—-MAIL BO Party-crashers a bunch Dear Editor: On Jan. 14, our son, who is a Grade 10 student at Seycove secondary school, was allowed to ceiebrate his L6th birthday party with his friends and without his parents. He had been planning the evening care- fully by decidiag on music, snacks and a guest list. We knew most of the kids since elementary schuo! and know them to be smart. honour-roll students from geod homes. We alsa. warned him about the “what its. What if other high school students find out about it, and what to do in case uninvited people showed up. Well ... they did, loaded with beer, cigarettes and marijuana! About 15 of them, boys and girls. They kicked our house plants across the patio, compost was strewn over the backyard, plants were dumped out of the kitchen window, girls went to the upstairs bath- room and randomly tossed evervthing outside: tootn- brash holders, shampoo bottles and wall ornaments, the shower curtain was spped off. One of the girls managed to slam the front door in the face of my son and one of the police officers and lock it, aot having the state of mind that my son may have a key in his pocket and was abie ie open it again immediately. It took them, in all, less than one hour, from 10:30 to 11:30 pm. to rampage through our house hke a bunch of thugs, scaring our son and his friends. They were told to leave; they turned down the music, but to no avail. They called 9-1-2. The police came, took charge and threw them out. Most of my son's frienas went home, 2s instructed by the police and some stayed behind helping with the clean up. There was asad aunosphere when we arrived home at midnight. if tthe While we cleaned the heuse throughout the night and the next dav it became clear to me what sort of individuals these gate crashers/home invaders are. @ They don’t know the meaning of the word “respect.” @ Thev have alot of money?) and older-looking faces {goatees) to be able to buy beer and cigareties. B Thev have “high connections” to obtain marijuana. B Thev don’t care about driving while impaired. @ They now have a police record. I would like to tell them to turn their lives around while they still have a chance and work for their high- school diploma. Our thanks to ine police officers on duty that night for the way they handled the situation. Irene Attwood North Vancouver Evergreen care is geod Canada: don’t follow U.S. lead in drug war Dear Editor: So News columnist Leo Knight is concerned about organized crime in Canada and wants to get at their cash to shut the criminals down. And he praises U.S.A.’s efforts. -Contrary to what Mr. Knight might believe, Canada is not seen as a joke. However, if Canada were to follow the U.S.A.’s lead and adopt a zero tolerance approach to organized crime, I for one will have a hearty laugh at Canada’s expense. Decades of drug prohibi- tion have helped criminal groups flourish down south, By limiting supply of illicit drugs while demand remains constant, U.S. government efforts to combat drugs amount to price supports for organized crime. Want to take the profit out of organized crime? Then take a good look at the U.S.A.’s disastrous experi- ence with alcohol prohibition. Once _ prohibition — ended, criminals lost a huge source of income, liquor prodticers stopped killing each in turf battles = and. = consumers stopped going blind trom drinking bathtub gin. End - ALTARA drug prohibition and the Helis Angels would be put out of business over night. Simply legalizing marijua- na would go a long way towards taking the profit out of organized crime. It would also remove the most widely used illicit drug from = the criminal distribution networks that sell harder driegs, thereby reducing the exposure of Canadians to the truly deadly drugs. Given the allegedly popu- lar support for lezal cannabis in B.C., legaiizing relativety benign marijuana should be politically viable. Here in the U.S.A. we don’t have that option, The drug war indus- Do you really know what's going on in the District?! Visit Ernie's Website www.yaurpolilician.com/criste trial complex has replaced the military industrial complex of cold war fame. We've got too many people riding the drug war gravy train for it to end any Ume soon. Den’t look to the U.S.A. jor answers. We've got the highest incarceration rate in the world, spend billions in tax dollars annually while slowiy eliminating civil rights, yet it’s still easier for kids to buy illegal drugs than state- regulated aleohal. Canada would be wise to do exactly the opposite of its self- described “tough on drugs” neighbour. Robert Sharpe Washington, D.C. Dear Editor: Evergreen House staff and the residents capable of understanding the printed word are most) concerned with the lead article in the Sunday, Dec. 26, North Shore News (Lions Gate nursing duties questioned). We believe that the author of this article, Anna-Louise Pendand, did nor undertake research on the activities of the professional statt or look at the job description describ- ing the work cach must do. True, only an RN can dis- pense medication, but also she cares for medicinal dressings, gives the oxygen as needed, carries out the orders of the doctor, reports to the doctor about changes or needs of the resident and each cay as required by protocol makes a written report of cach of the residents for whom she is responsible SECURITIES INC. -~ North Shore Branch - We are an IDA (investment Dealer's Association) member firm specializing in a blue chip approach to investing. Call us for superior financial advice from a full service securities broker. AT -ALTARA SECLRITIES Lee, ROGER LATTA, crP, CLU,CHLF.C. MARC LATTA, FINANCIAL ADVISOR JORDAN KENNA, B.A., CFP 480 -171 West Esplanade North Vancouver, B.C., V7M 359 Tel: (604) 984-2235 Fax: (604) 984-6335 Toll free: 877-984-2235 The article may have creat- ed a negative opinion as to the care we receive. The residents council, representative of the residents, are sure that we receive loving and attentive care by each member of the professional staff be they reg- istered nurse, care-aide, phys- iotherapist, occupational ther- apist or activity worker. You will note that we are residents not patients. This is our home until some higher authority will call us else- where. May we emphasize that we get good care in Evergreen, William B. Fromsor. Chairmar. Resident Council Asx Davip Expert Advice on Carpet Cleaning Why are you able . ty remove some g stains while others § become permanent? Many common spills rag will permanently ataln certain fibers. Net urine Mains are it very commen eccurrence, ard can lead to G permanent discoloration. ¥ The uiscoluration may be f visible before cleaning or & become evident during of §- after the cleaning process. Spills of coffce. tea, cola and other drinks can also cause B permanent stains, especially, § on wool, some nylons, cotton and silk, Even “stain resis- tant” nylon carpets can be 2 permanently stained by HOT coflve of HOT tea, and other A common foods (mustard, houschold chemteals {bleach} or medicines (acne f f creams} which cause fight- Bening er color changes on 9. textile furnishings. The § longer stains remain, the Bmore permanent they # become. Unfortunately. not all stains can or will come § B out. even with ste best pro- fessiona! stain remover. To ensure (he best chance of removal, call your profes- B sional cleaner (mmediately. © Uphoistery, stains * Molds. mildew odor B * “lood/water damage —_— ~Residentia ‘ i ye