Robert writes a Little Movie

Yet another nail in the collective coffin for all of us. Just imagine the conversation between two drug addicts / criminals down at Main & Hastings:

"Hey man, did you hear about that chick in Victoria who got $60 G's after being in jail?"

"No dude, what happened?"

"The chick, man, she fought the pigs like a wild banshee and they had to cuff her. So then she got a choice lawyer and pleaded her Charter Rights, man, and she won, she won big bucks!"

"So dude, what does that mean for us?"

"Obvious, man, the next time the pigs arrest you, fight like crazy. Force dem to cuff you up and bruise you. Then cry to da judge and you'll be in da money too. Big bucks, baby, big bucks!"

New Art Gallery a Welcome Addition & a Pawn in Several High Stakes Games

I don't know about a new "Culture Zone," but certainly I applaud the announcement from the Premier that the Vancouver Art Gallery will find a new home in the Plaza of Nations site.

Let's see what an international competition among architects can bring and let's get this thing built.

The politics are interesting, as always.

It is the Premier who makes these announcements. The city hall staff up to the highest level stir from their slumbers to register shock and surprise. Why do they even have jobs - let alone such high paying jobs - when their decision making is fanciful at the best?

The Nutty Mayor, clutching the coattails of any declaration that might help his all-encompassing goal - ME, ME, ME - tries to lay claim to this land and money deal that has been engineered entirely in the Preem's office. Result? He doesn't even get a mention.

Just as he declared yesterday that he was leading a delegation to China and Korea, when the truth, of course, is that it is the Premier's trip with Shammy hitching a ride. No mention again. And deservedly so.

One wonders why the Shammys and peters and Raymonds and Gregors and Alans slaver so rabidly for this job, when it is clearly A Premier's World.

And keep in mind that the new Art Gallery is the pea in the pea and shell game that defines Vancouver - Real Estate. Along with the new and larger and more glorious space will be more towers.

OK. Whatever it takes.

Minding the Hen House

Few things spell out the disasterous American foreign policies better than this headline from the morning's NY Times: "U.S. Planning Big New Prison in Afghanistan"

You can read the story, but do you really have to?

I have come to believe that this is only about a good construction and maintenance contract for some friend of Dick Cheney.

Steve Earle - Jerusalem

Senator Kennedy Rushed to Hospital

This is completely bizarre.

Last night, just before going to bed, I found myself thinking first about Bobby Kennedy, then JFK, and finally about Ted Kennedy, May Jo Kopechne and Chappaquiddick.

The next thought I had was, "Hm...I guess I'll read soon that Ted Kennedy is sick and in the hospital.

So...Look at the NY Times headline of a few hours ago: May 17, 2008, 12:02 pm

Senator Kennedy Rushed to Hospital

and read the story here.

Too strange...