’ page 6 - December 29, 1976 - North Shere News ee a nn he tL a Futurology is the big growth nowadays, and it hits a peak every New Year, when pundits by the thousand rush into print to give us their predictions of what is in store for us during the next 12 months. As the Irishman said, **It’s all lies, and the worst of it is that half of them are true.”’ Nationally, nothing will change very much. Pierre Trudeau will still be prime minister next December and will still refuse to read the newspapers. For the minor- ity of peasants who do, he will hold a 15-minute press conference once a year. Canada will still be in one piece. Rene Levesque will continue to smoke tco many cigarettes. Work on the separatist referendum will be held up pending the outcome of negotiations for selling Montreal's Olympic Stadium to Saudi Arabia In the interests of efficien- cy Transport Minister Otto Lang will use part of his departmental budget to buy a Concorde. Dear Editor: Through your columns, I would like to extend sincere thanks from all of us at the B.C. Division, Canadian _ Arthritis and Rheumatism Society, and our volwatcers concerned with the care of the arthritis patient, for wonderful help and support received during the year. I am requesting the privilege of doing this through =your = papcr = so readers can share in our appreciation. As you” will recall, C.A.R.S. faced = troubled times earlier this year and as a result was forced to close 10 treatment centres in B.C.. I am pleased to say that we are now in a position to consider alternate ways of bringing this necded treat- ment to patients, and in some. cases have instigated a regular travelling follow-up service which eminates from The Arthritis Centre. eouwevenvreanvreue ore eww wanes So, in the spirit of the season, I offer : you Alexander’s own copy-righted forecast for | The Post Office, complete with Joe Davidson, will be sold to a consortium of direct mail firms and debt collect- ion agencies. Greeting card shops will begin to stock carrier pigeons. Unemployment will re- main high. If it gets even higher, it will be seasonally adjusted. inflation will con- tinue to remove at least eight cents from every dollar. but the foss can always be recovered from some one else (provided you're not an old age pensioner, that is). The civil service will increase both its numbers. and its salaries. **What-goes up must never come down” is the mandarin motto. science bowed heads of the popu- lace. Dave Barrett will insist that people are more impor- tant than dollars, and may start a campaign to abolish money altogether (it's no- thing but a nuisance, any- how). Strikes and leckouts in B.C. will hit all-time records . this summer, partly because the weather will be beautiful ... Who wants to mess around indoors for subsistence-level ~ — wages when the = sun's shining? - Incidentally, the winter Penitentiary inmates will be guaranteed the minimum hourly wage, in addition to free board and lodging. They will then start working on pay differentials, based on length of service. . Moving to the local scene, Bill Bennett’s cabinet of accountants will again be devoting ali their energies to balancing the books -- on the ‘(that’s what we're having now) will be short and snappy. Spring will be spring. The early fall will be delightful (when isn't it?). October through December will be wet and sometimes white — how's that, John Paschold? But back to more serious matters. __ Attorney-General Garde Gardom’s New Year gift to the province: — year-round roadblocks — will lead-to a healthy increase in sales of vodka (‘it leaves vou breath- less*’, as the ads say). The price of vodka will rise to whatever the traffic will bear. The buyers’ market in housing will end. House prices will begin to edge upward again around June as present stocks run down. Purchasers will somehow manage to scrape the money together ... kicking them- selves for not having snap- ped up all those $70.000- $80.000 bargains they sneer- ed at on rainy Sunday afternoons in 1976. Bulging grocery bags will continue to flow north over the border from Blaine and Bellingham. And the B.C. Lions will again wind up in the cellar (it’s something to do with the climate here). Closer to home North Van City Mayor Tom Reid will pull strings to have Alder. | man Stella Jo Dean. nomi- nated for the Senate. Olym- pic Hotel boss Larry Stepan- ‘ick will second the motion. Alderman Dean will buy a new broom. North Van District's new Mayor Den Bell will be named Man of the Year by the Developers Association - of B.C. Mayor Peter Jones of West Vancouver will be made a freeman of. Park Royal. And West Van Fire Chief Chand- ler will finally have to buy a - 20° ft. aluminum extension ladder from Woodwards out of his own pocket. When all these things happen. remember that you read it first in this column. If most of them don’t happen, I for one will be delighted. Whichever way it goes, a very happy New Year to you! Dear Editor: ” On December 13th around 8 p.m. Christmas lights were orn down from a tree on 20th Stréet the chap who put them 1 up not only spent time # setting them up for his a enjoyment, _ enjoyment of neighbours and ‘B with the but for the Spirit of Christmas and goodwill to all men, in mind. This chap was not the only one that- got hit, next door neighbours also had lights taken or smashed in their sockets. Why? The chap "asks: himself. And it was children who did the damage as they were seen by neighbours. Yet, although furious at the time, as in 1975 when the same thing happened, this Our independent fund- raising campaigns around B.C. have shown an overall. increase this year of 16 percent for which we are, indeed, grateful to those British Columbians who canvass on our behalf and to those who answer our re- quest for help. Research programs con- tinue in all our departments as do programs of profes- sional and public education. We do so very much appreciate the support we receive from you. Our thanks to all your staff and our wishes for a successful New Year. Roberta McLeod, Executive Director. B.C. Division, C.A.R. Ss. ec Ef chap asks why? What’s up kids? — They were strung up for your enjoyment I am still trying to understand your motive. I would hope that this letter is printed on the front page of this paper not | only for parents. but for the kids of West Vancouver because despite the trouble I have to go to in redoing the lights, I would still like to ‘wish you and yours 2. VERY MERRY. CHRISTMAS and a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. But ‘at the same time I keep. saying to myself. WHY? WHY? WHY? Kids who did the damage, could you inform me? As I am trying to understand you. Mike Murchison West Vancouver Wasting money Dear Editor: The school board, the North Shore News announces is seeking through its new budget such an increase that a tax boost for North Vancouver ratepayers is likely. Why don't they apply school tax funds to their proper uses and not, as photographically depicted in The News, to a course of bellydancing of all things, in the Night Schools? What. will they waste money on in next séasons’ curriculum... maybe a course for homosexuals? James Larkin, _ North Vancouver - Dear Editor: I would like to express my sincere appreciation to you for your promotional assis- - tance to this year’s United Way Campaign. _ BELTS, ETC. Cr Ce oe ee ce ee ir ’ The high public awareness factor of the 1976 campaign assisted substantially in rais- ing a record number of dollars to help fund the important work of 124 member agencies and their branches in the Lower Leather Goods Shop in the Ad | West Lynn Mall Handling A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF LEATHER APPAREL: LADIES HANDBAGS, LUGGAGE, TRAVEL BAGS, EVENING BAGS, BRIEF CASES, ATTACHE CASES, WALLETS, G.M. Leatherama Shop ALSO REPAIR SHOP AT YOUR SERVICE YOUR HANDBAGS WILL BE EXPERTLY REPAIRED. 1199 tynn Valley 986-2424 wv. van. Mainland. We estimate the final campaign returns will amount to $4,930,000. Again, my thanks for your splendid cooperation. Rebert J. Kayser, . General Campaign Chairman