The Great Snake Saga

Life has not been easy for ‘the Biology
department lately. [ft all started Jast
summer in an tncident many of you may re-
member, when Lady Di, the boa constrictor
from the Bi lab, escaped from her cage and
the North Van. fire department was called
to come and find her. They did. She was
under a portable building where she had
slithered after being disturbed by a pass-
er-by. The fire department returned Lady
Di to her cage with Prince Charles and the
North Shore News printed the story. Now,
immediately upon the News printing the
story the Biology lab began to get calls
from local residents who had one or both
of two grievances. 1) they were concerned
that the boa constrictors were going to
escape and eat their children or 2) they
were outraged that we would insult the
Royal Family by naming snakes after them.

Getting frustrated by this deluge of calls.

Anne Frazier decided to issue a press re-

lease which we duly sent to the paper,
stating that the snakes had a brand new
cage ‘'sturdily built of wood and glass"

from which they would not be escaping a-
gain. The News, delighted with our charis-
matic snakes, picked up and expanded the
story and then filed it with the AP (the
Associated Press) wire service. Which is
where the story really gets silly. The
North Shore News made a typing error. What
they intended to say was: ''North Vancouver
District firefighters had to retrieve the
fickle female from beneath a_ portable
building where she had slithered after be-
ing disturbed by a passerby who found her
about to devour a crow. she had killed."
What they printed was that she was ''about
to devour a COW she had killed.'' Now, any-

one reading the North Shore News article
thoroughly would realize that it was a
typing mistakes, but of course the wire

services tend to cut things and TV, radio

and newspapers abbreviate them stil] more.
So all over the North American continent
Capilano College has been on the news as
the College with the cow-eating boa con-
strictors. And Anne Frazier got a letter
from a woman in the Southern United States

protesting the disrespectful use of the
Royal Family's names on snakes. *sigh* We

just can't win.

Sechelt campus hosts residents

Another reminder that the Sechelt Open
House is on December 9 from 3-8 pm. If you
are interested in finding out about our
Sechelt campus, there's a good opportunity

to do so. If you want more details, talk
to Janet Morris.

CONFERENCE RETURNS

The Whole Health Concepts of Life Confer-

ence is back again on January 22 and 23 at
UBC. Sponsored by Outdoor Recreation from
Cap. and the UBC Centre for Continuing Ed-

ucation, the conference will feature Dr.
Scout Lee Gunn, Covert Bailey, and Dr. C.
Thorensen. We will write a more detailed

article on this for the Informer in Janua-
ry, but if you just can't wait call Andree
Vadja Janyk, local 295, fora complete
schedule of events and more information.

Classified

FLOWERS FLOWERS FLOWERS!! Once again, Jan
Bain (Typing Pool, local 316) will be able
to get beautiful potted plants for people
who work at the College. The plants (az-
aleas) come in 6!'' pot size and will cost
about $10 - 12. Please order on or before
Monday, December 14 for delivery on Friday
December 18. 1 will only make one trip to

the greenhouse so the deadline is crucial.
GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS!

LOST, STOLEN OR STRAYED - one six foot
Areca Palm fromin front of Eileen Steele's

desk in the Humanities Reception area
Tuesday, December 1 after 10 pm. We would
appreciate having it returned. No quest-
ions asked.

TERRY BROWN IS STILL LOOKING FOR SOMEONE
to sublet his house while he's away in
Nepal. The three bedroom house is in New

Westminster, but Terry says it isn't a bad
drive. It is, of course, furnished. The
deal is $500/month + utilities January to
April. Call Terry at 522-0908. :