of incarceration” as well as a fine in the Water Lane case. I heartily second that. Why? Because 1°}] bet that some of the people who pull off such acts of butchery of public trees, even though commonly hit with five- figure penalties, may still go away chuckling... The fact is that for some peo- ple ponying up $25,000 isn’t that big a deal — and is a terrific’ investment if an expanded ,” water/city skyline view raises the market value of their Property, by $50,000... I'don’t know if that’ was the result in the Water Lane case. But, in keeping with Ms. Selbie MacDonald’s proposal, I think that nothing would make a wealthy axe-wielder think twice so much as the humiliation of 4 days in jail. peered ALN Sis Fai ep Prope EINET) oes HAV AI UATB DE ey | , i grein? Petor Kvarnstrom Display Manager 980-0511 (103) / Valeria Stephenson Classified Manager 889-6222 (202) MEMBER West. Van rail bridge. an. eyesore Dear Editor: - ¢ Fam writing about that ugly contraption that poses for a BC Rail overpass ‘on 31st and. Marine © Drive in West Vancouver. : ~. For years rust and grime” “have stained which, ‘being | of . vintage . Flintstone architecture to start with, forms just about the most. horrible entrance to one’ of Western Canada’s most scenic drives. * Is it asking too ‘much that the publicly’ owned railway.’ - take a power-washer, ‘and ‘a few: _ gallons’ of. paint. to transform «| this. ‘visual: pollution: into jan acceptable structure somewhat « integrated with the rest of. the community?- . Not only would, thousands of individuals’ passing under ‘this’ monstrosity every” day’ appreciate such a gesture but _ the quality of, life. within the. whole. West Vancouver: com- munity would be enhanced. Karl Peter West Vancouver Trixi Agios | .. 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