Kae” The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - BI TERRACE STANDARD | INSIDE - SECTION B COMMUNITY EVENTS B2 CHARLYNN TOEWS ~ Report of the field team ate: 5/19/4012 Location: Settlement 12-A, Section 7 Team Captain Reporting: Boswell Beezlewhip Subject: Molded plastic stud-and-tube bricks at Lot 47 Site 22 Our team of four has continued to sift through the volcanic ash (up to seven fect thick) at the site. Most wooden dwellings were consumed by the superheated lava which covered the entire city in 3012 AD, as you recall. However, a number of subterranean ‘rooms ap- ing.the large and smail treasures located below ’ ground. Inhabitants of this area, white they could not have foreseen the extent of the disaster to befall them, appear to have safely stored their most pre- cious houschold belongings in these underground roams. Downstairs at our site, as elsewhere, we have found almost-intact water and air machines. The exact nature of these enamel-on-steel units is still disputed (sec "Theories of Cleansing Ceremonies among the Early Second Millennium Skeena Valley Inhabitants: An Annotated Bibliography,” Vol. 3). Also found in the subterranean chambers here are several objects we have categorized as Art. There is a two-wheeled machine that is operated ‘manually by turning or pushing one or both of two foot pedals. Even with the most vigorous excrlion, the machine does not move acrass the space, its wheels being purposefully disabled from touching the ground. The. "impractical" nature of this item, along with the "like-new" quality of gears and fix- tures convinces us the object was obtained by the inhabitanis not to be used, but to be admired. Thus it is being categorized as Art. Of course, we leave it to lhe experts at the academy to determine the va- lidity of this hypothesis after further excavations have been catalogued und cross-indexed., Obviously of great value to the inhabitants are two "Elvis on black-velvet" paintings. (Sec "The Cultural Diffusion of Elvisn among 20th Century Northern Forest Dwellers," and "Protected and Pre- cious Subterranean Treasures: Large-Eyed Balleri- nas and Clowns on Black Velvet," by Kneeper, Bell, et al.) ; But the most important valuables found at the site, al least by their sheer number and varicty, are the numerous tiny objects we are calling (after Gnu- mann and Tinker) “molded plastic stud-and-tube bricks." Gnumann and Tinker found six of these red, eight-slud bricks back in 4008, as you may recall, and excited the academy enormously by their fur- ther researches which determined said bricks could be combined in 102,981,500 different ways. This mathematical finding, along with their location below ground, led my esteemed colleagues to deter- mine the bricks were used as an elite arithmetic puzzle to stimulate the minds of the greatest think- ers of their day. However, my crew has found a total of 1,843 of these bricks! And they are not all red! There are blue ones and white ones and grey ones, as well as a handful of teal-coloured bricks that are stunning in their beauty. Neither are they all cight-studded (the familiar 2 X 4 configuration so accurately rendered by. Tinker); some have twa, four, or only one stud, Some are one-third the height of the others, which my team and I are calling “flats" or “plates.” Our field researches, primitive as they may be among the dust and debris (more printed paper with typical numerals of 5, 10, 20 and 100 were found and discarded), shows these bricks can be com- bined in an infinite number of formations. Team members have constructed buildings, robots, and several realistic spacecraft. After the wheels were found yesterday morning, we have been building all-terrain vehicles, excavators, and even ancient automobiles! Special slanted picces are being used, as I com- pose this report, to construct a "castle" following some pictogram instructions discovered in an adja- cent chamber. The “catapult uses an extremely rare piece with a hole drilled through it, which makes a "flinging" action possible. Great accuracy in hitting targets can be achieved with little prac- tice, I pause here in my reportrs a large lidded con- tainer inscribed "Yogurt" has just been found. Astounding discovery! Small humanoid figures, dozens of them, were stored in "Yogurt." Their feet interlock nicely on the bricks, their little hands can ' prasp tiny tools, there is headgear, protective gear, and some very shiny silver swords. Wol The cata- ’ pull just flung a knight right over the castle wall! Quick! Make the humanoid figures ride the quad- ruped beasts over the drawbtidge! ] must stop my report here as we continue our important work to discover the myriad uses and exact nature of these bricks. ‘Signing off, Boswell Beezlewhip Addendum: Request indefinite extension of ouz field research al Site 47 Lot 22, _ pear to have been insulated by the ash, thus protect- OMMUNITY-: Author wants bears protected AFTER FIVE years of pouring her heart into a children's book on ker- mode bears, Tess Tessier’s dream has come true. The 48-page book, en- titled, White Spirit Bear, hit local bookshelves this week. “This is a book I've worked on with my heart, Tessier said. “It comes with lots of love and car- ing and sharing.” Tessier introduces read- ers to the rare while sub- species of black bear through stunning photo- graphs and easy-to read text. The book teaches child- ren abaut where the bears live, what they eat, hows they behave and why they are white. “It’s an everyone’s book,” Tessier said. “There’s. a littl bit in there everyone will enjoy reading about.” The book will appeal. to children of all reading le- vels, with simple writing for beginners and fuller text for more experienced readers. Tessier said she wrote White Spirit Bear in order ‘to educale students on the’ importance of preserving its habitat. Although it is illegal to hunt the white bears for sport, Tessier wants to en- sure their coutinued survi- NEW BOOK: Tess Tessier will be visitin book on kermode bears. tn the book, Tessier supports an area of 262 land preserved as a conservancy for the rare white bears. g every school, store and business in the city promoting her ne ,000 hectares on Princess Royat ts- * sor es val by setting aside a pre- serve in the old-growth rainforest of Princess Royal Island, located on the northwest coast of B.C. “It's essential that we set aside some areas to protect them,” she said. “We need to give them their home.” She encourages readers to wrile to government “Awareness and cduca- lion are the keys to mak- ing our planet our home — taking care of our planet,” leaders and Premier Ujjal*. she said. Dosanjh to express interest in preserving this wilder- ness home. Tessier first became in- terested in kermade.bears in 1958 while she was liv- ing on a homestead in Rosswood, Tessier has spent the past 25 years touring the country visiting school children, teaching them! haw {to respect each other and our planet. a x: NICE BAGS: Nancy Jay and her children hold canvas bags made by mem- bers of the Terrace Breastfeeding group. The support group is selling the bags for $18 to help raise $3,000 to purchase a new electric breast pump at Mills Memorial Hospital. The canvas bags will be sold at the Farmers’ Market. New breast pump needed By PAMELA STRAKER IN CELEBRATION of its 20th anniver- sary, the Terrace breastfeeding support group is asking locals to help raise $3,000 to buy a new electric breast pump for Mills Memorial Hospital. An electronic breast pump is used to initiate or maintain the milk supply of mothers temporarily unable to put their babies to the breast. Reasons four this in- clude serious prematurity, infant iliness and numerous other early feeding chal- lenges. A heavy duty, efficient breast pump. is. considered essential equipment for all hospitals with maternity units, says Nancy Jay, member of the breastfeeding support group, The present breast feeding pump at th hospital, which was a fundraising project coordinated by the group and local physi- cians, has been used regularly by mothers since 1986. The money to-buy the original pump was taised by donations from local ser- vice clubs, members of the medical statf and individuals in the community. When the Terrace Breastfeeding Sup- port Group formally began in 1980 it was in response to the expressed needs of a subgroup of women belonging to the then active and influential Terrace Childbirth Association, In the late seventies and early eighties this-larger group was. instrumental. in working with personnel at Mills Memorial to create and fund birthing rooms with stale of the art birthing beds. For some of the women in attendance al regular meetings, a more pressing, im- mediate need was for breastfeeding infor- mation and support. In response, the Ter- race Breastfeeding Group was created, and became focussed primarily on educa- tion. That such a group would continue to meet on a monthly basis for 20 years speaks to the commitment and dedication of numerous women in this community. In the past years, Terry Walker and Denise Tuppman faithfully led the group for long stretches. Today, Nancy Jay and Cathy Vandenberg are being ably assisted by a small group of mothers to organize the monthly meetings and the anniversary activities which will culminate during National Breastfeeding week with a fami- ly dance and breast pump hospital dona- tion. To help raise the $3,000-pump, the support group is making quality canvas denim handbags, for sale at the Terrace Farmers Market, Customers can also call Nancy Jay at 635-5607 or Cathy Vandenberg al 635- 7397. It is: the Breastfeeding Group’s hope that everyone-who has been helped by its “support over the past 20 years will gener- ously contribute to this fundraising effort. cade Nathan Chapman, 2, enjoys playing in the park. Playground safety is this year's theme for national Safe Kids week May 29-June 4. Playgrounds can be hazardous AS SUMMER approaches and children begin play- ing outdoors more, parents should beware of public playground hazards, warns public health nurse Ester Brisch. Playgrounds are fun for kids, but they can be hazards too, Brisch said. Most children’s injuries occur in parks or al schaol, with them falling off equipment like slides, monkey bars and swings, Injuries include broken arms, cuts or bruises to their heads or necks. If a child can’t reach the playground equipment by herself she is too small to be playing on it. “Kids usually get injured because they’re doing more than they developmentally do,” she said. Tips for parents 1, Check children before they play * Take off drawstrings and helmets that can pet caught or tangled in the equipment and cause strangulation, Don’t let your child use skipping ropes on playground equipment 2. Check the playground * Use playground that have cedar chips, pea gravel or sand in place with your shoe ? * Check that space between steps on a slide A spaces between railings can’t trap a child’s head (smaller than 3.5 inches or larger than nine inches.) * Look for hand rails and guard rails on slides and equipment that is above the ground or have soft panels that prevent falls. Sharp edges and ex- posed nuts or bolts can pinch or cuit children. 3. Supervise the children