Vancouver Secrets

Brian Williams Left Us A Note:

Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor:
After tonight’s broadcast and after looting our hotel mini-bars, we’re going to try to brave the blizzard and fly east to home and hearth, and to do laundry well into next week.  Before we leave this thoroughly polite country, the polite thing to do is leave behind a thank-you note.

Thank you, Canada:

For being such good hosts.

For your unfailing courtesy.

For your (mostly) beautiful weather.

For scheduling no more than 60 percent of your float plane departures at the exact moment when I was trying to say something on television.

For not seeming to mind the occasional (or constant) good-natured mimicry of your accents.

For your unique TV commercials — for companies like Tim Hortons — which made us laugh and cry.

For securing this massive event without choking security, and without publicly displaying a single automatic weapon.

For having the best garment design and logo-wear of the games — you’ve made wearing your name a cool thing to do.

For the sportsmanship we saw most of your athletes display.

For not honking your horns. I didn’t hear one car horn in 15 days — which also means none of my fellow New Yorkers rented cars while visiting.

For making us aware of how many of you have been watching NBC all these years.

For having the good taste to have an anchorman named Brian Williams on your CTV network, who turns out to be such a nice guy.

For the body scans at the airport which make pat-downs and cavity searches unnecessary.

For designing those really cool LED Olympic rings in the harbor, which turned to gold when your athletes won one.

For always saying nice things about the United States…when you know we’re listening.

For sharing Joannie Rochette with us.

For reminding some of us we used to be a more civil society.

Mostly, for welcoming the world with such ease and making lasting friends with all of us.

Also, to the American Hockey team… Thanks for coming.

A Cool HD Video Of Vancouver

Something for those that haven’t had the good fortune of making it to Vancouver. The city at its best for your Sunday viewing.

“Vancouver City” video created by Innerlife Project and TimeLapseHD

Go Canada!!

Here’s How We Roll In Vancouver

Don’t even try to drive in Vancouver. I’ll be so happy when all the people go home.

The train actually isn’t that bad… maybe because the Olympics have kept our bums off the train.

And that green stuff along the tracks.. it’s almost  back. Spring is here. The rest of Canada should see it in a few months.

NY Times Pees On Our Parade

As the Grey Lady brings up the subject none of want to hear about until after Canada wins Gold in hockey.

A $1 Billion Hangover Awaits an Olympic Party

Organizers insist the operating budget will break even. But that forecast includes $423 million in emergency money from the International Olympic Committee, and detailed financial information will not appear until after the Games are over.

As for Vancouver’s municipal government and the taxpayers, the bad news is already in. The immediate Olympic legacy for this city of 580,000 people is a nearly $1 billion debt from bailing out the Olympic Village development. Beyond that, people in Vancouver and British Columbia have already seen cuts in services like education, health care and arts financing from their provincial government, which is stuck with many other Olympics-related costs. Many people, including Mrs. Lombardi, expect that more will follow.

While the mood in the city has picked up since the start, when many people were suffering a severe case of buyer’s remorse, the looming budget realities make it unlikely that all will be forgiven or forgotten.

“While it’s very hard to see all the costs, I think people are going to pay for it for a long time,” said Lee Fletcher as he walked past several flowering cherry trees near his apartment outside Stanley Park, a large tract of forest tucked up against the city’s downtown. “Some people are going to benefit hugely, not the average guy. The average guy is going to see his taxes increase.”

Let’s hope the positive reviews of the Olympics translate into the crowds coming to Vancouver this summer.The protestors seem to have gone away and the party is in full gear.

We all know what happens after a great party… just don’t tell us until we are sobered up.

photo credit: TylerIngram

Lying To Be Perfect – Olympic Games

Vancouver Is Awesome…

As the 2010 games approach, the PR blitz has begun.

But just like the Miss America 2010 Winner, Vancouver will need to hide its blemishes.

We have more than a few groups ready to challenge the Winter Olympics committee’s best efforts at packaging us:

We have the Anarchists: Anti-2010 protesters, some carrying black flags and burning torches, gathered for what had all the hallmarks of a dress rehearsal for the street protests that could erupt during the Winter Games just over two weeks away.

Wherever the world’s media is, you can count on the nuts to arrive.

Don’t worry though, we have been given the rules:

If you’re coming here to protest, just follow the rules please. Unfortunately, Vancouver anarchists can’t read. Also, we get to see how valid our Canadian Charter Of Rights really is, against an omnipotent Olympic committee.

Our well-planned  weather emergency is set for next week. (Even though in only city in Canada that never gets snow, we aren’t getting snow.)

Some background:

I looked out the taxi window again. It was another city. Dozens of people stood in what looked like a breadline outside a shelter. At least 100 people sat or lay on garbage-strewn sidewalks. Surrounding buildings were boarded up. A skeleton of a woman was begging on the curb.

Had the Great Recession finally hit Vancouver? Had I been transported to Detroit?

Nope. Just another day in the Downtown Eastside, on East Hastings Street. First, I wondered if the people at Mercer had seen this. Then I wondered what our political leaders have been doing for the last five years.

Many hoped the arrival of the Olympics would be a catalyst for action on our poverty ghetto. The conventional wisdom was we had no intention of being embarrassed as the world watched in 2010. By now, our leaders were supposed to have put in the resources and brainpower to make strides to help the poor get off the streets.

Well, it looks like they’ve failed.

This is hammered home by the report’s idea of “launching the extreme weather response shelter program for the duration of the games.” Translation? Even if it isn’t cold, we’ll open the beds to get the homeless off the streets and out of those TV shots during the Games.

Good – now that we have East Hastings hidden, let the games begin.

Cars are not allowed – take a bus, like it or not. Vancouver transit is great. Let’s hope they stop the practice of giving our homeless free rides. Nothing like a shaking meth/heroin addict to scare you off the bus. Hopefully, our weather emergency will relocate these people.

Vancouverites have been lectured to not forget to mind our manners… they even they’ve printed a 4-page guide to tell us how to act. Someone upstairs believes Vancouver residents need this. Hmmm.

Last, as an incredible indicator of how the 2010 games are the great hope for our salvation is the auction of the main venue while the games are on. That’s another first…

Whislter is going to the top bidder. Creditors holding $1.4 billion (U.S.) in debt on Intrawest ULC have begun foreclosure proceedings on some of the company’s assets, including the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort, and say they plan to auction them off on Feb. 19. Get there early if you’ve always wanted to own an overpriced ski resort.

My advice to would be buyers: Wait till October 2010 - we’ll have gotten the bill for the games, realize just how much they’ve charged up on our card. The anticipated boom in real estate will become a mirage.

It’s all part of the game of lying to be perfect.

Hope the organizers prove me wrong – that this wasn’t just a looting of BC.

Things To Do In Vancouver – An Olympic Guide For Visitors

Here’s a first in my series of the Best Of Vancouver List, for those brave enough to make the trip to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics.

You won’t find these on any of those tourist site, and they are guaranteed to be a “tourist trap” free zone.

1) Best Street for Restaurants: West 4th Avenue – walk over the Burrard Street Bridge and then hang a right on 4th. Blows away Robson Street. My favorite is still is Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe. (2095 West 4th Avenue). In general, if it’s on this street, it’s good.

2) Best spots for a “walk on the wild side”. Keep in mind that Vancouver rolls up the carpet around 10. They’ll have a lot of “Olympic” events that will be going on on Georgia street – I’d avoid this all together, unless you’re accompanied by a bobsled team.

Here’s a few spots that will give you the Vancouver Experience:

The Amsterdam Cafe. – 301 West Hastings Street.. Like the ads says: The New Amsterdam Cafe™ is North America’s Premiere Smoke friendly Cafe. You can have a coffee and a joint at this quaint hangout. Just don’t ask to bum or buy anything. The crackdown on sales started a while back. Take you time, visit with the locals outside… this is Vancouver when the games are not in town.

The Yale: The Yale Hotel began in the mid 1880’s as a CPR bunkhouse – now is a place to catch the Blues. The Vancouver Blues Festival is running during the Olympics, and although Vancouver isn’t know for the blues.. it’s worth catching. Hopefully they’ll have some great bands in for the games.

Skip the Capilano Suspension bridge and walk down a mountain bank to Wreck Beach. (Northwest Marine Drive & University Blvd). A lot more swinging going on here, although there’s that “shrinkage” factor in February.

More later…

photo credit: Proggie

2010 Olympics – How About A Mega-Yacht?

Your Guide To Dim Sum In Vancouver

photo credit: Ruth L

Here is a list of Dim Sum restaurants worth eating at:

Happy Valley Seafood Restaurant (The Best)
3432 Broadway, Vancouver
Tel: 604-216-0100
Links: Map
Prices:
Range from $2.95 to $6.95

Kirin Seafood Restaurant (Cambie location)
Address: 2nd Floor, City Square, 555 West 12th Avenue (& Cambie Street)
Phone: (604) 879 8038
Homepage
Dim Sum prices: $3.50-$8.50 with most items in the $4-$5 range

Spicy Court
Address: 5638 Cambie, #101 (map)
Phone: (604) 325-1189
Prices:
Range from $2.95 to $6.95

Come Along Seafood Restaurant
Address: 2550 Kingsway (map)
Phone: 604-439-1318
Prices:
Range from $2.95 to $3.95

Golden Ocean
Address: 2008 W 41st Ave (map)
Phone: 604-263-8886
Prices:
Range from $3.10 to $4.95

Sun Sui Wah (Main St.)
Address: 3388 Main ST (map)
Phone: 866-872-8822 (toll free)
Homepage
Prices:
Range from $3.20 to $4.20

The Vancouver Olympic Guide Of Things To See And Do

With Olympic tickets now on sale to our foreign friends, I thought it may be a good time to provide a quick guide of what to see and do as an alternative to the events. With just over 6 months until the winter games, you’ll want to get the most out of the most expensive trip you’ll ever take. Trust me, it will be worth every cent.

You’ll want to draw your map now, so that you’ll be prepared to abandon hope trying to get through our city to an event – as we have no freeways.

There’s lots to see and do, all just a short walk from our downtown hotels, or the basement suite you are planning on renting.

The locals will all tell you about Stanley Park.. it’s a beautiful spot with a great sea wall.

It’s Vancouver’s Central park without the people.

Be sure to come back in June when the rain stops.

If you planned ahead and booked your downtown hotel last year, you’re only a short walk to the famous Gastown… our buses all run close to the area, so just get off when an addict starts bugging you. Look for the mountains and turn right.

In Gastown you’ll find a quaint shops and lots of nightlife… with the cruise ships not as frequently arriving, you can expect to find great service and a warm welcome. Leave the area before dark if you’re over 40. More »

Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8

Obama has a great record so far.. The Chicago Olympic bid, Copenchangin’, Obamacare, major campaign promises (or lies), transparency, and the list goes on.

Let’s give him credit though. He has succeeded in the largest looting of America in history. And he’s done a bang-up job on that.

So on Tuesday, when despite his and all the top Democrats efforts, they lose a Senate seat that they’ve held for 40 years, in the foundation state of the left, he’ll have the stage set to deflect any blame.

The vote is a prelude to how Healthcare will do in the Dems – as now that it’s common knowledge of just how corrupt this bill really is, they are doomed.

And in Al Franken fashion, you just know that the count will go really slow… low enough not to seat the winner and screw up the healthcare fraud.

CNN did an article on Obama going to Mass to help – and had to shut down comments.

Here’s an video on just just how well he was received… (The Boston Globe puts Obama’s rally at 1500 and Brown’s at 2200 (in the main room), but makes the point that the President got overshadowed by the state Senator:)

Maybe Obama can learn from this:

If you’re wondering what Psalm 109:8 is… the psalm reads, “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.”

A Vancouver Tea Party Movement?

Promising news… we finally had a protest today that wasn’t for saving Iran, Gaza, the whales, or against the Olympics.

It was actually against one of the steep tax increases that are coming our way. I am hoping this is a sign of things to come.. our own little tea party movement.

The silent majority has been pushed to the limit. The government has run out of places to hide taxes and now are starting a cycle of increasing obscure taxes… in this case by three times. The worst part is that they use government bodies they’ve granted taxation rights to, to lessen political damage.

Vancouver’s political machine is completely against cars. They have made it so gas can never go below $1 a litre through the piling on of taxes, including North America’s first carbon tax. The cost of car ownership is huge here in Vancouver, by using government-run ICBC and Transslink to pile taxes on us.

They have made traffic in the city a joke… if you track it, you’ll find you average speed on a commute is around 18 kmh. We have no freeways. Only block after block of unsynchronized traffic lights. In turn, the $1+ gas is wasted sitting at stop lights.

They have tried closing lanes of main arteries into downtown, turning them into bike lanes. Which is fine for those that live nearby, if it didn’t rain 300 days a year.

Vancouver does not want anyone to drive. Period.

Then we have Translink… a government body that manages our transit. They are a taxing authority and have their eyes set on ever-increasing taxes of homeowners, automobile owners, commercial property owners, and now they have decided to triple the tax on parking lot owners.

They are a stellar organization, and reflect the worst of a government body:

• A tripling of the debt since 2005.
• Expenses growing by 3.5 times ridership.
• Administrative costs growing at 101% since 2002.
• No cost reduction targets in place for ‘09 and despite targets in ‘10 costs still growing by 2.7% almost double inflation.

When you pair Translink with ICBC you have the makings of a tax body without any controls in place.

Now downtown business owners are seeing the signs… after the Olymics next month, office building will be empty.

Thanks to the efforts of city hall, Translink and the provincial government, you’d be nuts to move your business downtown. Downtown Vancouver is poised to go into a rapid decline.

So my hat is off to our new Tea Party movement – Drive Out The Tax.

Let’s hope they can get something started and put the brakes on the huge tax increases that are in the pipeline.

How to Make Turkey Edible

I hate turkey because it is so dry..I have been trying to convert my family to prime rib for special occasions, but they insist on Turkey.

So, if you must, here is the only way to roast a decent turkey:

photo credit: tkellyphoto

Lip Syncing The Opening Games

Filed under what the hell were they thinking..

The famed conductor of the Grammy-winning Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, slammed the 2010 organizing committee for asking his orchestra to pre-record a performance for the opening ceremonies of the Games — and then planning for another conductor to “mime” his part of the soundtrack during the internationally broadcast show.

Saturday, after Tovey and the orchestra received a two-day, standing-ovation-like response for turning VANOC down, 2010 officials issued a statement apologizing “for putting the orchestra in an untenable position regarding the opening ceremonies.”

VANOC said technical requirements were to blame.

“For international televised live spectacles of this size and scope, it is standard practice to pre-record the musical segments to ensure the integrity and security of the broadcast transmission,” said David Atkins, executive producer of the 2010 ceremonies.

Tovey responded by calling the proposal for musical miming a type of plagiarism that was “non-Olympian in spirit” and “on a par with Ben Johnson’s [steroid-enhanced] fraud” when he won a gold medal at 1988 Olympics.

That Other Channel We’re Forced To Watch

CNN’s numbers fell off a cliff. And Fox’s are rocketing.

Anderson Cooper 360 is down 62% since last November, and down 70% among the 25-to-54 demographic according to Nielsen figures. Last month the CNN star came in second behind Fox’s On the Record, 1.9 million to with 672,000. But among the 25-to-54 crowd, AC360 fell behind even reruns of Countdown on MSNBC.

So why is CNN included in my cable package, and why do I have to pay to watch Fox News? Shouldn’t I get a top-rated station included in my $100+ cable fee? Or, does Canadian content mean the channels that only a coma victim would watch.

If you look at CBC numbers, there is no justification for even operating the station, other than to steal advertising money away from the free enterprise stations.

Because we are taxed to pay for the CBC, they now want us to fork over more money for the stations we don’t watch. Because CBC is taking the advertising revenue away from them.

Nice system we have.

Don’t forget to tune into Little Mosque On The Prairie, Monday thru Sunday (but especially on Sunday)!  And don’t miss our 879th rebroadcast of, well, any one of Michael Moore’s fact-laden documentaries on our hard-news channel!  À Bientôt!

Give me Fox any day..

photo credit: Vidiot

Next They’ll Want Toilets

Welcome to the 90’s New Denver, B.C… cell phones have arrived. Text ‘em if you got’em

B.C. community loses fight to ban cellphones

The village of New Denver, B.C., is about to join the wireless world — whether they like it or not.

Industry Canada has given Telus the go-ahead to install a cellphone transmitter atop an existing radio tower in the town of about 600, despite resistance from some residents who say they don’t want the service in their community.

“We were responding to customer demand for cellphone service in the area,” said Shawn Hall, a spokesman for Telus in Vancouver. “We’d been hearing from businesses in the area, as well as consumers, that they really wanted cellphone service.”

Telus received permission from the municipality to install the transmitter in 2007, Mr. Hall said.

But when citizens in the town — which sits in the Kootenay region about 150 kilometres west of the Alberta border — started to voice concerns about health effects and the changes it would bring to the town’s rustic and laid-back lifestyle, Telus halted the process and held a public meeting.

A referendum in January 2008 saw a slim majority of residents, 117 to 110, vote against the introduction of cellphone service.

“Suddenly the municipality was opposed after giving us permission,” Mr. Hall said. “It was really frustrating for us. We were ready to invest half a million dollars in bringing service to this community.”

The case eventually went to Industry Canada in Ottawa for arbitration, which last week approved Telus’ bid to build the transmitter.

Richard Caniell, chairman of the Valhalla Society, an environmental organization, said he and other community groups opposed to cellphone service intend to take legal action against Telus.

“We’re consulting two lawyers about the possibility of litigation,” Mr. Caniell said in an interview from New Denver. “There’s a great deal of upset. Telus is considered a corporate bully here. They don’t care about it. It has outraged people.”

Mr. Caniell’s chief concern with going wireless is the possible negative health effects.

photo credit: Ushlambad

Vancouver’s Three-Strike Law

Our infamous Bacon Brothers are at it again…

In Vancouver, we allow murderers who also have multiple and separate gun and drug charges, the ability to stay out of jail and keep on doing business.

Jarrod Bacon and his brother Jamie are already in the middle of trial involving 10 weapons charges. Jamie and Jarrod Bacon are facing 11 weapons-related counts between them, including possession of prohibited weapons with ammunition, unauthorized possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm with an altered serial number. Jamie Bacon is also charged with one count of drug possession. Jamie is also facing charges in connection with the Surrey Six slayings at the Balmoral Towers in October, 2007.

On Friday, a undercover police operation nabbed Jarrod Bacon and four others, all with ties to rival gangs - the UN and the Red Scorpions.

Why Jarrod Bacon is not in custody is anyone’s guess…

Then we have Sephon Sek, who just beat out 680 other poker players for a grand prize of $364,364. He was arrested by the RCMP in connection to the murders of six people in a Surrey condo bringing the total arrested to 6. Sek is alleged to have given the killers access to the Balmoral Tower without knowing their plans.

The fact that the Vancouver Sun has 150 stories on the Bacon brothers, hasn’t seemed to help put these thugs behind bars.

Maybe we could toughen up our laws a wee bit? Let’s say after 10 charges you must be jailed until trials are complete?

Or would that be too harsh for our soft-on-crime politicians?

photo credit: chrys

The Word For Accorn – Precedent.

Obama’s community organizers aren’t taking the end of their funding lying down – and now are the first to challenge the abuse of power:

Representatives for ACORN sued the federal government Thursday morning in an attempt to regain the millions of dollars in funding the community organizing group lost after filmmakers videotaped its workers offering advice on how to commit tax fraud and various other felonies.

That qualifies the legislation as bills of attainder, according to the Center for Constitutional Rights, which filed the suit on behalf of ACORN. A bill of attainder punishes a person or group without the benefit of a trial, and is illegal under Article 1 of the Constitution.

Thursday’s lawsuit claims that Congress violated the right to due process enshrined in the Fifth Amendment — declaring the group guilty of a crime and punishing its members without completing an investigation within the Department of Justice or the IRS.

“It’s not the job of Congress to be the judge, jury, and executioner,” said Jules Lobel, an attorney representing the Center for Constitutional Rights.

“We have due process in this country, and our Constitution forbids lawmakers from singling out a person or group for punishment without a fair investigation and trial.”

The lawsuit itself singles out three defendants — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner; Director of the Office of Management and the Budget Peter Orszag, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan.

Due process hasn’t stopped hope and change up to this point. Although it’s interesting to see the people responsible for securing the Democrat victory turn on their masters…

Not that contract law has concerned Obama when it comes to his agenda:

Furor grows over partisan car dealer closings: who could forget the Democrats shuttering almost 800 Chrysler dealerships – virtually all Rebublican donors and profitable.

Then we have “How To Nationalize GM–Ripoff-Investors–Gift-It To The Unions“, where Obama and his Czars threatened institutional investors so they would not sue over secured creditor status. This was even extreme for Chavez.

We have also seen selective taxation of specific citizens (AIG bonuses), the threatening of banks over bonuses (do so and we’ll audit), and now the healthcare bill where they’ll make it mandatory and jail you if you refuse to have insurance.

Here’s some Texas wisdom, from the Governor:

Gov. Rick Perry had some pretty strong comments about the Obama administration on Wednesday in Midland, saying, “This is an administration hell-bent on taking America towards a socialist country.”

photo credit: Joe Gratz