a14 Saturday, January 30, 1993 It’s that time of year when popular- ity reigns over ability, something our society places far too much emphasis on. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the an- nual National Hockey League and Na- tional Basketball Association all-star games are just around the corner, the time when stuffing ballot boxes is con- sidered an OK thing to do. There’s nothing unethical or im- moral about choosing your favorite player in front of the best player at that position, because we've all done that at one time or another ever since we were kids. It’s called the popularity contest. We got our first taste of it choosing sides for sports, then when we voted for class president, then maybe land- ing a friend a job over someone more qualified. And, last but not least, let’s not for- get the right we earn at the age of 18 — voting. How many times do we actually vote for the person best suited for the job, regardless of whether we like them or not? Not being the most politically as- tute male to walk the face of the earth, I usually end up picking the least qualified person when it comes time to mark my X. I remember the 1988 Federal elec- tion, the time I voted for the Commu- nist candidate in my riding. Knowing the kind of competition this fellow was facing, I thought I'd make his day and vote for him, despite the fict that Communists are the only thing worse than Conservatives. Well, to say my folks were less- than-impressed when I told them who I voted for would be the understate- ment of the year. I think my dad said something like “If everybody thought like you did, we'd have a Communist representing us, wouldn’t we?” I think he went back to banging his head against the wall after that. Getting back to the topic at hand, the idea of a popularity contest be- coming status quo for choosing profes- sionals for an annual classic isn’t a good one. As nice as it it sounds to see your personal favorites all on the same ice surface or basketball court, they aren’t necessarily the ones who should be there. Taking a look at the lineups for next month’s game in Montreal, one has to wonder why Boston’s Ray Bourque will start on defence for the Wales Conference while someone like Que- bec’s Steve Duchesne won't. Sure, Bourque has averaged over a point a game for 11 straight years and is destined for a spot in the Hall of Fame as one of the best to ever play the game. But when he isn’t one of the best playing the game this particular sea- son, what happened in all those years past is, at best, irrelevant. - The whole idea behind the all-star game is to showcase the league’s pre- mier players — for that season. Almost any other year, Raymond Bourque would be the logical choice to It’s time for the annual popularity contests star game in Salt Lake City. JonathanGREEN As much as O'Neal is to thank for turning the North Carolina-based Hornets into an exciting and compet- itive club (they were at .500 through 34 games) he isn’t the best centre in the conference. Fellow Floridan Rony Seikaly has been Miami's only decent player since the Heat joined the league in 1990, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the standings. And if Seikaly isn’t good enough, then all you need to do is look at Ew- be a starter, but the numbers he has put up and the way he has played this season aren’t anything to get excited over. Because of that, Steve Duchesne should be the guy filling Bourque’s skates this year. The 27-year-old Quebec-born Duch- esne has already exceeded his point total from last season, and is on tar- get to shatter the career-high 75 he scored for Los Angeles in 1989. But because Bourque supporters spent more time stuffing league ballot boxes than Duchesne’s, we once again get to see the better guy take the back seat. The NBA works the same way. In Wednesday's Vancouver Sun, Or- lando rookie Shaquille O’Neal had a healthy 155,000 vote lead on New York veteran Patrick Ewing in the bal- loting for starting centre for the East- ern Conference at next month’s all- ing. . Overlooked because of the Knicks’ lack of success in recent years, Ewing is the biggest reason why New York is sitting atop the league’s Atlantic Divi- sion. . Awin here and there coupled with a few Chicago losses means Ewing’s Knicks are ahead of mighty Michael Jordan's Bulls in the league stand- ings. Getting back to hockey, the league made a smooth marketing move when they switched to the Major League Baseball-style fan voting a few years ago, yet I don’t think this endeared themselves to too many hockey die- hards, myself included. But when the fans outnumber the die-hards, maybe it’s a move the league had to make. So, ladies and gentlemen, it ap- pears that being popular is better than being talented these days. And if you don’t believe that, just look at anything Madonna attaches her name to. @ Saturday, January 30, 1993 Nine to FIVE Your business is our business Neil Rachyski 365-7266 A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR B.C. Gas will be coughing up $250,000 to sponsor the 1993 Canada Games Volunteer Program. Since the corporation started in the B.C. Interior, it states that it’s only fitting it WorkRPLACE should play a role at the games in Kamloops this summer. About 7,000 volunteers will needed to be co-ordinated. THE NEXT AWARD GOES TO... Nominations are being taken for the 1993 Minister's Environmental Awards. The idea is to acknowledge the Weaning off the weed cent of Canadians were still addicted. Today smoking has truly become a “dying More than one Canadian in four has the op- portunity to enjoy a cash bonus of hundreds of extra dollars in 1993 — without getting a habit.” But for tho raise, working harder or winning Lotto 6/49. Those eligible‘are the 26 per cent of Canadians who are still regular smok- ers. If you're one of them, and you con- sume one pack a day, you can save $1,800 a year by putting an end to your habit. That’s a lot of money. You could en- joy a winter vacation in the, tropics, a great new wardrobe, or a fabulous new large screen stereo television for the amount you would save. And the cash rewards is not even the greatest ben- efit you'll enjoy. Your health is far more impor- tant than anything money can buy. If you can elimi- nate cigarettes from your life for only one year, your risk of heart attack starts to drop. After 10 years, your risk of a heart attack is about the same as some- one who has. never se who are still chained to the weed, the prospect of leaving tobacco behind forever can be pretty tough. The important thing to remember when striving to kick the habit - is that it can be done, es- pecially if you're prepared to learn from quitters who have been successful. Here are tips from some of them which can help you start a winning habit of non-smoking. ¢ Understand why you smoke. People smoke for many different reasons. For some it is a chemical dependency. For others, it’s a psychological depen- dency. Understanding your particular dependen- cy will help you break the habit. ° Set a date to quit. Your birthday, or the first day of your holidays. Any date — just set it and stick to it. ¢ Ask for support from friends and family. Tell them you may be irritable for a while after quitting. Also they won't be as likely to offer in mind that this will only last a short time and it is well worth it for the long term bene- fits you'll achieve. ¢ Develop a new activity to replace smok- ing. It may be walking, needlepoint, wood- carving — any activity that you can pick up and do without delay to keep your hands busy and take your mind off the cigarette craving. e If you're concerned about gaining weight, start a regular exercise program. Eat healthy low-fat snacks and drink lots of water. Develop a buddy system. If there’s some- one else in your office or family who smokes and wants to quit, encourage them to quit with you. Who better to understand what you're going through? e Don’t feel left out because you don’t smoke. Remember, as a non-smoker, you'll be part of the majority; two-thirds of Canadians do not smoke. Of those still smoking, close to 75 per cent would like to stop. Don't think you can take just one puff and not get hooked again. Nicotine is a powerful- ly addictive substance. ° Get rid of any reminders of your past life as a smoker. Remove ashtrays, lighters and matches. It'll be a lot more difficult to start up again if you don’t have your smoking para- phernalia within reach. List all of the reasons why you want to quit smoking and post reminders around your home and workplace. Make some special plans for all the money you'll save by not smoking. Think about how good you're going to look and feel. Reminding yourself of the benefit you'll achieve will help keep you mo- tivated. smoked. You'll also enjoy better odds against lung cancer. The number of regular smokers has de- clined dramatically from 1966 when 41 per contributions British Columbians have made to Locals sit on opposite benches when they meet up in New York Jonathan Green SPORTS REPORTER ¢ If you don’t make it this time, don’t give up. Pick another special day and give yourself another chance. you a cigarette and provide temptation. If you experience some mental and phys- thought he’d played his final game in the Garden 12 points this year, eight in his last nine games. ical discomfort after quitting, be patient. Keep State. Castlegar was well represented at the Nassau Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N-Y., Tuesday night. Suiting up for the host Islanders was 22-year-old National Hockey League rookie Travis Green, while 29-year-old veteran Claude Vilgrain wore the visit- ing red of the New Jersey Devils. The game marked the first time two locals had met in an NHL game, and it was a big night for both. For Vilgrain, it was his 1992-93 debut after spending the first half of the sea- son in the minors. A key performer for the Devils last year, Vilgrain said he was glad to be back, albeit a little shocked. “To tell you the truth, I’m surprised to be back, ” he said from the team’s hotel in Bloomington, Minn., Thursday, “but they've got a lot of injuries.” Vilgrain said after being demoted to not only New Jersey's farm team in Utica, N.Y. earlier this year but to the independent Cincinnati Cyclones, he Boston for a game that night. Claude Viigrain “It feels good to be back,” he said. “It feels good to travel on planes again and I don’t have to carry my own hockey bag.” But as nice as those perks are, Vilgrain realizes they're probably for a limit- ed time. Once the Devils are healthy again, he expects to be back on the farm so he’s enjoying it while it lasts. “It’s kind of a day-to-day asis, so I’m going to make the best of it,” he said. goal of the year in the 8-2 win. But when the big club phoned Friday, he board- ed a plane first thing Saturday to meet the team in “I don't know what it is,” he said. “I think it’s just feeling comfortable more and more every day. “Things are going well.” Skating on ‘The Kid Line’ with Brad Dalgarno Over with the Islanders, Green scored his fifth Reached Wednesday at the team’s hotel in Pitts- burgh, Green said he thinks fitting in gradually has been the key to the success that has seen him score Travis Green and Marty McInnis, Green said the combined 166 games of NHL experience between the three doesn’t show come game time. He said each does his own thing on the ice, and the result is points for both the players and the team. “Dalgarno, he gets in there and crashes and Marty and I roll in for the loose pucks,” he said. Heading into Thursday's game against the league-leading Penguins, the Islanders were just two points back of fourth place New Jersey and four back of their cross-town enemy Rangers for third spot. As nice as it is to beat their area rivals, Green said the team has its’ sights set on moving up, re- gardless of who they climb over in the process. “Every game’s a big game from here on in,” he said. “I don’t think it matters who we pass.” SeSeS$eS$e$eS$e$e¢$C$C$eSeses Lf OCKE SESESeSeSeSeS$Se$ES$EC$eS$e$e$SeSesSesese preserving the environment. The categories range from individuals and youth groups to municipalities and business. The awards will be handed out in June. Fora nomination form call 1-800-667- 4321. LOOKING _ABROAD_ International Development Week kicks off on Monday. Province-wide activities are geared to give the public an insight on the role Canadians have on global issues. ° I think the last time I got into fights in the sandbox I was about six years old. Without fail, those tiffs dwelled on who got to use the biggest pail to build the biggest sandcastle. But I’m an adult now and that’s all behind me. I wish the same could be said about the B.C. Hydro-West Kootenay Power brouhaha. These two utility titans have been scrapping all through January over a proposed rate increase. The sandbox they’re playing in is the West Kootenay and Okanagan — water resource hub for the province. What we have here is one kid that doesn’t want to share his bucket with the other kid. B.C. Hydro wants WKP to g6é and get its own pail. Shouting back and forth at each other, these two have run off to mom — the B.C. Utilities Commission —to settle the argument. I’m sure this little spat is doing wonders to justify B.C. Hydro. As long as there’s Bi the public relations jobs at itd cat = — a The Bottom Line NeiiIRACHYNSKI corporate conflict there’s PR. “Hello, damage control? The numbers game isn’t working. Send up a bucket of mud.” I didn’t have a problem when the two sides stuck to what they claim are the facts. When this proposed rate increase first came up it was a matter of cold hard numbers. Granted, the figures from B.C. Hydro and WKP are polar opposites, but at least there was an effort to stick to the real issue of money. B.C. Hydro says their increase would cost a typical home-owner an extra 20 cents a month, while WKP claims it to be more like $10. To be honest, I don’t care. What’s an extra $10 for electricity compared to the heinous rate hikes ICBC has maligned us with. Just another day in the province’s Big Ledger. Like I said, B.C. Hydro wants WKP to go find its own bucket. In other words, to go develop its own resources and quit sponging off B.C. Hydro’s system. It’s not like we're bleeding the Crown corporation of its power. WKP only buys 10 per cent of all its electricity from B.C. Hydro. This opens up arguments about who is really subsidizing who, if at all. B.C. Hydro is pretty quick to accuse WKP of robbing local residents in order to fill the pockets of its Missouri-based owner UtiliCorp. Of course, there’s no mention of the American intravenous tube B.C. Hydro-WKP war reduced to juvenile antics B.C. Hydro has put in our rivers. It’s called the Columbia River Treaty. Ironically, B.C. Hydro has said that all sorts of irrelevant arguments will be put forth when people get their chance to speak against the proposed rate hike; arguments that say its high time B.C. Hydro payed property taxes here, and that the real problem is the treaty. Stick to the facts, B.C. Hydro says, West Kootenay residents are simply WKP’s scapegoats for the real evil, UtiliCorp. Not so, says WEP, the people of this area are hostages to B.C. Hydro’s ransom. The talk has gone from facts and figures to a sort of cerebral ex-lax. A whole bottle of Maalox couldn’t plug this verbal diarrhea. The best thing to come from all of this? Both sides have made a gentlemen’s agreement not to bicker through the media anymore. Thank you, kids, now go out and play nice.