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.@AGE 14 â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994 Brian Vickers, Vice President (519) 888â€"6688 Meanwhile, I‘m flying back home to see what‘s happening locally. I certainly hope that things have livened up and that some issues are finally going to be discussed. Nothing is worse than vanilla politics. I‘d hate to think that we have politicians who leave their platâ€" forms at home and don‘t know the issues. Even worse, I‘d hate to think we have voters who haven‘t checked out the candidates or the issues. But there are plenty of both to go around. Sad, but true. Most of all, I‘d hate to think we have that many graffiti artists in this community But let the show begin and we‘ll see what the entertainment The shining promise of capitalism has begun to tarnish for many. Unemployment is high and the old way of life (very secure and comfortable under Commuftism) is gone. The other face of capitalism has shown itself to be cold, heartless and demanding. Hard work, service with a smile and riskâ€"taking are fmnghtening concepts to people once provided with a secure job for life and housing to boot. The consumer goodies that come with capitalism are bought at a high price. Having heard this often, I started checking out the candidates Now some people in Waterloo are upset that I‘ve referred to some of our municipal politicians as clowns. Let them be upset; it‘s perâ€" fectly true. But hold onto your seats, folks, they‘ve got some real dillies over there. ‘ In East Berlin, one of the Communist candidates tops them all. He‘s 81 years old and when asked him what his platform was, he said he left it at home. He openly says he doesn‘t know what commuttees he‘d joun if elected because he doesn‘t know what comâ€" mittees there are. At least you have to give him points for honesty. When you get mght down to it, most of the local clowns are too afraid to admit they don‘t have a platform either; they just try to fool you with fancy meaningless words. His support was looking pretty strong and get this: if he wins, he gets to deliver the opening speech in parliament. The tradition is that the oldest member gives the opening speech because he‘s not expected to give many more. Imagine â€" the opening speech by an 81â€"yearâ€"old Communist from Berlin making his debut in politics. Cancidates advertise differently there. Of course, there are the television ads and the newspapers but the street posters are unique Posterâ€"sized photographs of the candidates are placed on every street light at eye level. That‘s logical because there‘s more pedesâ€" tman traffic. As you can imagine however, the graffiti artists are out in full force. just didn‘t seem to be much happening under the local Big Top. So I got on a plane and went to Berlin. The German national elections will be over by the time you read this column. But let me tell you about how the candidates ply their trade in Berlin. There‘s a lesson here for our officeâ€"seekers. This is the second election since the wall came tumbling down. And a lot of former East Berliners aren‘t too enchanted. *I‘m voting Communist," was the ery I heard repeatedly from waiters and bartenders in the old East Berlin. (OK, so now you know where I spent most of my time.) But it is a good way to talk to the locals. Ill be watching. | was getting bored with the municipal election campaign; there How about this for an election? Mutual Fund Limited Partnerships Represent Tax Savings A tax savings idea you may wish to consider before year end is the purchase of Mutual Fund Limited Partnerships Murual Fund Limited Partnerships are the vehicle large mutual fund companies use to finance their sales programs. Although the words *limited partnerships" often conjure up an image of a good tax MmmL a poor investment, mutual fund limited partnerships have proven to be quite different from traditional partnerships which invest in high risk concepts such as film productions, oil and gas exploration, and real estate condominiums. & Investors are able to deduct 100% of their investment over three years. Do you have you ecks gtlilBalances Pattie Moran A weekly series from Brian Vickers, Midland Walwyn your money wnsely Wrue t Bnan Vickers clo Mavis Boorman, owner of Mavis Theatrical Sup plies, 46 Princess St. E. in Waterloo, may supply the Stratford Festival and the Edmonton and Montreal Opera companies with theatrical supplies, but supplyâ€" ing Halloween extras is a major portion of her busiâ€" spookiest night of the year. O However, not all costumes are spooky scary stuff. For many baby boomers, that wascally wabbit, Bugs Bunny, is a popuâ€" 4# lar costume along with his Loony Toon buddies, Yosemite For Peter and Cathy Horea, owners of the Stag Shop in l :; Uptown Waterloo, every Halâ€" loween is their Christmas. It‘s the biggest time of the year for the Stag Shop, which over the past 23 years has expanded to Kitchener as well as Guelph. For those in the market to rent hi 1 a costume this Halloween, the Waterloo Stag Shop, located at 7 King St. N, is the only one in the chain that rents costumes. ‘Thmisasmrytimeofyear,butwealsohavefimny costumes that have become very popular," Cathy Horea said of the Loony Toon characters. "Freddy masks aren‘t as hot as they once were, but we still sell those little hockey masks of Jason. He‘s always a quick costume because all you need is just a mask." Although one can buy costumes at the Stag Shop, many of the oneâ€"size fits all costumes are rented. They also sell accessories from wigs to pimples. Freddy Krueger is out, but Jason will never die. Halloween is just around the corner and costume/makeâ€"up shop owners in Waterloo are busy acquiring costumes and scaring up business for the Peter Cudhea Chromucle staff Halloween‘s a busy time for Waterlioo businesses wou=" Until June of next year, according to a recent Revenue Canada ruling, investors can write off 50% of these fees in the first year, and 25% in each of the two following vears. After June 30. 1995 the amortization becomes slightly less attractive as the hirst year write down is limited to a third As a return on their investment, purchasers receive an income stream from management fees and redemptions related to the underlying mutual funds For more information on these tax deferral vehicles, including new ssues slated for this fall, please give me or my assistant Danny Millar a call " aurtioo C Aromucle 75 Kimg St Box 1000 Waterioo Oniano NZJ TP? According to Shari Woods, owner of Dreampower Children‘s Costumes, 376 Dovercliff Place in Waterâ€" loo, dinosaurs aren‘t extinet. s Woods, a designer and manufacturer of children‘s costumes, says that dinosaur costumes have been big sellers for her during Halloween for the past six years, well before the purple moneyâ€"making Barney hit the market. "Barney is a tyrannosaurus rex, but the stegosaurus is more popular," said Woods of her costumes. _ Woods, who also owns the Shade Tree Store in St. Jacobs, noted that because of the movie, ‘The Lion "Most years whatever movie is popular makes something else (costume line) popular." "We always feel that you don‘t have to rent a costume. If you { buy the right accessories, you & can wear something you have at home: It‘s much more original to 1 use your imagination." Mavis‘ employees also offer makeâ€"up tips to their Fu! Sohihe Coxdubiineit B L U E0 C M PP T Wb N K 1N 6 MIDLAND WALWYN _ Wetarico, Ontario N2J 4V2 T* BLUE CHIP THINKING is a trademark of Midiand Walwyn Capital in 205 wng uho fhorkx Sake 460 m + uind â€"â€"1 sticks from $3.95, they also rent costumes. However, Boorman added that some of the best cos tumes are hanging in the base ment closet at home and you don‘t always have to rent or buy "We have very different things that you don‘t get elsewhere, such as pieces of glass coming out of your face, hanging eyes and we got makeâ€"up kits by a 20th Century Fox makeâ€"up 3 with everything included," id Boorman. "We‘re stage people for Strat ford. We have different things and we‘re known for things you wouldn‘t get anywhere else," Although they sell makeâ€"up Financial Limited LARRY 0 HAGAN y