It’s always nice to see the
occupants of. the doghouse
getting a break.

Three
pants, as far as the media are
- concerned, are television,

long-time occu-

multinatioinal corporations
and the modern world in
general. A disaster area,
each one of them, if we
believe most of what we read
and hear.

Not necessarily So, Says an
American scientist, John
Platt, who gave a talk here
last week sponsored by UBC
as part of its Habitat-related
feature series. On the con-
trary, television and. multi-
national corporations may be
just what the doctor ordered
for humanity to survive.

The good Dr. Platt, assoc-.
‘jate director of Michigan’s
- Mental Health Research
Institute-says the world will
know by. 1989 whether it’s
going to make it or not. And
if we do manage to get

through the next 13 years, he ~

thinks we are in for a bright
future.

Despite his cautious op-
timism, however, Dr. Platt

does not feel that ‘getting

there is going to be half the:

fun.

He sees the. growth of

population and technology—

. galloping ahead since 1945—

now approaching a point on

the growth rate curve where |

it will either level off or drop
disastrously. In the latter
case we would presumably.
wind up in due course as a
diminishing race of poverty-
stricken geriatrics. :

‘Nuclear terrorism—if not.
is the .

nuclear holocaust’’
next little hurdle predicted
by Dr. Piatt. Within the next
three years he thinks a
‘*Hiroshima-type’’ bomb will
be exploded by terrorists.

_ We'll either be destroyed by
this terrorism in short order, -
.or it will knock enough sense .

into our collective heads for

us at last to establish
- universal nuclear  safe-
guards.

Finally, he forecasts;

within the next couple of

. decades, the starvation of 10 |
‘to 50 million people within a: -.

single year

(a ‘‘*mega-
famine,”’

he calls it) — not

because of a food: ‘shortage:

. but because of a shortage of
_ foolproof methods for getting

it to the mouths that need it.

And now for the. cheery
news from Dr. Platt.

‘Television - and multinat-
ional ‘corporations, he says,
are two forces that can
counterbalance the looming
catastrophes by drawing the
world closer together.

Television can do it by

linking people together ‘‘like
- brain cells’’ through shared

experiences and emotions.

This Way the human race

PE TER

0 IN ASSIGNM

eventually becomes one big

‘ family responding to any ©

problem as a single family ~
unit. .

Ditto with” the multinat-
ionals, which link the world

The next step her urges, is
multinational ecology groups.
and labor movements. ~

‘Thank you, Dr. Platt, for
your light at the end of the

tunnel. We'll check with you

again (hopefully!) in 1989.
Meanwhile, it’s good to know
that Exxon, IT&T, Kojak and

_ Hawaii Five-O are part of the

solution, not part of the
problem. Just shows how
unfair one. can get.
* & & .
Three weeks ago _ this

column suggested that reg-.

‘ular commuters on B.C.
Ferries should be given some

_ relief from the -100-per cent
’ fare hikes that came into

force. yesterday, by being
allowed to buy blocks of
tickets. at a discount.

"Last week Transport Min-
ister Jack Davis relented,

SPECK |

ENT

though: only in part. He
‘announced a complicated
system of reduced commuter

-fares on short runs (e.g.,

between the Gulf Islands and
' Vancouver Island, and bet-
‘ween Horseshoe Bay and the

Sunshine Coast).

together. by. trade networks. :

against the new one—time
fare of $10. A discount book
of 10 passenger tickets on the
same run will cost $20 as
against the new one-time
fare of $4. —

The books are good only
for a month at a time. If you
don’t use all your tickets in
that period, there’s no
refund. And you can’t give
‘unused car. tickets to a
friend, because they enter
your licence number in the
book. a

Also, of course, the minis-
ter’s ‘‘think-again’”’ still does
nothing for the hundreds of.
business people who have to
make frequent trips between
the Mainland and Vancouver
Island. These are the ferry
patrons,
who usually need their own
transportation at the other
end, in order to make the
most efficient use of their
time.

. Well, as
money by leaving their car
behind and taking a bicycle.

.. Meanwhile, it’s beginning to

look as though Victoria does
sometimes listen—even if
it’s only with one ear.

= «=

Despite those. notices
showing a set of fingerprints

and warning you that. it’s no glass..

_ For example, a discount. ;
book of 10 car tickets~
between. Hosseshoe Bay and 7
‘Langdale will cost $50" as. the ‘case ‘of . small,

_above all others, .

I mentioned
earlier, they can always save -

“way to* make: your “mark: in:

life, shoplifting continues ‘to -
be a: very.real problem. for —
many — stores, especially in
easily
concealed. items « of “mer-
chandise.

Store ' ‘thieves, of coutse,.

come in_all sizes, sexes and

ages, but they” certainly -
include a fair percentage of -
teens and - even’ sub-teens.
Their- fingers: seem ..to . be-.:

come particularly itchy at

times like Christmas, Easter,
Mother’s Day, Father's Py
and Halioween..

A merchant in | Owen
Sound, Ontario, has hit upon
one interesting idea for
nipping the habit in the bud |

7 by setting ‘Parents. ‘into > the

Being quite certain in her
own mind that children had
stolen a number of items ‘for
Mother’s .Day gifts, -.she
placed an ad in the’ local
paper informing parents. of
the articles that had been
taken. Not,.she added; :for —
the purpose of having the: .
articles _returned,« but. to
encourage parents. te.-teach

their children that stealing is’ |

wrong. vo
_ It might just be an. idea _
whose moment: has artived.’. _

ee

" Upsidedown’ ~ ‘proverbs: 0

People who .. live’ in - storie. aa
» throw a

houses — -Shouldn’t- .

LETTERS TO THE ED-
FTOR are welcomed and
we like to publish as many
as space permits cach
week. This is your own
community newspaper
and we value your contri-
butions on whatever sub-—
-| Jetts are .of concern to

you.

In order that we may
reflect as. many view-
points 2s possible, it. is
helpful if letters are kept
reasonably short. We
reserve the Hght to edit
them ‘for length, clarity,
legality and taste.

All letters must be signed
and Include the writer's |
address. We will withhold
your mame or. uso a
pseudonym if you wish,

street ecs are
not normally published.

ers Mikey tonaciala env.
VIM GHA
Circulation: 46,000

"| Founded in 1069 as an
community newspaper, the

Nows Is. published weokly, and distributed tT
to every door on the Nortly Shore. It Is a

registered nowepsaper under Part
Schedule (Il, Paragraph: m of the Customs.

and Exolsd Act.

Olfice
Clasallied «
Clreutation

6B. C. mainland’ a largest waokly newspaper

* geo-osts 1
980-2464,
, 086-1 337

| Thanks forsuccess

I wish to thank everyone *
who made the 1976 Conquer
‘Cancer Campaign a success:
A total of $40,000 was raised, '
an incréase from last year.

Special
zens to. students;

to the paper for publicity; to

“Mr. Phillips for organizing

the apartment canvass; and
to my. very competent treas-

urer, June Galdstone. i

Joy M.. Shakespeare, .
Campaign Chairman,
North Vancouver.

Purse retuned _

Through.- your. paper. 1
would like to saya-special _
“thank you’ to the man who °
_ found my purse: on a West

‘ediviaion of north share free preee Itc. o

| Nowe Editor.

Advertising Mansi

; Stafl: Heather. Andrews,
"¥vonne. Chapman, Carolyn Coleclough, Helen
Dickey,” Linda Douglas, Paula: Ford, . Linda
‘Green, Wendy Green, Carol Halstosd, Barbera:
' Haywood, Randy :Hillhouse,, Bornt Hilliard, ,
Jennie Johnson, Torry: id hnson, |
 Keon,: ‘Mike. Keon, Botay. Knight, Ann: Kofod, |.
' Guillermo Lani, Joyce’ Lawry, Marna, Lolron,..-}.

toy

Independent,
North Shore

, Joyce Fraser.

‘commend .. the |

thanks to ‘the
_canvassers, who come in all.
categories, from senior citi-
to the.
* apartment owners and. man-
agers for their cooperation;

7 Pubiisher
Assistant Publisher | ~
_ Managing Editor
'. Ploture Gditor. --

Vancouver. street and retur-
~ ned it:-to the R.C.M.P. office.“ ©
. in North: Vancouver. .

It was , greatly appreciated.

~~,

North Vancouver” - ‘

Nurses carry load |

- As a recent: patient: in
Lions. Gate Hospital during
‘the «hospital
strike, I. should. like to
“ registered
nurses for: ‘the ‘tremendous

way in which they managed .
to maintain. not.:only the ©
standards. . ‘of health. and’ .
hygiene, but-also the morale ;

of the patients.

a.

Their work load’ was ae
‘heavy .one, and: schedules —

became almost impossible to
Stick to, yet they: rose to the

challenge with-renewed vig- —

our and energy and a sense

_of humour which made it all.
seem less of.a crisis to those
around. them. Most partic- >

ularly I would like to convey

my thanks td all the nurses

on the third floor west.

Christina Banks. ,
235 East 20th. St.
: North Vancouver; . en

~~. Poler Speck

_ Rex Weyloer:

Noel Wright |

-Ellaworth Dickson
*, Guillermo Lam

Bob Graham

pasitamn Cardie,

Barbara:

_, 2), Madeleine Leroy, Faye McCrae, Jesale Marka,
oo 2 |e Qarline Mason, ‘Jill Ploss,’ Mauréon Roach,:.

1 Loigh Aqne. Slym,,, Sylvia /Sorenson,: Elona.
|. Stewart, Bam: ‘Btewar}, ‘Alan: Twigg -Olale
Mandal,’ Kate Wallace, ‘Allison ieee ae

employees’ :

“steel- boxes.”

- horses.’

" True,
_ incident. But every company
‘move seems to bring on a
damage bill of some sort. A

- It is a mystery’ to me why

big companies still insist on
‘transferring people from city

to city, country to country.

‘ You'd think they would have

learned by now that it
doesn’t make any sense. You
just. have to look at my.
brother-in-law 1 to know that.

Here was this < bright young |

man in Montreal, well suited
for the bigger job in Ottawa.

It was to be.a simple move |

from.:a simple suburban
house. First he agreed to go
if all expenses were paid,

_then he.: showed them. his

pets: two: computers. .Huge

refrigerators.

+ al

_“If1 go, they go,”” he said.

“And so they did. I took two

days, four men’ and. the

* dismantling of one brick wall

’,to get them out (don’t ask me_
_. how they got in there-in the
*. first place). The van became
~ lost on: the way to his new
,farm near ‘Ottawa.
‘computers were finally. un-

The
loaded: at midnight in a

rainstorm: and sank gently
' into six inches of mud. Heavy. °
- construction equipment was
. brought in to finish the job

“All in all, brother-in-law

|’ was a financial nightmare for
his company. ;

that's just one

$14" lamp: with a scratch’

; | becomes a $140 Spanish
antique.

‘Bigger > than |
‘Heavier -than.

NS ;

iia syed hth
: 3S : SS °

An article by Laird O’Brien

in Legion Magazine.

Even more frightening are
the emotional upheavals.

Some \ women cannot bear
to leave Harry the butcher or
the Grade‘ 1 teacher or
mother or their favorite
magnolia — bush. They

shouldn't even try. I recail.

one friend who, after three
months in her new city, still
had the empty packing boxes
stacked. in, every room. Her
daily ‘question was, ‘‘When
are we going home?”’

.

oa

On the other hand there is
that rare woman who, upon
hearing her husband singing
a German drinking song in
the shower, will immediately

‘put the house on the market’
and start packing for- Europe. °

(Men who have such wives
should never sing .).

Pets can be a problem too.

~ When one family went to
Australia, their collie took a
side trip to England for a
six-month health quarantine.
The big man was unable to
function in his new job until
the dog finally arrived by jet.

A guinea pig ‘disappears
on its way to anywhere. A pet
rabbit ‘has a litter the night
before
for Halifax.
cancelled because
doesn't want to go.”

move is
‘the “og

the family ships out

By. far the: greatest. prob- :
lem, . however,

do you persuade a girl: from m :
Alabama that _ Calgary
January i is fun? -

lf you’ ve. “always |

unnerving to wake up in: Dor ©”
Mills with mops .and, pails’ —
and _toilet-bowl. cleanser. If |

you enjoy. cooking’ for. your: -

husband, it’s a ‘jolt to be .in.
Singapore with a servant. who:

threatens to quit ‘if’ you. 80, 7

much as boil -water.: If you’ve
grown up in Montreal with
central heating, it’s a shock
to sit down ori - an‘ ice-like .
Australian toilet” Seat at’ 7 7

' am.

=

‘I suppose. some moves: ‘do: -
-work out happily for‘all;. but |

they seem 'to be few and: far. ~

between. .And 1 never! hear oo
about them.. ta hn

At the. ‘moment,’ “my .
brother-in-law ‘is. sitting. on :.:

‘his 230 acres with one. wwife,:

two kids, one dog-~and: the
computers, Now. if. I were:

running his company; Te
would leave - him: . there.
forever. If - necessary; . I'd ~
build my plant around him on

_ those 230 acres. I's * bound: fo
» be: simpler. ity! ;
+ us te ‘@ wf

is culture —
Shock. How do. you teach a’
_ man from Vancouver to love.
the Toronto Argonauts? How~ ~

had
servants in “South, Africa; it’s '