A Chorus Line - One Singular Sensation

The race for the mayor's chair is getting busy and full of contestants and that's a good thing.

Peter Ladner, Gregor Robertson, The Nutty One, of course, Al De Genova, Raymond Louie (who will announce in days), Daffy Duck, Brigitte Bardot, Richard Branson and Ted Danson.

Quite a line-up.

The two Big Dailies posted editorials this morning agreeing with what we have been saying here for weeks. The NPA process has been anti-democratic.

What they don't say is what we have all been saying for some time now. The Nutty One must move on.

Who did I leave out?

Roger Clemens?

Your toss.

So Far, So Good

The federal goverrnment has followed through on 2 promises.

Last year they introduced the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights, and yesterday they appointed a taxpayers' ombudsman, Paul Dube, pictured right.

Both initiatives are welcome news.

What remains to be seen is if either policy has direct results in favour of ordinary people.

kd lang sings 'Bird On A Wire'

I prefer concert versions of songs like this great one of k.d. singing a Leonard Cohen classic rather than "videos" with clever shots of who-knows-what.

THANKS TO ALL

Yesterday, the Berner Blog went over 50,000 visits.

I realize that for some sites and blogs that's chump change. That some rack up 10 times that amount every day.

But I am thrilled that people have spent even a few moments reading or listening to these ramblings and posts and taking the time to comment over the past year.

Many thanks to you, and continued best wishes.

Blowing LOud, Blowing Long

Congratulations to the RCMP.

Appalled as most of us were with InJustice Catherine Bruce's dismissal of charges against a pot grower because the cops didn't knock loud enough or long enough to give the miscreant time to flush or burn, this time the RCMP blew their car siren before blowing down the front door.

The Vietnamese immigrant/refugees were all hiding in the atttic of their multi-million Surrey dollar home that was curiously full of illegal drugs.

Yah, I know. If only we'd get smart and legalize, blah, blah, blah.

Have another doob and call back in an hour, will ya?

Support from Hell

King George has endorsed The Nutty Mayor.

Thank you, Mr. P. You have just about guaranteed a new mayor for the city.

We trust Sam will enjoy his wonderful new appointment to the UN or the Olympics or Disneyland.

Please also note that in the NPA's brilliant polling job, they forgot to ask the question, "What do you think of the mayor's performance?"

Well, here's my polling question, "What do you think of the NPA's nomination process?

Be a Dick

Let's see what kind of a detective you can be.

What's wrong with this story?

"A dangerous sex offender has been deported to Poland after four years in detention in Canada and more than 40 immigration hearings."

Getting close?

Neil Diamond - Love On The Rocks

Rabbi Diamond at his best...

BERNER'S BEST

With today's Guest Post, Victor kicks off a new tradition.

It's called "Berner's Best" and its all about your recommendations for the best tea, bread, classical music, bikes, doggie paths, men's shirts in town.

We, who shamelessly measure our lives in coffee spoons believe we should share our restaurant finds with other spooners.

The thought occurs that maybe Berner's Blog might be a place where we could post our "best" experience for the benefit of other spooners. We could call it " Berner's Best'.

My introductory submission would be a Japanese restaurant called "Applause" at 8269 Oak, in downtown Marpole.

Why do I submit this?

Let me count the ways. OK, enough poetic references already.

First, they greet you with that Japanese hello thing when you enter. You know, the loud, joyous greeting that Japanese restaurants used to offer before they went corporate.

Then the sashimi portions. Fist sized. Fresh. Marvelous.

But wonder of wonders, a solitary lunch guest can actually take a whole booth and read the paper for 20 minutes before ordering. No hectoring gaze, no tea pot rustling.

Prices are moderate.

Yeah, it's Marpole. But if I can enjoy Vivaldi in my Toyota, I can enjoy sashimi in Marpole.

Besides. parking is free on side streets and no methhead will rob your car.

Of course, the inevitable will happen. Spooners will now mob this place, quality will go down, prices will go up and some snotty maitr'D will ask if you have a reservation.

Go now.

Victor Godin

Carole's Carbon Tax

Sorry, folks.

I don't buy it.

The cost of driving my car and heating my house will rise and therefore, I am going to change lifelong habits and become a worthy citizen?

I don't think so.

At least, I don't think so about you.

I already drive a tiny, fuel-efficient and well-maintained 15-year old car, which I leave in the garage every Saturday.

But you drive 2 Ford Exploders, which you drive 9 days a week and you love it and you're not going to give it up for a 2.3 cents/litre bump.

It's true that my house is not well-insulated and that it has skylights and many windows and is just one bullrush above sleeping in the weeds.

But I'm not going to spend $20,000 to become David Suzuki's best friend.

I think this budget will result in next to NO climate change whatsoever.

I think that, like so many of Capbell's "initiatives," this is smoggy smoke and dusty mirrors.

Gravity is still accepted

In Florida, evolution has been downgraded to a theory. And this is how it will be taught in what passes for schools in the enlightened sovereign state.

But, don't worry. There is a complete separation of church and state in America and religion has little sway in public affairs.

Ella Fitzgerald sings

The Government & The Media are Buying From the Same Costume Shop

How long do politicians think they can continue to pull the wool over the people's eyes?

I guess as long as the media continues to report with a straight face the politicians' transparent bullshit.

Today's case in point.

Wally Opaque says he's launching a taser probe.

But he has barely paused for breath before he admits that he has no jurisdiction over the R.C.M.P. and that the federal government is not interested in his enquiries.

In other words, this is another study, not a policy directive.

In other words, nothing will be done.

In other words, bullshit and spin.

Last Friday, the Province reported with mysterious glee that the Preem had dropped by for morning tea and told the editorial board everything it needed to know about sentencing.

What Campbell did, in fact, was toss out a round of mindless statistics and concluded that we can't really do much because sentencing in the criminal justice system is largely a federal responsibility.

In other words, another study, no change, no action.

Only more bullshit and more spin.

These kinds of announcements (hollow) and these kinds of media reactions (shallow, unquestioning, ass-kissing) go a long way to explain the rise of internet journalism.

Ruben Gonzalez Playing Solo in the Cuban Gymnasium

With the resignation of castro, I thought a little Cuban music was in order...

The Inexorable March of War

India is both the second largest country by population in the world and one of the poorest. It has enormous new wealth and staggering poverty.

So, how to greet the news that India has just signed a deal to buy $2Billion worth of fighter planes from Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed?

Less than two years ago, Bush signed a nuclear deal with India to sell nuclear fuels and technology.

War, as we have seen over and over again, is rarely about anything "honorable." It is most often about money, deals, commerce.

One hopes as one goes along that men will find wisdom and create an approximation of peace on earth.

But, at the age of 65 and looking at the evidence, one sadly concludes that we are mad limited creatures.

War slogs on to the chime of the till.

Castro Resigns

End of a era. What next?

Read this morning's late update from the NY Times.

Behave! People are Watching!

Miro Cernetig, one of the best newspaper writers in town, has written the most peculiar column today.

The thrust of the column is in the headline. "Poisonous politics hurt Vancouver's Image at a critical juncture."

Perhaps he should worry more about substance than image.

So the mayoralty race is getting hot and messy. That's a bad thing?

That's called democracy. It's called politics.

Frankly, it's the most political fun we've had in these parts in ages.

But, Cernetig feels we should be pretty and sweet because "The world is literally turning its attention to us as the 2010 Olympics approach."

No it isn't.

Vancouver continues to be a lovely and wonderful pregnant fishing village by the sea. It barely qualifies as a city, let alone - brace yourself - a "world class city."

It's my home and I love it, but I also know what it is.

And people will be watching down hill slalom competitions and luge runs on TV.

Do you know what I remember about Sydney, Calgary and Salt Lake City from watching their Olympics?

Nothing.

So we should all be nice and behave because NBC will be here hiding in trucks in Squamish for 2 weeks?

TAXI !

What is Our Town coming to?

A self-respecting arsonist-bomber can't even get a cab to take him to Surrey!!!

Is Victoria going to do something about this?

No doubt the Mad Bomber of Boradway - a man who never met a taco he didn't want to explode - will sue the taxi company for refusing him his getaway.

No doubt the Community of Mad Bombers of Surrey (COMBS) will help launch the class action suit.

Carry on in all directions at once...

More Addictions Truths From One Who Knows

Mr. Nelson, Hold the Presses!!!

I have been ministering in the DTES of Vancouver over a 24 year period since 1984, and have been intensely fighting for more detox and recovery facilities for the past 16 years. I am broken hearted over the total disregard for those addicted persons desperately wanting to escape from here. There has always been at least a 50 person detox wait list with now only 54 detox beds for 7,000 addicts. Basically there is no EXIT ROUTE out of here, because of the lack of Government funding for this tried and true method.

I noticed that Dan Rather's upcoming episode on Vancouver's DTES will be airing this week. From the clips I saw on Global Television it appears that you have only interviewed those who are in favour of the so called Harm Reduction INSITE safe injection site. I want you to realize there exists a large, and strong network of people, groups, and organizations down here, and throughout the Province, and Canada who are not in favour of this so called Harm Reduction, and INSITE. This network is working together to stop all the misery that has been caused by the spending of millions on these misguided efforts, while detox, stabilization, and recovery have been starved for funding.

Do you realize that 80% of the addicts down here are smoking crack, and not injecting drugs. This means a huge percent of our funding is being spent on 20% of the addicts who are still injecting not entering abstinence detox in order to quit.

Our Mayor, Sam Sullivan glibly says on your production that the 'old method' doesn't work, but let me tell you he is very out of touch with what is really going on in the DTES, and is just promoting what he thinks is a cutting edge idea that he¹s hoping will become his legacy, while ignoring that such so called Harm Reduction, safe injection sites are failing in Europe, and actually causing more addiction. As well, other statistics show that levels HIV, AIDS and HEPC have increased, not decreased. (Doctor Douglas Coleman, Vancouver Sun Newspaper, Fri., Feb.15th/08)

There are thousands of people who have recovered from addiction using the tried and true detox and recovery, and 12 step method throughout British Columbia, and many are working right down here in the DTES. Pastor, Bruce Curtis of the Union Gospel Mission is a former drug addict, as are many of their counselors, as well many of the recovery and detox program counselors at The Salvation Army are also former drug addicts, and as are a great number of people living recovered lives throughout B.C.

We have been fighting this so called Harm Reduction movement for a number of years, which many feel is just a move to legalize and regulate drugs, as once an illegal substance is used within a Government funded project the first legal barrier is broken. Dr. Colin Mangham PHD, Drug Prevention Network of Canada points out that Harm Reduction is being pushed as the only Pillar of a Four Pillar plan Canadians agreed upon as our drug strategy. Al Arsenault, former Vancouver Police Officer in the DTES for 27 years, and the President of The Oddsquad Productions, which has produced award winning documentaries (New York) about the DTES has been a constant critic of INSITE calling it 'Harm Production', saying, "The rich get treatment and the poor get Harm Reduction"

.Further research would have turned up that Gillian Maxwell spokesperson for INSITE is on the Board 2020 (The legalization of drugs by 2020). If you would have checked the columnists Joey Thompson, David Berner of the Vancouver Province one of our largest newspapers, and any number of newspaper and television reporters, you would have seen how fed up we are with this INSITE Harm Reduction farce.

You will be doing the addicts of the DTES, and our city a great disfavour, if you air a program which is as slanted and imbalanced as your promos appear to be. I strongly advise if this is the case that you to balance your report in these matters, or pull it, and replace it.

I sent a letter to all levels of Government this winter spelling out this deplorable multi million dollar misuse of public funds while addicts, especially women (with only 12 designated beds) who have waited weeks to get into detox, are then, because of the lack of stabilization beds turned out back into the street (where many women were picked up and horribly massacred by mass murderer Willy Pickton), while they wait 6 weeks to 2 months more to get into a recovery program anywhere in British Columbia, all because of the money squandered on INSITE and so called Harm Reduction. By airing a program slanted towards INSITE and Harm Reduction you will be further contributing to our already deplorable lack of real recovery facilities.

Yours truly,Pastor Gloria Kieler

Living Waters Mission782 E. Hastings St. Vancouver B.C.

604-251-2493

gloriakieler@shaw.ca

Important Letter From an Old Friend

Here is an unforgetttable and important letter from my old friend, Gloria Cranmer Webster.

Gloria is the first (one the first?) first nations person to go to University here in BC and graduate. She comes from the ancestral chiefs at Alert Bay. She has been an important community leader in every way, including re-patriating priceless native artifacts from collections in Europe and around the world, and bringing home the Potlach ceremony.

Read this with care:

Hi, David:

Daniel saved the issue of the Province for me that had your article about Indians.

I have a real problem with people who are professional victims, i.e., always blaming the white guys for their screwed-up lives. The whole residential school payment to ex-students is a disaster. Drunks and addicts are being give thousands of dollars for the pain and suffering experienced in residential school, so what are they doing with their money? Yesterday, we buried a guy who'd got his residential school money, and drank himself to death. A young woman here got $80,00, bought her daughter a second-hand car, herself a new refrigerator and the rest went up her nose. There are other stories like these. In the meantime, we have a band council that has spent several millions of dollars, all borrowed from the Feds,on the treaty process and tell us that once the treaty is signed, we will have self-government. Why should we wait for white people to give us that? I think about the drug problem on this reserve - the RCMP say that they can do nothing if they can't catch the dealers in the act. Everyone knows who the dealers are. Why can't our leadership practice self-government now and get rid of the dealers in a traditional way? It's no wonder that I say, "If self-government comes in my lifetime, I'm running away to Patagonia(" I don't even know where that is, except it sounds like a long way from Alert Bay. I like what a cousin has to say about the treaty process, "It's like a guy stealing your car and offering to give you back the ashtray and the hubcaps."

As for the Olympics, I hope it rains non-stop for the entire duration It's obscene the kind of money being spent to improve the highway to Whistler, while people sleep in the streets, there are not enough teachers in our schools hospitals are short-staffed, etc. The sad thing is that some tribes have been sucked in and support the Olympics, another way of dividing native people. It's like the problem of fish farms in our area - some of us are totally opposed, while others, because of what's happened to the fishing industry, find jobs on fish farms, otherwise, they'd be on welfare.It was good to read your article and know that you are alive and well, as is this olady(that's how we say it around here).

Cheers!

Gloria.