Says Who?

How brave, courageous and bold of Fazil Mihlar to write a column today defending and protecting banks.

Yes, that's what banks need is an apologist.

Increasingly, the editorial pages of our daily papers across the nation support, reinforce and cheer the status quo.

A most peculiar position for the free press.

We are Not Alone in our Continuing Distaste for the BCTF

Whom does boycott benefit? Certainly not students

Letter
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Re: BCTF vows to fight standardized tests with job action, March 18
I am the parent of a Grade 12 student who will attend an American university in September. Almost every university to which our daughter applied requested a ranking report on her school, Lord Byng secondary. It took some explaining on my part as to why British Columbia does not produce such a report. Fortunately, the Fraser Institute's report on Lord Byng was acceptable.
It is critical for students who seek post-secondary education outside of Canada to have access to a performance report on their secondary school. A performance/ranking report is just one of many things U.S. admissions departments list as required documentation. It was embarrassing to advise American universities that our province does not produce a report that is so common down south.
I am very disappointed in the BCTF's position and wonder whom the boycott truly benefits -- certainly not students.
SANDRA THOMPSON
Vancouver
© The Vancouver Sun 2008

When Your Government is Illegal

Handi-Dart has taken on new meaning.

Now, the accent is clearly on DART.

On Tuesday morning at about 10:15, I was heading towards a traffic circle at 8th and Highbury.

In front of me was a Translink Handi-Dart, a vehicle with the express purpose of serving the handicapped.

All over the world, drivers drive around traffic circles (in most countries to the right, in a few to the left). I have never seen anywhere except here in this frontier immature country, idiots drive the wrong way around these round-abouts.

I have seen police cars, private cars, city engineering trucks and so on blithely ignore the law and the safety of all and turn quickly to the left. I see these illegal activities almost daily.

On Tuesday, a Handi-Dart turned on his left turn signal and DART to the left, instead of driving around the circle as we are required by law to do.

The circle of juvenile illegality is now complete.

We can expect little that is reasonable now in public life.

Obama's Speech - Attention Must be Paid

What Makes Vancouver Special

Playing tennis at Stanley Park yesterday, we had to stop several times to marvel at the cranes nesting in the trees by the courts.

At one point, we counted over 50 birds and nests.

Every few minutes one of these beautful birds would fly over with yet another twig.

More Waikiki Thoughts - This from RCMP John Buis

I liked the blog you put up yesterday regarding the comparisons between Honolulu and Vancouver. Kellie and I have been in Honolulu (Waikiki) since Sunday evening and will be here for a total of two weeks. We have definitely noticed a big differences here with Vancouver particularly with the few street people we have seen (they do not not harass the visitors) and the reduced \"fear of crime\" when walking the streets during the day or night.Without more information I cannot give you specific reasons why Waikiki appears safer than Vancouver, however, I do know there is a a large military presence in Waikiki at Fort DeRussey There are three hotels for military personnel and their families on leave with uniformed armed military Shore Patrol present in and around the hotels. There is also a very noticeable police presence in Waikiki with many marked police cars and bicycle patrols on the streets. The police station on the beach in the heart of the hotel district provides visitors place to talk to the police if necessary and deters/keeps the street people off the beach and away from the tourists.I am sure there is more to it than these obvious signs but it would be interesting to find out more about court sentencing statistics and alcohol and drug recovery programs and if any exist. I am going to go back to the pool for a while and try not to think about crime reduction until I return to my office on April 1, 2008

We have seen the Future - and it is SCARRRYYYY

John McCain, who could be the next American president, was in Israel yesterday.

He referred to the Jewish holiday, Purim, as "their version of Halloween here.”

And why is that relentless light hog, Joe Lieberman trailing along behind him?

Lieberman, a longtime Democrat and failed presidential and vice-presidential candidate, is now the Connecticut senator listed as an "independant Democrat."

What does shadowing McCain make him?

A whore.

Crime is Nice. We're Canadjun, eh?

Metro Vancouver has moved in one swell foop - or is that, one fell swoop? - from being The Wild West Show to being Crime Central West.

11 mob hits in less than 3 months.

Lovely.

But, as that great American philosopher, Alfred E. Newman, would have it, "What me, worry?"

Heck no.

We've got Wally Opaque to keep us calm.

Gosh and golly, I just feel like I've had a cup of warm milk and a cookie.

Thanks Wally, and how's The Beav?

Paul Scofield 1922-2008

Considered one of the greatest actors of his time, Scofield is justifiably remembered for his indelible performance as Sir Thomas Moore in "A Man for All Seasons." He won the Best Actor Oscar for that role.

Read the NY Times obit here.

Carmen & Only Carmen

Robert's Tale of Two Cities

Fellow blogger, Robert Werner, has written a terrific piece about the difference between Vancouver and Honolulu.

It's an eye-opener and I urge you to give it a read:

http://pelalusa.blogspot.com/2008/03/tale-of-two-cities.html

Water

Think you're not rich or fortunate or blessed today?

Try this on for size.

One in five human beings does not have access to fresh drinking water.

Think again.

Give thanks.

And think about the future.

For all of us.

Not all things are Equal

Question:

When Raymond Louie announced his mayoralty chase on Sunday, the Sun printed a very small article on a back page with a tiny black and white picture of the Vision councillor.

Today, Alan de Genova gets half a page, huge headlines and a quarter page full color foto.

Vas geipt?

ICBC - Chop Shop

It's a little more than disconcerting to learn that the government agency responsible for cars and what we do with them is selling rebuilt wrecks without disclosing the car's history.

What's the difference between ICBC and you average garden variety crook?

Answer: it's a government agency and apparently immune from the law and prosecution.

That's reassuring, isn't it?

Non, Je ne Regrette Rien

Non, Je ne Regrette Rien

THE GORDFATHER...OFFERS WE CAN'T REFUSE

To The Editor

Racketeering? Conflict of interest? Secretive government meetings? Episode
of the Soprano's?
Nope - it's a new series called "The Gordfather".

TransLink decides where the transit routes and stations go, and the zoning
is changed to maximize their density/profit, regardless of the consequences
to the community. They decide on the method of construction with impunity.
They decide when to purchase the property with this secret knowledge,
without any pesky competition. They even choose who will win their favour to
build on this land and share the spoils.

And the public that is impacted and pays for all this - that's us - does not
have a say in anything. As a matter of fact, Kevin Falcon has made it clear
even to the Municipal Mayors that if you don't honour the TransLink family,
you and your communities will be dead to him.

Small businesses that get in the way don't stand a chance of survival.
You just couldn't make this stuff up.

Good thing they have a Vice President of SNC Lavalin on the Board to advise
them, and a director of Canada Line to assist with how to get away with
offering no compensation! And what a bonus that Shato Holdings has very
close ties every whichway to the Gordfather. Makes it so much easier to have
White Spots in every station, and residential towers over all their
restaurants. Sweet.

I think the people of BC have just been kissed off.

Susan Heyes
Standing up for Democracy (against all odds)
604 687-0721

Liza & Joel on MOney, Money, Money

Translink- The new Condo King

The story about Translink becoming a Billion dollar landowner, covered by the front page and by Pete McMartin in today's Sun, is an interesting and important issue.

But it seems to me that a few good questions have not been asked.

Yes, it's a good thing that the system can generate money and stop bleeding homeowners who drive and never get on a bus or train.

Yes, it's a good thing that someone will develop communities and hubs of activity - commercial, residential and recreational - around skytrain stations.

But the Big Question of who, who, who gets to do all this has not been sufficiently explored.

The very last paragraph on the front page story is found on page 2. It tells us that the first 3P deal is imminent, maybe as close as a few months away.

OK.

So to whom has Translink's new government appointed, arms-length board been talking?

Peter Wall? David Podmore? The Hell's Angels?

As always, the key to such stories is FOLLOW THE MONEY.

But the public cannot follow what is being obscured.

The Musqueam deal was back-room brokered between two Campbells - Ernie, the aboriginal chief and Gordon, the Premier.

How much of these million-dollar development deals will be back-room brokered between the Great Control Freak Premier and favored developers?

Will new and growing developers have opportunities? Will small companies stand a chance?

Will we ever know, or, much as usual, will we sit back like compliant Canadian sheep and watch the city grow around our 50 inch plasma escape machines?

George Bush - Accountant Extraordinaire

Bush, the president who has no interest in health insurance for American citizens, estimated the cost of the Iraq war at a mere $50 Billion.

Turns out he missed the mark by a tad.

How about $4 TRILLION?

Of course, there's no oil or infrastructure or arms profit to be made by friends in health care.

Read the bloody mess here.