MAIL Box: Don’t sell eggs for a living Dear Editor: Allow me as a simpleton explain to Rudolf Mare! (let ter to the editor, Dec. 26) how to count. I learned at ‘my mother’s knee. He should now start that part of his edu- cation. He is right to say that the first millennium started at 0 hours, 0 seconds and 0 min- utes. So far so good. Burt, when that first nano second occurred it was the start of _ year I. It was the first year of the first millennium or AD 1. It was completed on Dec. 31 and ushered in year AD 2. Mr. Marek must understand that there was no year 0 — there couldn't be because 0 denotes * nothing, no quantity at all. ['m not quite sure how a :man who seems. reasonably intelligent could tak of set- ting odometers at 1, clucks at 3:00 and celebrating first anniversaries in the maternity ward. Odometers, clocks, tape measures and lives start at a point called 0 which is the line dividing plus from minus. Look at that odometer again, Mr. Marek. It is set at point 0 and the moment you depress the accelerator it starts not into kiloracter 0 but kilometer 1. Look at your thermometer — there is no O degree but simply a line called zero which separates +1 from -1. The minute you inch up the ther- mometer you are in degree 1. For Mr. Marek and other, dare I say simpletons like him, . to be right there must have been a year 0 which of course there was not. Such a thing would be a mathematical absurdity. 1 think the mistake comes in understanding what the calendar year means, Last Jan. 1 we started the year 1999... we were in our 1999th year which will end at midnight this Friday. The calendar change will therefore change us to our 2000th year. In short, we will be 1,999-years- old on Friday and 2,000- years-old in a year’s time. Finally, if Mr. Marek and others still have trouble, take a $20 bill co the bank and break it into pennies, chop them into 365 little bits with 366 for every fourth one... and start counting, each bit denoting a day, each penny representing a year. When he has counted the last bit of the 20600tk penny then and then only will he have $20. If Mr. Marek starts count- ing 0, 1, 2 etc., I hope he doesn’t sell eggs for a living because all his customers would ever get is 11 eggs. Rafe Mair -North Vancouver www.rafeonline.com 2 Windsor principal supported Deg editor Teens charged for . ~ “threat, Sunday, Dec: ec. 19. Perhaps " a “rare occurrence,” but nonetheless it should never have happened. : As your article continues, it : becomes apparent “rare occurrences” throughout the district shave also taken ace, \ eis upsetting to the major-: ty of parents that this high behaviour exists in our schools, . however, it is'a situation that : ot be denied or ignored. always, these‘ acts of vio- : “lence are pen ated by only a - - individuals. ‘For ‘some xplained | reasou, , these ig, Me ve a Ha ‘to * innidane and threatens) oe 4a parent. of a: ‘student onception § that once; their that other - : parents and and the community should be most involved. (Of course your average teenager will tell you ifferently and it is hard to draw. that fine line perwesn ging on and letting go When we fait to take a proac- tive. stance t violence, then the roub le begins and we soon lose the battle. — Dave Pearce is a dedicated, _responsible and caring high- school | principal. His “zero tol- .erance” for violence has pro- duced a marked decrease in the unacceptable. behaviour pre- sent within our school and his actions should be commended. To Dave and his family, the students of Windsor secondary are deeply saddened and shocked to hear of this atrocity and we wish to thank you for being ae a “no-nonsense” type of gu On Monday, Jan. a0, at 7:30 p.m., the Windsor Parent Advisory Council will host a special informational meeting, including members of the North Vancouver RCMP and ° members of the Safe Schools Committee. would like to. extend this invitation to all par- ents and students, For more information Please ¢ call 903- - 3700. Sue Parker “Windsor Parent Advisory Committee : Upholetery stains . @ Molds, _ &Flood/ ee odor water damage. B. “Even ou mothers f Oh ‘think we're the bese in JM ethe world!” vy Friday, December 31, 1999 —- North Shore News - 9 |/north Shore fj | 1139 Lonsdale Avenue We're inviting everyone on fist nig ht onthe North Shore and win arelaxing weekend break, at _ fabulous Clam Bay Farm for your family. nd have yeur photograplis included in our - - pictorial Photo Finish which runs January 16. ALL You HAVE To DO: : ‘ 2) Buy film with the coupons below 2) Havea great party - - 3). Take a fabulous photograph | 4) Drop it off at the North Shore News by January | 5) Complote a détails sheet at the office 6): Look out for the pictorial on naar) 16 ‘to see if you Wate | FREE’ Sine et le S08 i Ts roe north store Peal eect news i (iit to faery 30,1850 ae a ee c= awe Z| or ms eit aia ‘oa ‘SA $9.88 39-minute procossing and recelve 489 5.0.M * $5.78 Sameday processing and recelve 240 s. 5.0, MM. Points: pa 88 Fourday processi