Victor on the Radio - Pizza Uber Alles

Bloated Bill has another crusade.

This time, Bloated Bill, the CKNW talk show host, had two of his twenty nothing assistants try to catch a cab to the Tri Cities. They were refused and it became the number one news story on CKNW all day, complete with a quote from Kevin Falcon. Something about a Cab Riders Bill of Rights.

This is how news is made at our biggest radio station. It has come to this. Why do we even have journalism schools?

Bloated Bill's young assistants think a cab driver should be required to haul a fare anywhere in the GVRD at any time, even if he has to dead head back, burning gas and losing money.

By this logic, I should be able to order a pizza delivered from White Rock to my house in Vancouver. After all, I'm hungry. It's my human right to survive even of the pizza operator loses his shirt.

Last week Bloated Bill interviewed his two twenty nothings for their views on how consumers should respond to higher energy costs. One of them confessed that at age 27, she had just moved out of her parent's basement. But that didn't deter her from sharing her economic wisdom with listeners.

No wonder they think a cab driver is similar to a nineteenth century rickshaw driver in Nanking. You do a lot of growing after you leave Daddy's basement. While waiting, you can always work for Bloated Bill.

I'm ordering that pizza. I have Kevin Fallopian on speed dial just in case.

The Boulevardier.

Cynical Fake "Conferences" Help No One

One of the great advantages of being in office is that you can swing just about any cat over your head and get attention.

Witness the latest pathetic PR exercise coming from the Nutty Mayor.

The Sun and Province are both reporting about the "conference" that will begin tonight at the Vancouver Playhouse (How appropriate! Where's Tennessee Williams when you really need him?) and continue the next day at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue.

The "conference" alleges to be about homelessness, mental illness and addiction.

But look at the given suppositions in their own press release:


This evening forum will aim to:

· Promote an understanding of the relationship between mental illness, addiction and homelessness
· Acknowledge that no one person or group, alone, can provide a solution
· Recognize the breadth of the problem as being beyond Vancouver, BC and Canada

Please RSVP by April 16 to Collaboration for Change by email at: collaborationforchange@pacegroup.com


What is the political implication of the line that I highlighted?

Note also the email address. This initiative is entirely created and managed by Pace Group, a PR company.

Because they have a deep and profound understanding and concern about these issues. Right.

Note also the participants. All the usual suspects.

These are all the invested parties that have been at these tables from the beginning and done such a wonderful job to date. With the help of these wise people the problems of homelessness, mental illness and addictions have never been greater.

This is a cynical vote-begging atrocity.

Avoid it. Placard it. See it for what it is.

Paul Simon/Ladysmith Black Mombazo: Diamonds