INSIDE COMMUNITY EVENTS B2 TERRACE STANDAR COMMUNITY-= The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 18, 1996 - B1 SECTION B KATHY FLORITTO The ultimate anti-theft gadget HAT WOULD YOU do to fix up the justice system? Most of us have at least a few suggestions at the ready, in the un- likely event we're ever asked how we’d change our present system of addressing crime and criminals, Those who arrive home to discover that “moving day’? occurred while they were on holiday, experience undeniable distress at the realization that not only bas their home been violated, but that while they've been enjoying one of the well-earned rewards of working all year, certain no-account, shiftless louts have been ‘‘working”’ at taking what doesn’t belong to them. : To no one’s surprise, angst is followed by fury arrest, trial and subsequent incarceration of the thieves. Just as parents who, while watching their child’s nose being ‘‘fixed” by an Emergency Room doctor, wonder why the bully who punched him/her was sent home from school for a few days’ holiday, crime victims find little sense in a system thatsimply relieves society of ‘ the criminals’ presence for a short while, but makes no demands on the crook for compensa- tion. The parent pays whatever up-chame is re- quired: at the hospital and the cost of any medication prescribed, among other things. The homcowner pays insurance premiums, pays for his television, VCR, jewelry, etc., etc. He can hardly wait to find out what next year’s premiums will be, since making the necessary claim. In the meantime, his tax bucks have paid for the capture and, in many cases, both ihe prose- cution and defence of the crdok, If the offender is given a jail sentence, the homeowner helps pay for his board and room, too. When checking his bank balance, the hapless victim knows all too well who pays for the crime. The financial consequences of car theft are an- regular increments, Our insurance premiums tell the grim story. If you've been victimized by ‘‘Midnight Auto Parts International”’ - if you’re feeling particu- larly venomous toward whichever miserable miscreants heisted the family fivver, the fol- lowing excerpt from Weekly World News just ‘might brighten your day... A researcher for a high-tech security company has developed the ultimate anti-theft device —a gizmo that traps creeps inside cars and then zaps them with a deadly dose of carbon _ monoxide. The fuily automated ‘Theft-Ender’ is already widely used in Japan and Hong Kong and has recently headed for European markets, Experts say it has nearly halted the problem of auto theft where it is used. Inventor, Motokazu Kawahata, explains, ‘the thieves don’t know which cars come equipped with this inexpensive device and which don't. They’re so afraid of it that they stop stealing cars altogether. It’s the most effective anti-theft device ever produced."' The ‘Theft-Ender’ is a smatl device designed to connect the exhaust and ignition systems of a car to its passenger compartment. When set by _ the car’s owner, it is pritned to react any time the car is started up. When a would-be thief breaks into the car and turns on the ignition, the car doors automatical- ly lock, trapping the cretin inside... Windows and doors are sealed shut and exhaust from the car's motor begins pouring into the passenger's compartment. Again, from Kawahata: “The thief cannot farn Off the motor once it's running. He’s caught like a rat in a trap, In a matter of minutes, he's dead from carbon monoxide polsoning, Since this device went on the market four months ago, the number of thefts has dropped dramatically us word about my inven- tion gets around.” | While you can't take the above article serious- ly, it’s fun to think that one day honest car and ‘home owners could have the upper hand, It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that ending thievery and putting an ‘‘end’’ to a thief aren't quile the same thing - and I doubt gee... and that fury is seldom quenched by the mere - other addition to our ‘cost of living’ that rises in any one of us would approve of the latter, but - NW music scene busts loose YEAH, WE'RE 14 hours north of Vancouver, and we spend an hour shovelling the drive in the morning, instead of navigating through rush hour traffic, but that doesn’t mean nothing happens here. “There’s a lot more going on here than people think,’’ says Tony deMelo. He and his employer — Sight and Sound — are the inspira- tion behind the first-ever compilation ed of northwest bands, Of the 14 bands on the cd, ten are from Terrace, two from Kitimat, one from Stewart and one from Smithers. Most people probably wouldn’t even realize there were that many bands around here, says deMelo, but he had to turn away an addi- lional five bands, “There is a scene here,”’ he says, He’s a member of local band himself — Catch 22 — and he’s watched the music scene take off over the last few years. Some of it is just kids getting involved with music at a younger age, thanks to Kurt Cobain, but it also has to do with the increase in music festivals, shows and even jam sessions in the park. But even deMelo was surprised by the response he got when he started asking for local musicians to come forward, **T was hoping for a dozen bands at best.”’ He started working with the bands at the beginning of the year, bringing them in for recording sessions at the local Polywog Studio, “It takes three to four days to mix one song,’’ says deMelo, ex- plaining the lengthy process. “At the end you don’t ever want to hear that song again.”’ By the end of this month he expects to have the master cd in his hand. That leaves two months to prepare for the ed’s release — ar- ranging cover art etc. The optimistic launch date is November, and failing that deMelo says it will be ready by Curistmas. Neer away many pairs of birds to children in order to ancourage interest. Unique THE FIRST NATIONS pro- gram at NWCC got a rous- | ing sendoff this year with a feast and a drum blessing ceremony last week. Bossy Bolton and Dennis Nyce collaborated on behalf of the Nisga’a and Tsim- shian peoples to make and decorate a drum, which they gave to the college. Four hands were painted on the drum, and they sym- bolized friendship, openness and the hope that we can all work together to atlain a goal, explained Nyce, A green circle represented the sun, to help people find their way out of darkness and uncertainty. And finally a humming- bird, depicted in the centre, symbolized intellectual and spiritual growth. We can leara something from the bird, said Nyce. **There are times we have to stop and hover, and over- look obstacles in our way,’”’ he said. Afier Nyce finished ex- plaining the drum’s design, Bolton and bis wife Helen performed a ceremony to bless the drum. Others had also brought drums to the ceremony to be blessed. OLDTIMER, named for obvious reasons, is one of Jerry Walker's favourite birds. Walker is trying to start a poultry club in Terrace, and at the Fall Fair he gave drum donated A DRUM BLESSING ceremony at the college last w tions culture, Many students brought their drums so they could join In the caremony. ee amen GUITARIST JOE YOUNG and his band The Low Budget Blues, are featured on a compilation cd of northwest bands that's due to come out before Christmas. Only 500 cd’s are being cut, so if you’re thinking about buying one for a Christmas present, don’t wait too long. There’s a wide range styles encompassed on the cd. Everything from blues to rock, alternative and punk to folk music. Some of the featured local bands include Rumor Red, Metalsum, Catch 22, and the Low Budget Blues. “‘Most homegrown cd’s are pretty lame,’” says deMelo, “but I’m really kind of psyched about this one.” For the birds IF IT’S GOT feathers and a beak and can be found in a barnyard, then chances are Jerry Walker has it. He raises chickens, pigeons, doves, quail, pheasants, geese, ducks and more on his farm in Kitimat. And he’s hoping to get adults and children in Terrace and Kitimat interested in raising a few birds of their own. Towards that end Walker sold ten breeding pairs at the recent Skeena Valley Fall Fair, and gave away another ten pairs of ducks and young birds. “It’s a habby. There’s definitely no money in it,’’ said Walker. He estimates it probably costs him more to feed the birds than what he gets when he sells them, At northwest competitions Walker often finds his birds make up half the show. He even travels to Vernon occasionally, just to take part in some bigger shows. se But there are plenty of nice birds right here in Ter- race, he said. He’s hoping that by getling children in- valved, they’ll become eager about a club. ‘In competitions birds are judged on their looks — you can even freshen their feathers.with a bath — and on their weight, quality of leathers, beaks, feet and more, At the Fall Fair recently held in Terrace, Walker’s birds flew to the top in many categories. *‘Anything that didn’t get a ribbon, goes in the stewpot tonight,’’ he joked. At his Kitimat farm he often gives youngsters a four, teaching them about the birds, and letting them pet the pygmy goats and miniature pigs living along- side the birds, “I’m here for the kids,”” he said. ‘“My grandkids love it when they come over to my place.”’ When asked why he’s interested in having the club based in Terrace, rather than Kitimat, Walker said Terrace is the natural location, due to the larger supp- ly of farm land. to college aoe re * ed First Na- eek was a highlight of a feast which celebrat