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But for whatever reason, there is a small sector of our population that can't bear to respect private property and the imagination of those who wish to cling to such a marvellous tradition. Whether it's youngsters on a prank, immature rogues on a bender, or just those who get a cheap thrill out of willful theft or damage, they persist in ruining the occasion by stealing or breaking bulbs, defacing displays, and generally putting a damper on things. One of the warmest traditions of the Christmas season is the decorating of businesses, industries and residences with Christmas lights. Ordinary buildings and dark, dreary streets can be turned into a wintry wonderland overnight with colorful displays. In fact, the iirobiern"E so priivaient/one Chronicle reader from Columbia Street was moved to place the following ad in the personal column this week: ‘ , . w 'd " lim MMI;; I' tg M r , - tag- " ~ " "IENI0:q " . v , ‘ ii8 m MEW8jlt $lMtrllie - 'r"MR8BMt tt »- B$P' a - tae, " ' . .. - , sw' , v v Il-tig a {s W . gm» - ‘ B. _ >293 Mt" 'trs, Mail. F - ' . ' t _ _ , ,' aMallll8 SaEue, friptr.se:t; 'ss" .7; V "ittfg.j' #33, I? I q . 'aWi,lltiMgMlllMrb, ":igP)9BWBR' 'For-' zmys " 'r',cr'is"tl'1s')k'a,'rs'"i'itJ,x ysTT' 'ireRel ?.r' aL, '. C _ V ik', 1 y T _ ,. fs J " .~ ‘. (v. 210' M's. , V, m2;- . If -T" "es" _ ,. "W' T , P, V . -'t a. owl he “é? C tfl ')fs'"/ 'tiss-pre . .. NF 'cc' ,'S t? N . =~wm¢sm y. OF" .W --.x. 'e T _ a T ‘%,f§( V V _ w u _ m. o- _. um» . 72% m a _ o' (f ( ' m ., 'e' " .' ““3“ v. _-xss,4e:c:s " 99 :cw V _ " C w q C ._ "ri' . w r):. r . V 'ts, "tr" a.» (. sn' _ 6,,“ ?2tc: lik?"' T ‘ C: V '. . _ _ I f . "May the person or persons who removed (our euphe- mism) outside Christmas lights from home on Columbia Street, have a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year." Says it all. We hope anyone out there who has perpetrated such acts of stupidity will, if nothing elSe, in the future take a minute to think of the feeling of disappointment they create with their little "larks." tie-tt cuss Matt Mutation Number 590 l There is no surefire solution to the controversy (?) surrounding Waterloo’s draft property standards bylaw, so why do people go looking for one? Anonymous compensation would be a suitable gesture too. And for any of you contemplating aforementioned larks, grow up, and remember this: - All it takes is one selfish individual to Scrooge in a lightbulb. Humbug, to every last one of yeu. The city has been honorable in its intent to draft the fairest possible (and certainly warranted) legislation to insure that minimum standards will be maintained. It has bent over backwards to incorporate the views of resident groups, students, landlords and the general public. Some view its attention to detail obsessive, however, especially private homeowners who fear legislation directed at such facilities as boarding houses or student rental units could be arbitrarily applied to their property as well. Their fears, if not unfounded, are at the least unwarranted. No such bylaw is perfect, nor ever will be. For bylaws struck too vague, there will be those more than willing to exploit loopholes. For bylaws too stringent, there will he cries from the civil libertarian crowd. No one can he 100 per cent accommodated. But let's not forget we're not exactly talking the War Measures Act here, as some would have us believe. The line must be drawn somewhere and we should trust our municipal officials to search out and define that line. Once established, it should then be ruled by its spirit, not its letter, and that's the city's track record anyway. So be it. Nobody's perfect .---WATmuto 9hrrmttxE. macaw. new 12. um A better idea published every Wednesday by Fairway Moss. a dwtsaon of Kttctttrrter-Watertoo Record Ltd. owns: 225 Fairway Rd S., Kitchener, Ont address corresooodeoce In Watertoo emu " Krtt tit F. , Waterloo. Um NN 11.7 {Hem M my Wm Cum We us located m the Haney White Law once Bu-ng (rut entrance woe: noon Parting at the 'ear ot the Who thtoouooaaytoFoaav900amtob00pm Publisher: Paul Winkler Manager: Bill Karges Editor: Rick Campbell established 1 854 WOULDN"r it be fun to have the power of Santa Claus just for a day and give everyone the gifts they really, truly wanted, regardless of coatin- stead of the junk they get? What would you do If you had such a power thrust upon you suddenly? Would you heap your favorite people with mink coats, Cadillacs. automatic diswashers, new $80.01!) homes? If you did, of course. the magic power woukh't last, and on Christmas morning, all the fabulous presents would vanish, just after they'd been unwrapped. And you'd be as popular as a socialist in the Senate. Because, you see, those aren't the things that people really, truly want. And the Santa Claus magierrrnstd_miytorreai1y.tmtygifts,not just the things people want for the sake of vanity or prestige or comfort. linowsorneofthepresentsl'dhandoutJ‘o childless mules who wanted children terribly. I'd give , on (hristmas morning. not one. but four of the (attest. prettiest. pinkest. wettest babies you ever saw. Two boys and two girls. AndtoevenlhinumxtJ‘dthrowinalargehottle of tranquilizers and a pair of strait jackets. Toall children. l'duantasetolparentswho would answer all questions patiently. read stories every night at bedtime, go sliding on the hill with them. not make them eat anything they didn't like. hug and kiss them when they were hurt. and whale the tar out of them when they needed it. On Christmas taming. I'd wt to all old people a three-m We 1m all their oettes,gtetrtsaatdaitr-ta.T'dgivetbemoet -tite-dararett-rt-etttt-to amuld'lvethnlwenthhr-e -refh-ettatt_rf-dt9tiHmm. Aaadr'dtttemriror-btr.tieuttoMumi, Mace ”an. at a "it had tttere,artda_eeh-tohtth-Urthe me-s-ed-tedt-Ht-ret" Mun-hints. 2tfl4 - ttttM a in“. SMa 'dea"Mtha%tu'arla'.t."a.et The magic Bill Smiley Syndicated columnist hastily! listeoed, attengively. prayed humbly. gave botmteotmiy, and continued to do these unusual things throughout the following year. All mothers of large families would get something they really, truly wanted for Christ- mas. " give them families who appreciated all the work they did, praised their cooking. told them once in a while that they looked pretty, 'ripedtheirfeetwheattheyearnein,didthe dishes trequently. and paid attention to them on occasions other than Homer's Day. And I'd housekeeper. and pay her salary for a year. On Christmas Eve, I'd give all merchants a cash register stuffed with my. and. at the trametime,anirxetottttletmtetotromstaaut and the bundle on Manual children. or unwed middleman. All amateur golfers would be donated one seamtoiat%tietttheystieodm't,mtrdidthey hook.butban¢edeveryooedovn¢hecenm.w 'tatttu-idttegiv-earirorhiettthey -eseeaatmtartatstttet1att.Atl-tyatdttoes mrrtatdtte-toe-m_iettheeexreeemt mistake-hum. “Walnuts tti-fir-ted-i-tee-ttNut- Att-iv-dt-give-year')- tlrmrtlehtg.t-tthe,eaat-,t-ttre ”tamarind“. And tum www.mn-mm. MthtrfitftdhtN'etaMg'. 1'ATcMtgtit'ttll't.", “an. 1;.me ar-rr-tlea'" Wut-idrheavetanderttteNriatmastme Atrtheurmer'.Ymrt-dit.rdgraaettheno 'rtt+yearotestaet1rtheidotweattterthey wanted. legumes: of the comfort or come 'BeoeeMthemtrtottas.0femmre,rdhaveto fudth-oamrthirtgeiretotterurtteheMtoat,tmt theyeoidtmtttettly fa11ttitthee-Uiatt that Wynne-don automating. lot of; craihing good