CASTLEGAR NEWS, Friday, 11975 ‘Romans, the Greatest Survivors As Italians Continue to Strike: By Art Buchwald *: Serato er a Se vedi ates should be able to pay all the costs for Holy’ Year,":. “Rome sounds like a fot of ry: * fun." course an exaggeration, When I « got to the Leonardo Da’ Vinci ” Alrport they were only having a slowdown, and It took me two hours to get my luggage. ‘ “You're very Jucky to get in.” the taxi driver told me; “The airport employees are » always going out on strike. They're very unhappy. The other day they went out on strike to protest the bad service everyone at the airport was getting, All the passengers had to find ‘and carry thelr own baggage. ) When V-arrived at my ‘hotel, I was handed’a stip of paper. “The employees will go ou! * on strike from 10 o'clock until “vand ‘from 7 o'clock in the” Vr evening until 11, We hope you. will understand.” A trlend picked me up ina taxi, “I would plek you up in my +. car, butit was stolen, Rome has. ithe highest number of auto ‘> thefts of any city in the world,” “he said proudly. “Forty-two thousand were stolen last year, sand only | 7,000 were recov- ered.” “Where are'we going?” I asked him. “To the Vatican,” he sald, * “Are you taking me sight. seeing?” f “No, [have to mail a letter, ‘The Italian Post Office has had so many strikes that the only safe way to get aletter out ‘of the country is by way of the . Vatican pest office. They set a. special mobile lounge in St, Peter's Square just, for mai It’s been so successful they _ Two-Second Rule a Good Safety Margin Don't be a '"Tailgater". British Columbia . Automobile Association recommends the 2-second rule as a safe following’, distance rule for motorists, It's ciple to apply | and affords ne Sidinary conions Ws, Simply check when the vehicle ahead sses a fixed poirit—a tree, ‘sand two" and if your’ vehiclé has not.passed the fixed point by this'time, you have suc- ceeded: in: using the '2-second rule.“ i “- BCAA points out that this~* . following: distance. interval al- lows time for effective evasive action if something happens to the’ vehicle’ ahead. ign post or other ~ fixed marker—count “one thou: “It is," he said. “The beauty of the city is that things shave gotten. so bad we don't know when people are on atelke or not, because you don’t notice “any difference in the services.” “Why are the Itallans always on vetstke?™ Tasked him. “Oh, everyone hasia dif- ferent reason. The post office employees went out because nine of their fellow workera on night duty were suspended for bringing their cots with them and sleeping through their. “shift: “I was at the Turin Airport last week and tried to check in with a couple of hundred people including familles, nuns, chil- dren and businessmen. The clerk looked out at us and said, * “There are too many of you and there is too much'confusion. ‘| Bastal' And he and the six other clerks walked off leaving us stranded for four hours.” We posted our letter and then went to a cafe.) “The Italian IRS has been on atrike for five months. But it was their. ‘own fault, They made a big mistake when they let the IRS clerks‘read the returns of the chauffeurs’ who work: in their ‘own ministry. ‘The clerks dis- covered they were making 200,000 lire while the chauf- feurs, made 800,000. ‘This got the clerks so mad they ‘went out on strike.” “How can they keep go- “lng?” 1 asked: My friend said, “The Ro- Pants are the greatest sur- vivors of all time, and they're ‘very well set up for strikes, The , telephone company even has a ‘number you ean call, and they'll ‘tell you who is on strike so you can plan your day around it” “That's a good id “It is, except every once in a while the people whdjrun the service. go out on strike.” ‘The waiter finally brought our coffee, after a half-hour. “Is he on strike?” I asked my friend. “There's no way to tell,” he replied. ; favorita strike ator, do with tee crew “of an Tl , passen; ‘the deman served the crew melon which they planned to give’ the passengers that night..The crew members said, “But thp OWEARE = SELF-SUFFICENT. “| Help in Form of Cash Ald Asked For B.C. Shorthaul Air Services * + Federal Transport Min- ister Jean Marchand has been asked to ‘provide cash \aid to avert’ shutdowns in’ shorthaul local air services in B.C. A brief sent to. Mr. Mar- chand by B.C. Transport Minls- |. ter Bob: Srachan outlines the growing problem faced by the amall airline industry. this win- tor and urges federal action ranging from’ monetary as- sistance to improved naviga- ional ‘alds. Mr. Marchand's depart- ment haa jurisdiction over the amaller air carriers which oper- ate ‘scheduled or semi-regular flights between B.C. communi- tee “Our provinclal alr carrier industry is’in distress,” Stra- schan said in his brief, Ho aid the aituation has become acute in B.C. a the - threat of f thelr gust clearing off my desk” before heading to aa saga ‘and sare toon for i eekly eal rs. Boy, ami a bum! There must be 45. - Mtlers stacked here, unan- MNint sof all, there are two piles of ‘letters sbout the metric-Celsius nonsense: Those who agree form ‘a: much pt lle: But, in atrneasy thee, whol: ‘Ikerate,: Does this have any significance? ‘The more literate letters, are, on. the whole, : much duller than the. emotional ‘. «ones, They treat‘ me as a back: tl occouring “(his’ spelling) in this world that from the sounds of your column you couldn't even begin to comprehend. Things are'dealt with on a world- wide basis now and in doing fowenced acommon unite measure,‘ wolght: _ ¥ + volume.”” And 80 01 Baloney! Ifthat ‘ss 80, why Ittad to’. ,workd.wide language, and 3 talian col mmon ‘unit’ of currency? We have neither. ihe argu- ment holds no wat On the other iter Earl 12.'s “Gilchrist of Perth, Ont,, Is equally lacking in logic. “The -< ; Feo system should never ted » this st “toate and metsies) died hy doesnt winniaes many more in Gotoit Bil, send out petition” °° + or, whatever it takes to stay leas” about the _° eet ie n. He goed. on +-to state a lot of facts about to metric system, and faild.\ T just take back my remark ic system are) more li than those against, ~ pallens a * 5 pondent from Janetville for the Bowmanville Statesman, in ‘because ft ivt Canadians T inielon isn't eut. The chef must °° > jf'a. eut:the melon.” ‘The chef was called out of the kitchen, and he sald, “I spit. on your melons. I‘only cut the Tennessee’ Aromatic Cedar] Chests Every Bride's dream. Artistic Design. Superb Quality cat (MAYFLOWER SERVICE Slocan, Park "Tn protest the craw’ took’! their melons up on deck: and dumped them into the sea. “Things are getting so bad + here,” my friend said, “that all Well now, I woulda't go that far. That means that! could “never ‘enjoy English fish:and-chips, French fries, chicken chow mein, lasagna, southern fried chicken, and would be ‘condemned for life the American are pulling out.” °**, “What about the Italian gO." competes? “Oh, they left long - = TOMLI Mike fone 365-5: PLUMBING a HEATING LTD. ‘ Site’S - Comp.) a $S. 1 — Castlegar J 3 SALES & SERVICE ee We Supply and install