SSN),

Castlégar News

(sAEDARER OF THE B.C. PRESS COUNCH,

ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7, 1947 CE WEEKLY MAY 4. 1900
INCORPORATING THE MIO-WEEK MIAROM PUBLISHED SAIPEMBER 12,1978. AUGUST 27, 1900

LV, CAMPOFLL — PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7, 1947 FEBRUARY 15, 1979

PUBLISHER — Burt Compbel!

veel — Ron Norman
— Peter Hervey
Aovenaing MANAGER

in
CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather Hadley

‘ony produced by C
ded, however, thet copy

‘iemen irom repro prools, engravings. etc. pr:
shall remain in and belong to the advertiser

Graduation time

Graduate. The Webster dictionary defines it as “o holder of an
academic degree or diploma.”

Yesterday nearly 175 students emerged from Stanley Humphries
secondary school as “graduates.” But somehow the definition given
above falls short of adequately describing these students.

Indeed, they are holders of an academic degree that shows they
have successtully completed 12 years of schooling. But that is only on
one level — and a very superficial one at that.

Saturday's commencement ceremonies marked the end of one
part of each student's life and the beginning of a brand new life.
Some will head into the workforce to carve out a place for them-
selves. Today, in 1988, for the majority of students that means
leaving the West Kootenay because job prospects here are minimual.
However, things are impraving — slowly — and perhaps by the time
the class of 1995 graduates we can say that only a minority of studen-
ts had to leave this area to find work.

Still other graduates will remain here to further their education

P NETHER HAVE I,

ta

.. BILY....

WA
a.

at Selkirk College — either in the academic program at the Castl
campus, or inthe vocational program ot ine Nelson campus. We are
fortunate to have such an exc Y post- d
facility so close. Still others will leave for a faraway university. For
the students who choose those routes, this signals an end to their
secondary schooling as they embark on learning of a much different
sort.

But for all the students — whether they are off to work,

Hing or c ing with post ondary studies, they will con-
tinue to grow and continue to learn.

They will become more independent in the next few years, more
self-reliant, and much more r — both for th L and
the world around them. And that is what the definition of a graduate
doesn't say.

Parents and teachers can be proud that these youngsters have
been equipped with skills to deal with the problem of the future: to
tackle the issues of the 21st century; and to respond to the
challenges of this world that are still to come.

That is education and that is what graduation is all about.

Ron
Norman

What's with B.C. Hydro?

The Crown corporation can't seem to make up its mind about the
Keenleyside dam generating project. First it's on; then it's off. We've
seen more about faces than in a month of military parades.

Barely five weeks ago Hydro released its 20-year resource plan,
which mapped out the corporation's direction well into the 21st
century. The plan was emphatic about one thing: no new datns would
be needed before 2000.

That came as a blow to all those who had hoped Hydro would
accelerate installation of generators in Keenleyside dam (among them
Castlegar council, which had given the Keenleyside project top
priority for 1988). But it also laid to rest rumors of an early start
(stories like Hydro had booked the top floor of the Bandamn Inn for its
work crews).

Or so we thought.

This week Hydro published its fiscal year-end report which
showed record export sales to the U.S. and a return to the domestic
usage heydays of the 1960s and ‘70s. Faster than you can say
gigawatt, Hydro officials are now talking about moving ahead the
dam construction schedule and firing up the old engineering section
that was decimated by cutbacks during the recession of the early
1980s.

The obvious question is how can a multi-billion-dollar corporation
like Hydro release a long-range plan that says one thing and then
completely disavow it 30 days later? It boggles the imagination.

This talk of expansion is out of character for Hydro. For three
straight years the corporation has held its capital expenditures under
$200 million — quite a drop from the construction period of the late
1970s and early ‘80s when capital expenditures exceeded $1 billion a
year.

But the change of heart is easy to understand, give the hard
facts. For one thing, Hydro sold a whopping 17 per cent more
electricity last year. Much of that was due to record export sales to
the United States, but provincial demand was nearly double what
Hydro officials had forecast. It grew by 5.1 per cent in fiscal 1988 over
1987. That compares to Hydro’s annual growth prediction of just 2.8
per cent from 1987-88 through 2007-8.

And last year wasn't an isolated blip on the load growth chart.
The utility's load growth exceeded the forecast the two previous
years: 3.5 per cent in 1987 and 3.6 per cent in 1986. But the kicker is
that so far this year the load growth has already exceeded the level
anticipated for the March 31, 1989 year-end.

That's the reason Castlegar council is gleefully awaiting its July
meeting with Hydro chairman Larry Bell. Bell will be here next
month ona tour of Hydro’s area facilities, and you can bet council will
take every opportunity to push the Keenleyside project.

Right now, Keenleyside's only challenger is the Site C dam. At $2
billion, Site C isn't cheap. But it can supply 900 megawatts of
electricity pi to Keenley 's 144 But Keenley.
side at $380 million (1981 dollars) would cost a fraction of Site C.

Besides, Hydro officials are beginning to talk about Keenleyside
and Murphy Creek dam in the same breath these days. That was how
Hydro had planned to develop the Columbia River way: back ‘in
1980-81. In order to make full use of Keenleyside and Murphy Creek,
Hydro proposed developing them jointly.

Murphy Creek is expected to cost $1.4 billion in 1981 dollars.
That is nearly four times the cost of Keenleyside, but when combined
with Keenleyside the two are still cheaper than Site C. And Murphy
Creek would have a generating capacity anywhere from ‘280-400
megawatts.

These two projects also appear to complement Hydro's recently
announced plans to encourage private producers to submit proposals
to develop up to 600 megawatts of electricity — or two-thirds of the
Site C capacity.

And that could be why inside of a month we have seen plans for
Keenleyside and Murphy Creek dusted off once again.

Still, the way Hydro has been changing its mind, don't bet the
farm on anything just yet. We haven't seen what July will bring.

Letters to the editor

Lottery draw mars Sunfest

Due to the efforts of many capable
people Sunfest 88 was an undoubted
success until it was marred by the
lottery draw. This was an unqualified
disaster.

Church
people
disappear

Would you mind telling me what
function churches are supposed to do
other than sit on corners looking
pretty. It makes me think of Davie
Street in Vancouver. Although I've
never been there it sounds like the
same story but with different play-
ers. I thought churches were sup-
posed to get involved in charitable
services in the community. I guess
maybe I'm expecting too much.

Why is it you see the church people
on Sunday and then they disappear
the rest of the week until the next
Sunday? Do they have a monopoly on
God as well? It sounds just a little bit
selfish don’t you think?

The first question I would like to
ask them is: Does it feel good?
I see a lot of people who would like to
feel good too, but I guess the good-
feeling people don't have enough
charity to go around to relieve us of
the hurts and hungers and all who
are oppressed of the Devil (1
Corinthians 13 Acts 10:38) Sodom's
sin was full of abundance and
idleness and not relieving the poor.

C. Bowman

Castlegar

Peace
tax fund

I recently received a letter from
Finance Minister Michael Wilson
regarding my directing a portion of
my taxes to a peace tax fund. He
states that this is a) not necessary,
since “this government's policy is a
cledy commitment to the interests of
peace;” and b) not appropriate as
changing the tax laws would be
“cumbersome.” I wish to discuss
these two points further.

Defence Minister Perrin Beatty
has made this government's position
clear in the White Paper. Beatty
wants to spend $180 billion over the
next 15 years for military equipment,
including nuclear submarines.

Is this what Mr. Wilson would call
a “commitment to peace?”

Regarding his second point, that
changing the tax laws would be
“cumbersome:”

There is an organization called
Conscience Canada which, over the
last five years, has set up a peace tax
trust fund in which people are
encouraged to put the military por-
tion of their taxes (this year 9.1 per
cent of federal tax). Over $109,000
contributed by some 370 people is
now in that trust fund.

As a person of conscience who
would refuse to fight a war on moral
grounds, I also refuse to pay for war
on the same grounds. Indeed, Canada
recognized the status of conscient-
fous objectors in two world wars. My
constitution allows me freedom of
conscience.

Helen Blum
Nelson

I was amazed and let down by the
handling of this “mistake.” With dis-
may I heard the winner, Amy Rilkoff,
was indeed not a winner. The mis-
take was “rectified” by another
draw, and the second happy winner
is to be on her way to Australia all
expenses paid.

I read the apology to Mrs. Rilkoff
in last Sunday's paper. After the
thrill of a win, and the subsequent
elation in anticipation of the trip, an
apology (and I've heard a small

Parents

Another year of girls’ softball has
come to an end. I would like to
commend the executive and coaches
for a job well done and I would also
like to thank all the parents who
came and supported their daughters.

What really irritates me is all the
rest of the parents who are too busy
or too lazy to come out to a game in
support of their child, whether it is
solely to cheer them on or to give the
coaches a hand. In some respect, the
girls’ softball league is like a glorified
babysitting service.

For three years I have coached
and for three years I have had to beg

monetary award) seems to me to be a
sore substitute. I feel she should
have been compensated at the very
least by a return fare to Australia.

I will be regarding future Sunfest
celebrations with a jaded eye, as

Castlegar News
Work on the Bloomer Creek drain-
age project, is proceeding at full
speed this week, and the pipe, which
will carry Bloomer Creek flood-
waters from Columbia Avenue to
The Columbia River, should soon be
installed.
oe ae |
Robert E. Sommers of Castlegar,
Minister of Lands and Forests and
Mines in the previous government of
B.C., was re-elected the MLA for
Rossland-Trail, by a commanding
margin, in the election of June 9, it
was revealed Tuesday at Rossland
where the second and third counts
were held on Tuesday.
Oe:

At a well-attended meeting in the
Kinnaird Improvement Society Hall
on Sunday, June 28, residents of
Kinnaird formed a new organization
for the promotion of sports in the
village.

*_ 8 «

A total of 315 Grade 7 to 10
students of the Stanley Humphries
Junior/Senior high school have been
promoted either completely or parti-
ally to the next grade, according to
the promotion list released by J.A.
Thomas, high school principal, last
week.

25 years ago
From the June 27, 27, 1963
Castlegar News

Castlegar village commissioner
R.C. Maddocks, owner of shoe stores
in Castlegar and Grand Forks of the
same names, was nominated in Trail
on Saturday night to carry the NDP
banner in Rossland-Trail riding in the
next provincial election.

.

The Village of Kinnaird will
comply with the school board's
request to sch ion of the

will many others I'm sure, includ
those who sold “buttons” at their
place of business.

Sunfest 88 is over and.gone but for
Mrs. Rilkoff it will be unforgettable,
and not a pleasant memory.

Ethel Ewasiuk
Robson

too lazy

and plead with parents to get an
umpire for our games, From talking
to other coaches, they have the same
problem. Where are the parents of
these kids that they can’t spend two
hours a year giving their child some
support? This year, the executive
struggled to find enough coaches to
even have a league.

It just astounds me that out of 10
or 11 kids per team there aren't more
parents/guardians willing to coach-
umpire or even be an interested
spectator.

Neil Austin
Robson

Time to store
water for future

In this part of the world we may
have just recorded our wettest May
in 40 years, but this is no time to
become smug or complacent. The
near-drought conditions of recent
years in the B.C. Interior, the devas-
tating drought that has hit the
Prairie and in even greater measure
continues to plague much of the U.S.
must alert us to the following irre-
futable facts.

Water, as former premier W.A.C.
Bennett was fond of pointing out, is
our greatest natural resource. Some
560 billion gallons of precipitation
falls on British Columbia on average
each day. That is, almost to the
gallon, precisely the amount of fresh
water consumed by the whole of the
United States each day in normal
times.

It is, therefore, time to act to start
storing much more of our fresh water
for our future as well as against the
day, not far away, when we must
seriously consider exporting water to
our Prairie provinces, and preparing
seriously to export water, on our
terms, to the Americans. Far too
much of our fresh water is allowed to
flow into the ocean each passing
year.

Water and water power is neces-
sary for agriculture and horticulture.
It takes 50,000 gallons to make one
ton of paper; 250 gallons per day to
nurture one Douglas fir; 25 gallons to
ripen one ear of corn; 30,000 gallons
to supply a life time of bread for one
person; 100,000 gallons to refine one
ton of copper.

Or, to bring the point to more
individually-understood levels, the
average B.C. household uses about 65
galions per person per day. History
tells us whole civilizations died out
because man did not consider what
is, next to the air we breathe,
mankind's most precious and vital

necessary resource: fresh water.

It may well be British Columbia
now is in a unique position to save
much, if not all of still another civili-
zation, the North American way of
life as we now know it.

William Clancey
Vancouver

Protect
the unborn

I would like to inform you of a
massive undertaking of Canadians to
walk across Canada to Ottawa.
Canadians are joining together to
petition parliament to protect all
unborn Canadians from the moment
of conception. The people of Castle-
gar are invited to join in this walk
which should be coming through our
town between July 13, 14 or 15.

Project Lifeline will be collecting
whole baby dolls to represent the
65,000 Canadian babies killed in 1987.
Disgusted? Write to our prime min-
ister, and MP Bob Brisco. Letters,
dolls, and donations will be collected
on the march.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rowsell
Blueberry Creek

village water tank and distribution

plant and unless an emergency arises

the daily inspections will be under-

taken before and after school hours.
*

A preliminary report on Castle-
gar's fire department was presented
to council at its meeting last week by
the new fire and light commissioner.

. 28 «

Columbia Cellulose last Thursday
announced increased prices for kraft
pulp, effective July 1, following
similar moves by other major B.C.
producers: -

se

A former Nelson teacher now at
Kamloops, R.J. Patrick, has been
appointed vice-principal of Stanley
Humphries Secondary school.

15 YEARS AGO
From the June 28, 1973

Castlegar News
A two-year French program is to
be implemented on an experimental
basis effective September of this
year as well as a strong possibility of
the establishing of kindergarten in

the regular school system.

. 8 «

Today the Trail Chamber of Com-
merce is sponsoring a special pro-
gram at the Colombo Lodge and has
issued an invitation to everybody in
the community, as well as to other
chambers of commerce in the district
to come to the meeting.

. *

An outbreak of the forest tent
caterpillar in the Trail-Rossland-Kin-
naird area that has defoliated deci!
duous trees and shrubs on residential
lots, public parks and on the sur-
rounding hillsides, appears to be
coming to an end.

* *

An overwhelming vote in favor of
merging with the Castlegar Savings
Credit Union was registered Sat-
urday when Slocan Valley Credit
Union held its annual meeting in the
Winlaw Hall.

5 YEARS AGO
From the June 26, 1983
News

Saturday's commencement cere-
monies in the arena complex marked
the end of 12 years of education and
signalled a new beginning for 213
Stanley Humphries Secondary school
graduates.

* 8 «

Vocational instructors at Selkirk
College have decided to hold off on
strike action until they have a chance
to examine Thursday's provincial
throne speech given at the opening of
the summer session of the provincial
legislature.

* 68 «

Please address all Letters to
the Editor to: The C
News, P.O. Box 3007, Castlegar,
B.C. VIN 3H4, or deliver them to
our office at 197 Columbia Ave-
nue, Castlegar.

Letters must be signed and include
the writer's full name and address. Only
in ped iceptionel coses will letters be
rblis: ey the writer's soya

nome eddress
potas Seer wast be disclosed to ‘se
editor
The Costlegor News reserves the
right to edit letters tor brevity, clority,
legality and grommor

A dj commit-
tee has been established to research
and coordinate programs to help pull
the central Kootenay area out of the
economic recession and to improve
long-term employment opportun-
ities.

* © «

Photographs of children | playing
plus examples of their artwork
surrounded the approximately 36 in-
dividuals who attended the annual
general meeting of the Kootenay
Columbia Child Care Society June 20.

Maz takes a day off

By GORDON GRANT
Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Don Mi

showmen.
He praised jetaiag Tory leader
who Maz said

is
unquestionably the busiest minister
in Prime Minister Brian Mulroneys
cabinet. He has also got more titles
than anyone else — deputy prime
minister, president of the Privy
Council, House leader and minister
responsible for privatization and
regulatory affairs.

Some of his advisers and confi-
dants have expressed concern that
he’s overworked and doesn't relax
often enough.

He was certainly relaxed at ‘a
recent splash to mark his 20th
anniversary as the member of
Parliament for Vegreville, Alta.

First there was a gathering in the
Centre Block of the Parliament
Buildings with about 250 well-wish-
ers on hand.

Transport Minister Benoit Bou-
chard played piano and led a sing-
along while other ministers popped
in and out of a cabinet meeting to
have a fast one with their pal from
the West.

Mulroney “showed up for a while
and Mazankowski gave a brief
speech.

He said there were more good
orators in the Commons in the old
days; today there are too many

taught him a lot. about politics and
Ottawa,

The crowd included Liberals and
New Democrats, all of whom mana-

is given to sartorial excellence.

The wedding is to take place at 24
Sussex Drive, official residence of
the prime minister, with Mila Mul-
roney as matron of honor,

THERE WAS a little excitement
i. Dap Que., the cottage coun-
by civil servants and

ged to make a few about
the cash bar. :

When the party ended, Maz drifted
over to the National Press Band. As
someone Charitably phrased it,
Mazahkowski sang in a loud but un-
trained voice.

For the record, Mazankowski's
favorite drink is what he calls
Colorado Kool Aid. Known to bar-
tenders as Coors Light.

AND SPEAKING of parties, Mul-
roney showed up at another for Bill
Fox, a former media adviser to the
prime minister.

The party for Fox, who is marry-
ing Bonnie Brownlee, Mila Mulron-
ey’s special assistant, was arranged
by L. Ian MacDonald, who wrote
Mulroney's biography.

The party — in fact it was a roast
substituting for a stag — was a
black-tie affair at the National Arts
Centre. The roast and the black tie
seemed cruel and unusual punish-
ment for Fox who looks more at
home in checks and casual dress than
in a tuxedo. For his part, MacDonald

Jonathan Sweeney
.:6.C. graduate

Jonathan David Sweeney, son of
Wilf and Doris Sweeney of Castlegar
received the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy, Forestry at this spring’s
convocation ceremonies at the Uni-
versity of British Columbia.

Requirements for this degree were
completed in the fall of 1987.
Sweeney is a graduate of Stanley
Humphries secondary school and has
previously received a Bachelor of
Science with honors from Simon
Fraser University.

He and his wife Lindsey reside in
Victoria where he has accepted a
post-doctoral fellowship at the Pacific
Forestry Centre.

pe 5,

JONATHAN SWEENEY
. .. graduates

Lottery numbers

The winning numbers in Wednes-
day's Lotto 6-49 draw were 2, 18, 24,
26, 27 and 30. The bonus number was
46.

The jackpot of $4,066,258.40 was

divided into two prizes of $2,033,-
129.20. Both tickets were purchased
in Quebec.
The second-prize pool, awarded to
those matching five regular numbers
and the bonus number, had nine
winners of $79,470.30.

The third-prize pool, awarded to
those matching five regular num-
bers, had 304 winners of $1,779.10.

The fourth-prize pool, awarded to
those matching four regular num-
bers, had 16,357 winners of $64.30.

In addition there were 299,475
prizes of $10 awarded to those
matching three regular numbers.

There was a total of 316,147 prizes
worth $9,374,922.60.

Meanwhile, the winning numbers
drawn Wednesday in The Pick
lottery were: 5, 20, 22, 23, 37, 40, 41
and 56.

In the event of a ‘discrepancy
between these numbers and the
official winning numbers list, the
latter shall prevail.

The winning numbers drawn
Thursday in The Pick lottery were 6,

27, 33, 35, 36, 38, 40 and 48.

The winning numbers in the
Pacific Express draw Saturday night
were 324630, 139370, and 073208.
The free play number was 2.

The Lotto B.C. winning numbers
were 6, 8, 11, 13 and 30. The bonus
number was 25.

The Pick numbers were 6, 9, 10, 12,
22, 31, 43 and 51.

In the event of a discrepancy
between these numbers and the
official winning numbers list, the
latter shall apply.

ae in the National Capital Com-
mission.

Lorena and Paul Arsenault were
relaxing at their cottage, watching

skydivers float down to earth when
they heard a crash in the backyard.
When they investigated, they found
a parachutist hangirig from a tree.

Seems the skydiver — on his 350th
jump, he explained — was off target
a wee bit. He said he wanted to jump
directly into the lake to mark his
350th jump but the wind wasn't
right. Neither was his clothing. He
had none on. Starkers. Naked as a
jay bird.

Meals on wheels
program rolling

The Castlegar and District Home
Support Service Association has
added 13 teams of volunteer drivers
for its meals on wheels program since
April, bringing its roster to a total of
27 teams.

The association held its annual
general meeting June 13 and Sally
Schatz reported that the program
has been a success in this area. The
meals on wheels program can serve a
maximum of 25 recipients.

“For most of the year we have
been at maximum with two or three
on the waitlist for a short time”
Schatz said. “However, presently we
are down to 23 receiving meals.”

The price went up slightly, to $2.75
from $2.50. Meals are prepared by
the kitchen staff at the Castlegar and
District Hospital and delivered to
homes by volunteers on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday.

The association has also had good
response for the Emergency Alert

System. Requests for units are con-
tinually coming in and the program is
proving successful in the area, said

Lovette doff.

The association provided service to
approximately 227 clients this year
and worked a total of 35,647 hours
with an average of about 13 hours
per client per month.

Joyce Nixon, the regional repre-
sentative, completed her two-year
term and was replaced by Mickey
Sterling of Kaslo.

The staff consists of 55 to 60 home
support workers and four regular
part-time office staff.

The association budget process
was “cumbersome” but successful,
said Nichvolodoff.

“Our agency was fortunate,” Nich-
volodoff said. “. . . we received a
large sum to be applied directly to
H.S.W. wage scales plus a three per
cent overall increase.”

The association also received ap-
proval for a part-time office position.

Polly Stoochnoff
passes away

Polly Stoochnoff of Krestova
passed away Thursday, June 23 at
the age of 81.

Funeral services were held Sat-
urday and today at the Krestova
Russian Hall with burial in the Kres-
tova cemetery.

Mrs. Stoochnoff was born Sept. 10,
1906 in Saskatchewan and came to
Ootischenia with her parents in 1910.
She grew up in Ootischenia and
married Nick Stoochnoff there in
1926. After her marriage, she moved
to Krestova where she resided until
her death. Mrs. Stoochnoff was a
member of the Reformed Douk-
hobors of Canada, and she enjoyed
going to meetings and participating
in the singing of hymns and psalms.
She was also an avid gardener.

She is survived by her husband,
Nick at the family home; four daugh-
ters, Hazel Zeabin of Krestova, Polly
Wishloff of Vancouver, Mary Har-
shenin of Pass Creek and Vera Zado

BERRY PICKERS
ALSO NEEDED

You Pick

Picked
BRING YOUR OWN CONTAINERS
Open at 8 a.m. Daily * No Appointments Necessary

G & L FARMS — GRAND FORKS

TURN LEFT ON 19th ST. NEAR THE GRAND FORKS
ARENA AND FOLLOW THE SIGNS TO G & 1 FARMS:

Phone 442-5775 or 442-8334

STRAWBERRIES

You Pick or Buy Picked

WANETA PLAZA
Monday, June 27

Saturday, July 2

Great selection of
\S \Santiques, new Oak Reproductions,
Fine Furnishings, Collectables

Royal City Antiques and Fine Furnishings Ltd.
VANCOUVER, B.C.

of Port Coquitlam; 12 grandchildren;
12 great-grandchildren; and one sis-
ter, Anna Kinakin of Mount St.
Francis Hospital, Nelson. She was
predeceased by one daughter, Flor-
ence Zaitsoff; two grandsons, and
two brothers.

Funeral arrangements were under
the direction of the Castlegar
Funeral Chapel.

We reserve the right to limit crenes
Prices limited to stock on hand.

| CENTRAL FOODS
Saas

For Your Convenience We're

OPEN MONDAY
win §@ TICKETS

you're the

olfice Tuesday
7266 by 5 p.m. Wednesday to claim.

ime appears,
tor dra row ore marie Freya
ets, drop into tlegar News
365-

esha

CASTLEGAR

pRrue PERS STORES
365-7145
365-2955
365-2155
365-3666
365-3311

FOMOTIVE
975 Columbia Ave.

Time

214} Columbio Ave.
aerosol or Contre Ave

365-2175
365-7252
DEPARTMENT STORES

FIELDS DEPT. STORE

310 Colymbie Ave.
wuss vert sows

1207-3ed $4.

(642 Boker St.

TAURANTS
BOSTON PIZIA
1612 Boy Ave

A Great Collection of High-
Styled Summer Dresses,
Skirts, Tops, Pullovers,
Slacks, Cotton Sweaters
and Spring Dresses. . .

LONDON FOG
COATS & JACKETS
Reduced to Clear