doug dukes it out with °90s ealth fascists and teetotallers if _ Dost. thou think, because thou art “virtuous, there shall be no more _cakes‘and ale? — Twelfth Night. "ANYONE WITH any sense oe knew it all along. And that: - ~ must include you, esteemed reader, otherwise you | wouldn’t be reading this col- /umn. ° pee “What we knew was that alcohol "can be good for you, even though ": . the health fascists try to tell you “otherwise. e, “That news has not been widely broadcast. The “no cakes and ale” -: folk are everywhere and don’t want to encourage people i in bad ways... "Can you imagine the CBC Prime - Time News starting out with the . af news that a drop of what ' you fancy. _does you good?: :.But the Suriday Telegraph has 1 si «that Sir Richard Doil, Britain’s : © ~ leading epidemiologist, declares — “that the healthiest men are non-" ~: ‘smokers drinking between 20 and Oo (29 units of alcoho! a week. ; ‘ He’ came to that conclusion after’ “studying: the habits of 13,000 doc-~ tors over a period of.13 years: And: ~ in case. you’ re wondering what a “unit” is, it is one glass of wine, ‘half a pint of | beer or.one: ‘shot of spirits.’ “How many units did! have last 7 _ week? Grey Eyes says it was a “more than 29,” on account of how my gin and tonics are not poured . for midgets. But I say there’s no point in having a G & Tif. you can’t taste the gin. oo" 5 Before these happy tidings “broke, British Health Fascist pro- ' paganda had it that the safety limit was 21 units a week for men and. ', 14 for women. But John Duffy of . Edinburgh University’s Alcohol :- ‘Research Group, says those limits “are ridiculous and arbitrary.” . . You’re no duffer, Duffy, and I >. plan to visit Edinburgh some time ‘and stand you a drink. ! . Duffy and Doll are not alone. ‘Others have come forward with the game story. “Professor Thorkild Sorenson of -j the Copenhagen Institute of ‘. Preventive Medicine has found that the mortality rate for those who drink up to 69 units a week is equal -to the rate for tectotallers. - “In other words, teetotallers are’ suffering for nothing. Serves them right. ‘The good news keeps coming . but we’ve only had squibs of it. It has made our papers, for “instance, that the French have: found that red wine imbibers have fewer heart attacks than non-red - wine imbibers. But now the British Medical ~ Journal states that four drinks in the evening reduces the risk of heart trouble. ' We are also told that, although | the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons had set the previous “recommended limit of 14/21 units, there had never becn any research showing that 14 or 21 units jwere either safe or harmful. - Which is to say that drinkers who took any notice of health fas- cism have been tricked and bam- ‘boozled. - Also in the Telegraph, under the » headline “Mud in their lies”, it was reported that there is no proven link between booze and violence. And violence has been a major weapon in the fight to persuade the innocent that liquor i isan Evil Empire. The report stated: “A study of Canadian heavy drinkers by Dr.. : _, Kai Pernanen found over-con- sumption did not lead to Eghts and “66 ...our media are stuffed with would- ' be social workers | who belong to the. ‘Health Fascism - Party and think that — such facts are dangerous: ? bar-wrecking, It was followed - . more usually by laughter, hugging and backslapping. When very, “drunk, people were not'so much « warlike as incapacitated. ” Exactly. I knew it all along. But why'do I have to read the! foreign’ press to get this kind of news — even when Canada features in it? It’s because our media are - stuffed with would-be social work-: ’ ers who belong to the Health - ". Fascism Party and think that such ” * facts are dangerous, that’s why. _It is true, of course, that some’ people who get drunk also get vio- . -lent, but it was found that most of them had records of violence . before they started drinking. It isn’t only British researchers who are moving out from under the - “booze is always bad for you” . Cloud. The American Journal of ._ Public Health says that three or —. - four drinks a day may reduce the severity of common colds. _— Eknew that all along, too. It’s just what my old dad always used _to say. For those to ‘whom all this is bad news rather than good, no one © is claiming that booze can’t be bad for you. Bottle-a-day folk are on a slippery slope. And no one jis say- ing it’s OK to drink and drive. But in fairness-to booze it must be suid that even butter can be bad for you. Swatlow a pound of the stuff and your eyes will pop out. All things in moderation. Yea, , “even unto 29 units. Or 69, if you want to live as long as a teetotaller. Cheers! Skol! Prosit! And mud -in their lies! Here’s why Tilieys are “the best shorts in the world”: * Lifetime Guarantee: They'll be replaced free should they ever wear oul. * Doable-Bum: An undetectable double seat makes them virtually _ indestructible. 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It's titled Creating a _ Shared Vision: A Framework for. - Neighbourhood Livability and Involvement and the: “recommendations are about ' working together to strengthen: ¢ a sense of community ; + public participation in decision on making ¢ ‘neighbourhood planning and ' design | ¢ safety and security i in’ neighbourhoods. It is important that you, make y your’ views and priorities known on these” recommendations since they can make a difference in your neighbourhood. Contact us fora. copy of the Interim Report, or look for a copy of the Our Neighbourhood newsletter at any library or recCentre in the District. Call 987-7131 (local . 454) or fax 984-9683. We need your response soon, so don't delay! Gin Occ acca Fars Till Endurables - | MEPHISTO] SANDALS. Superior comfort in a * {| sandal you can really. walk in. We stoc! the wortd's bast. VANCOUVER 732-4267'1) 1537. W. Broadway || NORTH VAN | 987-6426, 1194:Marine Drive ‘ 10--5:30 Monday-Saturday Sundays 12~5. urtll Sept. B.C, MAIL-ORDER /FAEE 66-PAGE CATALOGUE 1- 800- 865-4267. : sapepming meetings on the North’, aaa eran Shore.. Council will be there, to ‘listen West Vancouver Secondary S School’ 1750 Mathers Ave ue men, | Lonsdale Avenue - North Vancouver, Beginning. at 7:00 oP / These meetings ai are organized by. h Ministry of Transportation and. ‘ Highways under Choices, the Lions. 'Gate Public Involvement. Program. " Watch for more information from Choices or call 683-0360.