B6 Terrace Review — - Bus route change irks Thornhill _ by Harriett Fjaagesund Several Thornhill residents are unhappy with B.C. Transit’s new bus schedule that came into effect this summer. As of July, '. the Queensway, River Drive and Kirkaldy/Copper Mountain areas are no longer part of the conventional transit route; residents must now phone the _ Coastal Bus Lines’ office at least 15 minutes prior to the Skeena Mall departure time if they want to be picked up. Early morning calls before 8:30 are directly routed to the driver. Steve New, director of small community services, said that during upgrading of the transit system this year, it was realized that very few people in these areas actually use the bus. So they decided to try a “‘call in’’ service. New pointed out that this is only an experiment. Some of the bus drivers have expressed their concern in trying -to follow the timetable when there are no calls from the outlying areas (this time allot- -ment has been worked into the, schedule). In order to avoid ar- riving early at designated stops the driver must pull over and “wait out’? the excess time. Hilltop Grocery is one of the waiting areas, and the wait there can be as long as 20 minutes. Two drivers pointed out what ' they consider three major flaws in the system — the bus is left running during these waiting - periods, so little is saved on gas; the driver’s wages must still be paid while he/she is waiting for enough time to pass before con- tinuing on to the next stop; and * people who want to use the bus are no longer sure of exact ar- rival time or if they live in an area that most phone in, Another concern for many _ residents is whether or not they must phone the office to come | back home. The answer is no. If you live in one of the areas no longer part of the conventional transit route, simply tell the driver when you board where you want to go. There also seems to be some confusion over flag stops. There are two types of stops; desig- nated stops at a bus shelter or - bus stop sign, and flag stops (dotted lines on the map). To get picked up, tell the office where you are and wait at the nearest - designated stop. If there is no stop nearby, then simply flag the bus down. You can also flag the bus down without phoning the ’ office if the bus isin your area and there is sufficient room on - board. ' Steve New encourages people ’ to write to the Kitimat-Stikine Regional District with their con- : cerns and comments. The only way B.C. Transit has of judging _whether service is working or ' not is by what the public has to say. Address all correspondence . to: - ‘ - The Kitimat-Stikine Regional District Bob.Marcellin, Administrator #300 - 4545 Lazelle Avenue Terrace, B.C. V8G4El Wednesday, September 5, 1990 fae. oy Fae 2 Mooney Never too late School started again this week. For some of us, eagerly or reluc- tantly, it’s back to & the books. A few perhaps breathe asigh of § relief: "Not for me: those troglodyte days are finished forever." Troglodyte? — What's a troglodyte? The dictionary definition is "cave dweiler", but the term has been used to describe the reclusive lifestyle of students, particularly at exam time, who bury themselves in the books and emerge from their "caves" only to attend classes. But if we think our education is finished, are we not in a sense becoming troglodytes —- imprisoning our minds in a type of cave? Should we ever stop learning? Foolishness Essayist and naturalist Fred Schaff has made an interesting, and somewhat disturbing, observation. And he’s not alone in voicing it: George Orwell (author of 1984) "wrote that the English language becomes ugly and inaccurate when our thoughts are foolish thoughts. He also said that using empty catch-phrases and excessive words and letting well-worn expressions write — and pervert — our language for us was like anaesthetizing whole areas of our mind... To dilute or cheapen our words is to destroy parts of our mind and our morals, and also to make the world we see tum gray and barren and trite. The turning of our world into a waste may be partly a consequence — - Of poor speech, but it is not a mere figure of speech. You do not have to look far to see that the unlivable deserts of many-minds have swept across parts of the outer world we share, destroying their life and beauty for all of us. And the circle goes around: drain the variety and beauty out of a person’s living environment, poison it or pollute it, and you eventually do the same to his or her mind." Powerful words, SENIORS Are you renting? Do you need help paying your rent? You may be eligible for Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER). The SAFER program provides direct cash assistance to eligible British Columbia residents age 60 and over who rent their accommodation. On July I, 1990, che SAFER program was enhanced by increasing allowable rent ceilings for singles, couples: and sharers. If you or someone you know may be eligible for SAFER, find out more by calling: 387-4331 e 682-0391 contact the operator and ask for Zenith 2656 Victoria: Lower Mainland: Rest of Province: Or write to: SAFER _. Ministry of Social Services and Housing PO Box 2500 Victoria, BC. V8W 3Al 4 Province of British Columbia ; Ministry of Social Services and Housing ‘Ustiness a L M: ‘Montgomery, creator of Anne of Green Gables, i is reported t to “have harboured similar feelings: biographer Mollie Gillen wrote that : although Maud Montgomery “accepted the realities of ugliness in the world, she could not bring herself to portray them in her writing. Literature, to her, meant the exposition of beauty, an escape from ’ what was ail too evident and inescapable in life. Ugliness, she - recognized full well, but was it necessary to fasten one’s eyes on it to the exclusion of all else?" Was it necessary to describe "a latrine... meticulously and leave nothing else in the picture"? What about the garden in. the foreground, the blue sky overhead, velvety pines @ behind, and misty hills stretching beyond — all just as real, and just as visible. A "growing uglification of literature" dismayed her. What about the “uglification" of spoken English? Most of us are guilty of this. I met a group of exchange students not Jong ago while travelling on the train from Prince George. They were from South America, touring the province. And they spoke English beautifully, flawlessly. fi But their imitation of how we Canadians speak our native tongue made me feel very ashamed. It was a perfect imitation of Bob and Doug Mackenzie, Do we really sound like that when we: talk? Visi- tors hear us speak. Is that really what they hear? . Never too late The English language is expressive, rich, full, and varied. Accord- ing to some of its respecters it has become ugly, inaccurate, empty, perverted, and like the rest of what mankind touches — polluted. - What can we do about it? Does that mean we should rush up to ; the college and sign up for a course? We could. Northwest Community College has a lot to offer. But, that may not be the answer for all of us. Mental environment ‘ Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines troglodyte as "one who creeps into holes" or — "anyone who lives in a primitive, low, or - degenerate fashion". What is important is that we do not close up our minds. We can’t . allow ourselves to become mental troglodytes. i We are never too old, it is never too late, to learn, to grow as ; human beings, to improve on what we have been given, to clean up our mental environment, and, if we are in it, fo venture out of the cave... WILL TENDER ASSETS BY FORCED PUBLIC AUCTION TO SATISFY DEFAULTED PAYMENTS TO GOVERNMENT INSTRUMENTALITIES AND MAJOR CANADIAN BANK CREDITORS CANADA CUSTOMS CLEARED HANDMADE, HAND KNOTTED DESCRIPTION RATED HIGHEST INVESTMENT CATEGORIES SILK AND WOOL CARPETS: PERSIAN Rated High Value: $100 to $100,000 Afghanistan, Turkish, China, Asian, etc. 64 Bales consists of Kashan, Tabriz, Jaipur, Sarook, Belough, Nain, Quon, etc. 100's MORE! @ Solid with no liens or encumbrances or outstanding charges. 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