Nice to see Mayor Gregor Robertson finally exposed as the foul mouthed idiotarian that we suspected him to be all along.
Yes, Mr. Robertson we have bigger things to worry about. Like our chickens in our backyards, screwing up a proper street food program, turning every road into a biking lane, and the blessed rebranding of Vancouver as Green City.
Nice to see Mayor Gregor Robertson finally exposed as the foul mouthed idiotarian that we suspected him to be all along.
Yes, Mr. Robertson we have bigger things to worry about. Like our chickens in our backyards, screwing up a proper street food program, turning every road into a biking lane, and the blessed rebranding of Vancouver as Green City.
Look at how happy these people are on the HST blog! They are so pumped for the HST it's like crazy. Look at them! The Sun has your guide to all the fun we get to start having on Canada's birthday, the sickos. Or you can just soak up the happy vibe from the official BC HST Blog. Taxes are fun!
Australian Prime Minister gets ousted by his own Cabinet. Ikea takes the opportunity to sell some cabinets. Ad comedy ensues. (Photo: Littleladylove)
Nice to see that our Mayor has gotten on the sauce early this Friday. Surely he has, like city business to handle?
Vice interviews the insane totalitarian Buddhist master who beat Sim City 3000 perpetuating an oppressive regime for over 50,000 years. I mean it sounds like it could make Vancouver's no-fun city reputation laughable:
"Technically, no one is leaving or coming into the city. Population growth is stagnant. Sims don’t need to travel long distances, because their workplace is just within walking distance. In fact they do not even need to leave their own block. Wherever they go it’s like going to the same place."
Awkward. Watching the video will scare the absolute crap out of you. This logic makes idiots like Kim Jung iL look amateurish in their mastery of control and power. Obama could totally beat him I'm sure.
I wish the Mayor of Vancouver was like Ron Swanson. No, actually I wish our Mayor was Ron Swanson. Ron enjoys woodworking, breakfast meats, and the works of Ayn Rand.
"I’ve been quite open about this around the office: I don’t want this parks department to build any parks, because I don’t believe in government. I think that all government is a waste of taxpayer money. My dream is to have the park system privatized and run entirely for profit by corporations, like Chuck E. Cheese. They have an impeccable business model. I would rather work for Chuck E. Cheese.”
To be fair, we can all have chickens. So we've got that going for us.
Let me get this straight. The Vancouver School Board passes a decree and gives kidholes an extra week at spring break saving tax payers $1.3 million? (Via News 1130)
Technically it's 10 days with 6 extended weekends and 4 extra days at spring break. Apparently it's a one-time thing. This post is brought to you by Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green.
Hope and Change meet your drab, muted, grey, and worrisome overlords of 2010. Nice to see the new version of Barrack Obama's website has lost the slick hope-felt look of 2008 already. It's Change 2.0. Feel the inspiration.
I for one can't wait to see what Obama Jr. Gregor Robertson does with this new arsenal of hope. (Via Patrick Ruffini)
I think it's interesting that the Prime Minister of Norway, trapped in New York because of another end of times earth disruption can run his entire government using the iPad. As one commenter notes, "So running an entire country only involves YouTube clips and pointless games? Who knew?"(Via Gawker)
Exit question: what are the implications of this for Canadian politics? Does this mean Stephen Harper could get rid of the entire parliament for good now? He could just iPad everything, while playing keyboards, with his dozens of iPad loving cats.
Can we get someone, anyone, serious in City Hall to deal with grown up issues and not some fantasy issues like chickens?
Can we just get some dudes like this back into politics? Even how he orders himself some nice slacks sounds incredible. And roomy around the undercarriage, if you know what I mean. (Via Wonkette)
Mayor Gregor Robertson better not hear about this view of Green Jobs from The Atlantic's Megan McArdle:
"But green jobs have become the ginseng of progressive politics: a sort of broad-spectrum snake oil that cures whatever happens to ail you. They are the antidote to economic malaise, an underskilled labor force, the inherent unwillingness of the public to suffer any significant economic and personal dislocation in order to save the environment. They enhance nationalistic vigor. (If we don't act now, the Chinese will steal all of our green jobs!) They stave off aging of stale political platforms. And I'm pretty sure they're good for bunions, too."
But he should open up his little green head and give it a shake.
Nice to see that there was a Hedy Fry parade float in the Chinese New Year celebration. Phew.
Photo: Dan Toulgoet
Surprise, Surprise. Mayor Gregor Robertson has a cat. Seen here snuggling with said cat on the cover of Pet Connection magazine. And he has originally named his cat, Kitty. I knew it he names pets like governs this city. Poorly. (Via Vancouver Courier)
Pretty quickly into post-game State of the Union shows. CNN has poor John King playing with an interactive map of Twitter comments. You are a nation of 300 million, I would not judge the collective intelligence contained in anything called a Tweet. This is madness. And why I've retired from posting on Twitter.
Hedy Fry discusses simulations. Something I'd rather she didn't discuss. Ever. Especially in the same sentence as the word "job."
"How did we do it? Simple. We made a stimulus package. It had the most features of any package we've ever created—more jobs, more money, more everything. We could have stopped there. We could've said, Hey, that was great. Let's go do something else. But you know what? It wasn't enough. The American people deserve something even better and more revolutionary. So today, we're introducing a new plan. It's called Stimulus 2GS, and it's sleeker than any economic recovery package ever created. It's got bridges, it's got schools, it's got broadband Internet. All that, and it's super easy to use—you can control it from iTunes. Pretty cool, huh?" Christopher Beam and Josh Levin in Slate
Do you know how to make Apps uncool? Unleash White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who some have called Mrs. Doubtfire, to make a terrible video about them. And you wonder why people are saying things like this about the administration even after they try to freeze spending, "BREAKING Obama to propose three year freeze on good ideas." or "Obama's proposed 3-year spending freeze "like announcing you’re going on a diet after winning a pie-eating contest." Le Fail?
So, I got this press release today about the carbon offsets for the 2010 Olympics. You see, the games are asking people to make sure Vancouver 2010 is the first carbonless footprint games. And to ensure that happens you can get a free souvenir pin with the purchase of one tonne of carbon offsets. These aren't just any offsets, these are "from the 2010 Legacy Portfolio of high quality carbon credits assembled specifically for the 2010 Winter Games."
Well, I didn't know you could better quality offsets. I hate those bulk ones from Costo, they are so not as tasty as these premium brand offsets. “We have a limited number of Offsetters pins for those people who are making an environmental commitment to the 2010 Winter Games by buying one tonne of carbon offsets,” said James Tansey, CEO and co-founder of Offsetters. “This is just one of the ways we are hoping to engage spectators to help achieve the aspirational goal of a carbon neutral Games.”
So for the stupidly random price of $25 per tonnes (plus $2 shipping) you get this pin. Say what now? Are people taking crazy pills? There are pin collectors around the globe weeping about this pathetic pin. FTW.
For more information about carbon offset stupidity read this.
Saw this makeshift sign by a cheeky marketer at a souvenir stand today. Question: Is this crass exploitation of the situation in Haiti? Or were the shirts actually made in Haiti, and by buying these cheap Canada t-shirts you're helping earthquake victims? Seems like an odd value proposition. Maybe it is both exploitative and true. What would Don Draper do?
It's called Ice Light, designed by German artist Gunda Forster. And Mayor Gregor Robertson lit this one of twenty parts of the $5.95 million art works around Vancouver. We brought in someone from Germany to lay some environmental LED lights on our city hall that look like they just put Christmas lights out? My bad, they flicker like a tacky waterfall every hour starting at dusk. (Vancouver.ca)
Really? That's what we did?
You see that? That's the AMAZING cover of the 2010 Conservative Party calendar. Harper and family recreating the 1969 Beattle's album Abbey Road. Thankfully got it and it is now safely up in our cubicle farm at work much to the chagrin to most others around me. But COME ON, how amazing is this? Who says Stevsie doesn't have a sense of humor and fun?
It seems America rebuffed hope tonight, as Scott Brown, a republican, has won Ted Kennedy's senate seat, eliminating Obama's super-majority. And all we got in Canada today was a ho-hum cabinet shuffle? Ezra Klein notes, "This seems like fairly decisive evidence that the dream can, in fact, die." And Mark Steyn calls it, "The Chowdah Revolution." (Times Online)
On the other hand, just like Mr. Harper let Rona Ambrose out of the proverbial dog house in the moves today, newly crowned Senator Brown started talking about his two available daughters. One is even on American Idol.
Well, I can see why he won, now. So, can we please get rid of Hedy Fry in Vancouver please?
Is it just me or does a non-hunger strike really have nothing to do with homelessness? Vancouver's 2nd most annoying Member of Parliament is taking her turn in a week-long hunger strike to raise awareness for homelessness in the 2010 Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay. And by hunger strike they mean liquids. So, you mean she's on a diet for homelessness. Good for her. She should be thanking Harper for giving her the time off.
And then there was this:
While Davies traditionally uses the media and the microphone in her criticism of Prime Minister Stephen Harper or B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, the would-be wooden paddle in her hand had her fantasizing Sunday about some corporal punishment for those high-powered politicians."I feel like I should be looking for Gordon Campbell or Stephen Harper with this spoon," joked Davies, as she wielded the wooden weapon with a tongue-in-cheek grin on her face. "It's so tempting."
Um, gross.
And this might be the only thing that bothers me about Harper suspending parliament.
Good morning Vancouver. Welcome back. Let's start 2010 off with a bang. You really can't imagine what it is like to have Hedy "Foot in Mouth" Fry as your representative in Parliament. It's embarrassing. And here she is starting 2010 off with her first dead tree direct mailer of the year, a convenient waste of paper with a poorly put together black and white 2010 calendar. Thankfully not of the bikini variety. iIn my building I saw most of them in the recycling bin already (yay green!), because honestly who would want to use the ugliest calendar known to man?
Inside she writes:
"2010 is indeed a very special year for Vancouver as we play a lead role on the international stage; as hosts of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The world will see a remarkable city, with its warts and its beauty."
Yes, because my first thought of our city immediately makes me first think of warts, such a typical statement from my political representative to say something stupid to kick the year off right. 2010 is off to a great start.
Remember when Chairman, er, Mayor Gregor Robertson launched the new branding for the city? You know, that we were the Green Capital now? Well according to 24 Hours, that green logo and slogan cost us $239,000 plus GST. Here are some genius musings from the gold-laden brand book:
"Green is connected to blue, land to sky and water, the city to its people and ideas to capital. The graphic V is also reminiscent of the ribbons of an Olympic medal, a nod to the Games that started Vancouver's search for a new business story."
So let me get this straight, we have to shut down the petting zoo because of budget issues, but we could find nearly $250,000 to get a logo and some ridiculous branding book about a new business story?
This makes me want to order more copies of Green Hell, and send one to Mayor Gregor for Christmas thanking him for all his tireless work making us greener and stuff.
Previously on The Vancouverite:
Welcome to "V" your Green Capital, October 1, 2009
Even in the polite street cafe society of Paris, there is still time to debate more than just overthrowing the government, Carla Bruni, and burning cars. Like, for instance, who is better: Kirk or Spock. This just made my day. Le Fin. (Via Fuckyeahfrancais)
It may be raining in Vancouver, but this video of Stephen Harper in India will brighten your day.
Photo: 350.org
Halloween came early to Vancouver, as protesters got into costume Saturday on the Cambie Street Bridge to protest the lack of change on the environment or as they called it, bridge to a Cool Planet. So obviously Dinosaur costumes are what makes change. I'm sure Harper was totally moved to change.
And if we were really concered about the environment, and not making everything green, would we really have an environmental conference in Copenhagen where everyone had to fly to get there?
As Ann Althouse writes, "Anyway, how can there be a big climate change conference that everyone must fly to? If the situation is really so dire, why don't they video-conference?"
Indeed.
After his victory over homelessness again, and making Vancouver the greenest place ever by 2020, Mayor Gregor took his non capitalization tweeters to London and then Greece to light the Olympic Torch. But after just one little flight he misses Vancouver. It's been ONE DAY man. Get a grip.
Previously on the Mayor Gregor Twitter Show:
Wait. What? There is still a homeless problem in Vancouver? I thought Mayor Gregor fixed that tedious problem like, months ago. And yet today we are still making new services to handle the homeless problem. At this rate, Gregor is sure to win the 2009 Homeless Nobel Prize for inaction. Being Mayor is hard. Like making expensive juice.
Previously on The Vancouverite:
Mayor Gregor Twitter Show: The Eternal Twitterings of the spotless Mayor (March 9, 2009)
Nice to see that under her Olympic logo hating exterior Vancouver MP Hedy Fry is just as crass consumerist as the next girl. This rabble rousing socialist has a shoe fetish.
Sweet niblets. Stephen Harper, alongside Yo-Yo Ma, totally jams The Beatles classic "With a Little Help from My Friends" at the NAC gala in Ottawa, October 3rd, 2009. Balls in your court Mr. Ignatieff.
President Obama is giving away 2016 Chicago t-shirts. (via NBC)
You know if I was this much into the red, I doubt the banks would see it as a "shortfall". Especially a $61 million one. But that's where Vancouver's budget is at right now. (CKNW)
Somehow, while we were busy this summer getting that awesome bike lane on Burrard Street, bailing out the Olympic Village (as a side note I amusingly saw some deadbeats taking the Canada from Olympic Village to City Hall. I'll bet they walked as far underground to get there.), and jamming with Dal Richards we went into budget deficit.
At least, on Sunday our esteemed Mayor twittered for the 262nd time, "got to celebrate our greenstreets volunteer gardeners at vandusen shindig. 20% more this year-big boost of street gardens!"
Previously on The Vancouverite:
Mayor Robertson to Olympic Village: Bummer (February 17, 2009)
I want the next candidate to take on Hedy Fry to be more like this please. Linda McMahon for Senate 2010. 100% Genius.
Note to Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff do not to try the Obama girl with big boobs kind of thing to win the election. Clearly Germany wanted nothing to do with her as the Social Democrats got "23.1 percent, a drop of 11 percentage points from 2005, the biggest decline for any party in postwar history" (Via The Awl)
I had no idea that Gordon Campbell is working on his next campaign already. He is looking old, lets get him a vest or a nuke plant for Christmas. So loveable. (Via You Might Find Yourself)
Doesn't this remind you of the slow mo walking opening credits of 1992's Reservoir Dogs? For realz. So awesome. HST recall? Come on? Apparently a real poll found in an BC Federation of Labour news release (no bias there at all) says that 42% of Vancouver Point Grey voters would recall Premier Gordon Campbell. It's not happening okay, can we move on?
Saturday, in between Starbucks and Home Depot was a sad looking table and girl soliciting money for something. I hate when it gets awkward. Rule #1, don't say things like, "It's for the kids." It sounds desperate and it turns people off. Rule #2, never say, "It's not like i'm asking for a Million." That's good honey, because I didn't want to give a loony. What I needed was these cards to hand these street sales people of do-goodery. (via W+K Studio Blog)
"I know you're just doing your job, but the methods you've been asked to use are manipulative and make me less trustful of friendliness in general and that, not indifference towards your cause, is why I'm not going to talk to you."
I'm especially pleased to report that my esteemed representative in Ottawa, Hedy Fry, has a charming little postcard she's sending around suggesting that we can't be backpacking around the globe with our Canada flag like we used to. Which was news to me. "This postcard represents what Liberals are hearing from everyday Canadians from coast, to coast, to coast," says Fry. "That, under Stephen Harper, Canada is becoming a diminished light and force on the world stage. Mr. Harper has tarnished our international reputation when it comes to climate change, the United Nations, respect for human rights, peacekeeping, and the list goes on."
Whaaaaaaaat? I'm pretty sure that the world has no clue who Mr. Harper is, and even if they did, I'd be shocked if they had a clue what our position on climate change, UN, or human rights is. I'm not sure they would know what our position on Canadian bacon or hockey would be. (via Damian Penny)
What an embarrassment. If there are Canadians, who in the midst of a recession are traipsing around the world and still think having the Canadian flag on their bag is not something to be proud of they are probably people that told their friends they bought carbon offsets while taking, yet another flight. It's called being a hypocrite, you hippies. The only thing about another election here in Vancouver anyway, is another great opportunity to not elect Hedy Fry to parliament again.
Okay. Can we all agree that Michael Ignatieff in some random wooded area talking about Canada and the economy of tomorrow is a little weird? He looks completely out of place. Like he is somehow going to be talking to small woodland creatures. He seems about as comfortable in the woods as Michael Scott did in The Office episode, "Survivor Man." His smile at the end of the spot, the close up, is frighteningly not sincere. Which I guess makes sense since his vagueries is exactly the kind of politics that gets statesmen into trouble. Do anything, say anything, politics to get into office.
Is this what we can hope for from our next election? But instead we will spend $300 million to find out by how much Stephen Harper will beat Ignatieff. Maybe that is harsh, but there isn't any ideas being discussed, or even hinted at. This is all about power. "Dragging us kicking and screaming into an expensive election during rough economic times because the stimulus package should have been $12 billion instead of $10 billion doesn't sound like a winning idea," writes Kevin Engstrom.
It's just proof how ridiculous Canadian politics has become.
On the one hand. Mayor Gregor plays the tuba. On the other hand. Mayor Gregor plays the tuba. And PS: playing 70-straight years at the PNE sounds like pure hell. Being the Mayor does sound like fun though. I hate when jobs are hard and stuff.
Really? People hate taxes? Who knew. Even the hippies in BC people hate new taxes. Especially on Cactus Club mini-burgers. How could Gordon Campbell not figure that one out? the Province. On a side note, I'm sure that The Province could have done something better with the cover of the paper that this.
And in case anyone is thinking about jumping off the BC Liberal band wagon with the HST, let me remind you that the other choices in the election were the NDP and the GREEN Party. So let's just resolve to the fact that we'll get the money back in a tax cut later, right Gordo?
(Photo By Stephen Hui)
Clearly a highlight from the weekends rainbow celebrations. And it sure is nice to see that old Hedy Fry dressed up as Kang from the Simspon's during the Pride '09 parade. She is so pop-culture savvy. Well played. Somehow Jack Layton failed to come as Kodos - he instead chose what appeared to be an NDP Hockey Jersey and a Cowboy hat? Not cool. (Via Straight)
Obama To Hold Job Performance Review With Every American Worker
Sounds about right.
The Benny Hill theme at the end, priceless.
Nice to see that while Iran fights for democracy, Paris Hilton is doing her part keeping up international relations and whatever. That's Hot. Democracy, whiskey, sexy!
Can't wait to hang with Niccolo Machiavelli inside the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Italy.
UPDATE: Can't believe they were renovating Nico's tomb. What a bummer man.
Hopefully about now I've had about three liters of banana gelato - the good kind, that's all awful and grey looking but tastes so good you almost die. It's been over 15 years some I've had some in Rome. Anyway, Why did Rome fall? Here are 210 reasons from Der Fall Roms (1984)
And these are just the ones filed under "A":
Abolition of gods
Abolition of rights
Absence of character
Absolutism
Agrarian question
Agrarian slavery
Anarchy
Anti-Germanism
Apathy
Aristocracy
Asceticism
Attack of the Germans
Attack of the Huns
Attack of riding nomads
(Via UTexas)
How could this not be a winning strategy? God I love BC. This is the new face of communism in BC. They are loveable Commies. Without beards! Here's leader George Gidora articulating his party (read two candidates) vision:
"We stand for public ownership of resources to create jobs and build environmentally sustainable industries. As unemployment skyrockets, British Columbians need a provincial government that will demand changes to the federal Employment Insurance system by extending higher benefits to all jobless workers. We call for a $15 minimum wage and full Labour Code protection for all workers; massive improvements in public transit and a one-dollar fare for the Vancouver region; reversal of Liberal tax breaks for the rich; adequate funding for education and health; strict rent controls and construction of 5,000 new low income housing units annually; a ban on raw log exports; an end to moves to privatize B.C. Hydro and our rivers; full public oversight of police forces; recognition of aboriginal title to unceded territories; and full social equality and human rights for all who live in our province."
HEH. Adorable.
Tomorrow starts 2009 Election early voting. The only question is who to vote for. Actually, not really much of a question for me, but why do the candidates in my riding have to dress exactly the same. It's creepy. And it's the 2nd time these bitches are going head-to-head. It's the doctor versus the account manager in a gloves off street fight. Lets get ready to rumble. (via Moar Internetz)
Last time, in the 2008 by-election, Jenn McGinn (at right) took home 46% while Margaret MacDiarmid (at left) followed up with 40%. Distant third was Green leader Jane Sterk (she's running elsewhere this time. Back in 2005 Gregor "Juice" Robertson got 46% FTW. And back in 2001 Gary Farrell-Collins won this one big time with 55% (he also won it in 1996). Before that the riding was NDP. So Vancouver-Fairview has a little history of being, well, all over the place. How a place votes for both Gregor Robertson and Gary Farrell-Collins is beyond me - pick a side you sickos. Ah, typical BC politics. Glorious isn't it? It's like student council with more money and worse outfits.
I'm sure MacDiarmid had me at supporting Brian Day and the Cambie Surgical Center. Being in the riding, I find it amusing the McGinn doesn't. Isn't it their job to support local business? Especially successful ones?
"What the country needs from the opposition is an intellectually serious attempt to rein in unnecessary waste and spending. But the Republicans pissed away their credibility on fiscal conservatism over the past eight years and then monstrously compounded matters this year by leaning on their shovels and generally half-assing their way through the budget debate, saving a few bullets they had left for a fucking estate-tax exemption. Way to take your jobs seriously, you assholes. And you wonder why you lost the White House." - Matt Tiabbi, Rolling Stone.
Ah the Germans. Aren't they awesome. This new billboard ad featuring German chancellor Angela Merkel in her underwear is exactly what Carole James needs to do to push her over the top of Gordon Campbell. Sex it up Carole! The fact that the ad is some sort of dirty underwear exchange program is just, well, gross. (via Ad Freak)
I'm not exactly sure what debate people we're watching to give James a narrow victory, because all I could think was who did her make up. [Vancouver Sun]
5. It's the economy stupid. Campbell will probably win if this line sticks in people's minds: ""When you're talking about the economy, I think it's fair to ask the question: Why is there not one major employer group in British Columbia - in mining, in tourism, in forestry - that actually supports the New Democrats' policies."
4. The irrelevance of the Green Party and leader Jane Sterk was exposed - as was the leader who looked like an old hippy. Who elected her leader? No wonder they completely ignored her.
3. The set. Who designed that thing? It was a ridiculous set that made city council TV look respectable, kind of like 1960s original Star Trek. Although the countdown graphics were completely awesome.
2. When Gordon Campbell backhanded James on crime and credentials, "Ms. James, you should understand — this is a big job and it is hard to get a handle on it." Say what you will about the man, but this kind of ahole/dick move is kinda awesome.
1. Carole James' make up artist should be working on big-budget Hollywood movies. Did they do Iron Man? This was the political equivalent of Homer Simpson's Make Up Gun, set on the whore setting of course.
File this one in the "things not to do during a campaign during an economic downturn". This is like being against the Canucks as a candidate for office during the playoffs - it's just plain bad campaign strategery. So Carole "Susan Boyle" James is getting in hot water for a commitment to raise wholesale prices to private liquor stores.
She's in hot water because she claims that this won't mean higher booze prices. Like a true leader she responds, "It’s up to them as businesses whether they pass that cost on." [Vancouver Sun]
Swine Flu. Economic meltdown. Rome burning. But never fear Vancouver, your appointed senator Mobina Jaffer is on the job ensuring that the Richmond Olympic Speed Skating Oval is also named in French. I get the kind of dropped ball on having no French inside the building but I've never gotten why you have to translate names of buildings. Whatever it's apparently VANOC's fault. I just want to know why we have to pay Mobina Jaffer $130,40 to do this. Honesty. [Richmond News]
(Photo credit: scazon)
So, tonight I met up with some old friends who invited me to a Gordon Campbell fundraiser. Jealous right? He had a captive - and I have to say packed house at Library Square - audience of younger BC Liberal supporters. It was hot. Sweaty, and possibly over capacity. I even managed to have my brush with the premier - not a bad handshake, and came to realization that he really is named Gordon. I have some random thoughts:
1. A youngish - and I mean under 40's - was about 4-1 guys to girls. A total sausage factory.
2. He should fire whoever wrote his speech for the night. Fire them all. He got one applause line during his remarks. He's lucky he's running against Carol James or I'd consider not voting early since I'll be in Italy on election day.
3. I'm pretty sure that just because we are younger, doesn't mean we all need to hear about Obama - and the joke about 'you may have heard about this guy' was awful. PS: talking to us like all we had to do was vote was kind of insulting. PPS: The speech spent more time asking for more ideas or support and nothing about an actual plan - in that regard it was very Obama except less articulate.
4. Second bullet point in the speech was about green. Come on. Then he went on to say how much he believed in the environment. I get it, but you have a rabid group of people who had to pay $20 to help you - I think you can lead with something a little better. Figure out your stump speech dude.
I'm intrigued with this Hail Mary advertising strategy for the NDP. I was hitting up the National Review blog for my dose of conservative talking points, and I saw a banner ad at the top of the page for the NDP.
The NDP is advertising to me, on William F. Buckley's seminal conservative website. This is going to be easier than I thought it would. I think it's wishful thinking that in the off chance I see their ad on a site like this, I'll magically convert to vote NDP. HEH.
Not sure what is more awful before my first full cup of coffee this morning. That Obama is now dictating who runs GM or this quote by Mark Steyn:
"In their first two months, Obama and Geithner have done nothing but vaporize your wealth, and your children’s future. What began as an economic crisis is now principally a political usurpation. And, to return to the president’s “false choice,” that “chaotic and unforgiving capitalism” is exactly what we need right now. It’s the quickest, cheapest, fairest, most-efficient route to economic stabilization and renewal. A regimented and eternally forgiving global command economy with no moral hazard will destroy us all."
See also James Lileks:
"Maybe I’m old-school, but “President fires CEO” looks as wrong as “Pope fires Missile.” Does not compute."
I could honestly do with a little less Mayor Gregor Twittering. Based on his Twitter I wouldn't elect him Mayor of Twitterville nor any elected office. In this weeks episode: Mayor Gregor solves homelessness in three months, turns City Hall lawn into garden, and finds hope in a goose.
He heaps praise on the three months of meetings his action team on homelessness has done. Apparently he can end it as long as we end it once more with feeling, I mean tenacity and focus.
Meanwhile his Mayorship relished digging up the grounds of City Hall to make a symbolic community garden.
Mayor Gregor wants Winter and gang war to end. Can't you just end? The Mayor wants it to end. And on twitter. And yet it still snowed today. Arrests be damned and take that you stupid geese.
In the immortal words of Carl Spackler, "Oh Mrs. [Sarkozy], you're a little monkey woman. Yeah, you're lean, mean, and I bet you're not too far in between are ya." Or something like that. Where was I going with this? Oh, right.
Apparently the "French Obama" has hit the wall in year two as he has bit off more than he could chew. The line is that in trying to solve everything, he has managed to accomplish nothing. Sounds familiar, yes. Lessons for Original Recipe Obama? Then again, the biggest lesson I get is that Obama and Harper and maybe even the bore that is Gregor "A chicken in every Yaletown condo" Robertson need 2nd wives, but whatever. [Via Macleans]
(Picture via: Brooks Kraft, Time)
Recession? What recession? I observed a few non-scientific things yesterday.
1. The Red Door was actually interviewing someone for an open position.
2. People were actually in Willams and Sonoma. One man was asking about the $1600 pot and pan set. No, I didn't grab that $16 Chili starter set, the $14.50 pasta sauce, or the $8 vanilla extract.
3. Cab Driver on Broadway didn't actually pull over, he seemed to stop the car in the middle lane, on green. Bold. This hardly proves anything about the recession, but does prove that cab drivers here are nearly universally awful. He didn't say a single word. He just sort of grunted at us.
4. While we did drive Sleep Country to a pretty good bargain, they seemed to be selling a lot of beds.
Good old Joe Biden is no Al Gore. He can't seem to get the internet directions to the recovery website right. Change is coming. (Via Wonkette)
Well if this doesn't get me inspired to get back on the Wii this week, I don't know what will. Thanks Obama Girl. Shameless. Also, can't wait to watch the State of the Union tomorrow night (6PT) It's like a real Super Bowl game. Woot.
President Obama makes first foreign visit to Canada. He's being saluted by mounties! Hope is here!
Nice to see our Obama-lite mayor, Gregor Robertson, give the most undignified quote today:
"It would be a bummer to lose this component of the [Olympic] village, that rounds it out as a more sustainable and dynamic neighbourhood. We've got our work cut out for us on yet another element of this village."
The guy sounds like the Dude after someone pissed on his rug. Only in Vancouver could we figure out how to lose money building housing on the water and going $77 million over trying to build social housing. I figure they could have just given each potential resident of that social housing over $300,000. Sigh.
Guess who's a spry 67 today! Kim Jong-il! In the immortal words of Mike Harcourt, "Let's Boogy!" Why wasn't there something the US stimulus package to get rid of this tyrant? (Photo via Guardian)
I've read just about every article on this whole Olympic Village Completion story this weekend. City Caucus. Gary Mason. Frances Bula. Condohype. Villagegate, Olympicgate, Millenium Watergate, whatever you want to call it. Quite frankly it seems like par for the course, really. Here are a few thoughts:
1. I was thinking a few years ago, before the 2004 Summer Olympics how incompetent the Greeks were as they scrambled to finish their stuff. I guess we are just as disorganized and incompetent as the Greeks. Yay us.
2. Is it wrong that I'm more annoyed with the fact that this farce is doubly insulting given the increasing costs of the green design and the ridiculous idea of waterfront social/affordable housing? Only in Vancouver.
3. Praise Jeebus that I'm a renter and not an owner. Suck it owners. The irony that all the smug condo owners who made money will end up paying for this is kind of completely awesome.
4. Is anyone willing to say that Gregor Robertson's 2nd big test (after the snow) is kind of a fail too. If he was the mayor version of Obama, the world is doomed when Obama punts it as bad as this.
5. And we all thought Sam Sullivan was a bumbler. Gregor can't even move the blame around successful. If our goal was to compete with our friends in Chicago and Milorad "Rod" R. Blagojevich, then Robertson best be learning to quote English poets. When PR is running the war room, I think that is bad sign.
6. Predictions: Pretty sure that the Olympics will be Robertsons key to one term mayorship.
Kind of like the mass of Mad Men Tumblrs etc, I kind of have an affinity for historical twitters. Even in twitter form, Hitler was a complete jerkoff. Nazi's, I hate those guys.
I think I'd much rather watch this version of West Wing that original.
I wonder what Suzuki and Gore think of this. "Triton Logging is a company that specializes in lumber processing, and they've got a giant underwater saw robot that can clearcut submerged trees - by remote control, from a desktop computer." Sounds awesome! Lets do it. And way to go BC for coming up with this bad boy. I want one. [Io9]
"I would have picked Noam Chomsky for state, Naomi Klein for defense, Bernardine Dohrn for Attorney General, Bill Fletcher for commerce, James Thindwa for labor, Barbara Ransby for human services, Paul Krugman for treasury, and Amy Goodman for press secretary. So what do I know?" - Bill Ayres.
Dare I say this would be "Cabinet Fail"?
I was out propping up the economy again earlier this week and stopped in at Golden Age on Granville to get something, and on my grumpy pants friend Gord's reco, I picked up the first of three issues of Batman Cacophony. This is the first one off comic I've bought in like 20 years - maybe longer. Maybe it was that it was breaking up this week's reading of Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism (more on that later).
It was, as comics are, a quick palette cleansing read last night. Mostly because it has so much Smithisms to be read within. It starts timely enough with a mention to the economic crisis - this is the device that sets the whole story off - one involving The Caped Crusader, the Joker, and Smith's own evil creation from his Green Lantern writing, Onomatopeia. It's tough to envision the Joker after The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger's brutally insane take this summer, but Smith uses the comic medium to his advantage with the old green hair. Who else but Smith would pen the Joker saying, "I miss the bars. But throw one measly piece of POO at a guard and suddenly it's all bullet-proof glass for our hero." It's a fun little read, and I think part two is out today. This was certainly Smith's better offering in 2008 over Zack and Miri.
But Goldberg's book is an interesting one too, and I'm back at it (clearly...). In response to a longish opening shot at perceptions of Mussolini tenure as a right winger he writes, "Ah, yes. Those anti-elitist, stock-market-abolishing, child-labor ending, public-heath-promoting, wealth-confiscating, draft-ending secularist right-wingers!" The NDP's Jack Layton would be all over this guy circa 1919.
Update: On a slightly related note, Io9 asks the timely question, "Hippie Hatred: Does Marvel Comics Hate Hippies?" Kind of amazing!
Here's a welcome strategy for 2009. Lets have models, Victoria's Secret girls, and women like Hillary Duff ring the bell every day at the New York Stock Exchange. Pretty sure that it won't hurt the markets, but it might help them out. Bring it on. [Just Jared]
Here's a sweet little post-Christmas miracle of fun for you. Johan Norberg takes down Naomi Klein. Sweet nibblets! Enjoy.
I don't know about you, but this looks like the worst Christmas party I've seen this year. What one commenter called, "a gaggle of socialists in their natural habitat." Good grief. Well, maybe this one is worse. Justin Trudeau in a kilt? The worst.
Sometimes Drudge is so amazing it isn't even funny. The Obama/Putin Shirtless poll? Genius.
You know, beyond the absurdity of someone throwing a shoe at the President of the United States, I'm completely impressed by how awesomely nimble and quick reacting Bush was. Impressive. Most impressive. (via Gawker)
Question: So if we are like the New Italy and will be in perpetual mintority, rag tag governments, do we at least get delicious food, wine, and gelato like the Italians to make it all this gong show go down better? Really enjoying that the NDP, Liberals and Bloc lost the election and now are going to bring us change anyway! Even in fancy new logo form. You can read my latest piece "Dion, Layton, and Duceppe Walk Into a Bar" over at the new Scout Magazine where I'm going to write more often as a contributor.
Andrew Coyne tackles all comers in his Maclean's Blog:
Again, the commentariat is as of one maddened mind. How could the government be so blind? Can it not see that unemployment has soared to 6.2%? Why, that’s four-tenths of a percentage point above its recent, thirty-year low. And what about Canadians’ fears of losing their home, what with the proportion of mortgages more than 90 days in arrears standing at an all-time record 0.2%? Okay, it’s an all-time record low, but still. When will it realize there’s a Depression on? Or coming? Or quite possible, certainly, in other countries.While this laissez-faire, do-nothing government contents itself with spending more than any government in the history of Canada — 25% more, after inflation and population growth, than at the start of the decade — and pumping tens of billions of dollars into the banking system, what Canadians demand is “stimulus.” And stimulus, we all know, in a sophisticated, 21st century economy, can be delivered in only one way: by hiring large numbers of unionized men to dig holes in the ground (see “infrastructure.”) Loosening monetary policy doesn’t count. Tax cuts don’t count. It only counts as “stimulus” if the government spends it.
UPDATE: You can Rally For Canada on December 6th.
Pretty sure I heard a Shaw reporter ask Peter Ladner about Gregor Robertson's Kennedy-like appeal. seriously? Did he see his acceptance speech? Exit Question: What's going through Gordon Campbell's mind tonight (and with that new poll placing them behind the NDP by 5 points)?
Watch the above video. This accurately shows how the 2008 NPA campaign unfolded. Playing the part of the $100 Olympic debacle is a telephone pole. Amazing. I think I actually heard Charlie Smith from the Georgia Straight on Shaw suggest that maybe the NPA should have stuck with Sam Sullivan as their candidate. Never thought that would happen. What a fail.
Results (129 of 133 Polls Reporting):
Gregor Robertson, Vision 56637
Peter Ladner, NPA 40705
I was looking for a reason to get on the whole Obama bandwagon even long after everyone else did. Well, no, not really. But I am pretty sure that the concept of "hipsterism" ending because Obama has dropped his hope bombs all over the North America is pretty awesome, non? [Street Carnage]
The Metro paper must be trying to scare the absolute bejesus out of people by putting on their cover the over promo for some sort of early trick or treat. Honestly, Ujjal Dosanjh for Prime Minister is the craziest thing I've read, until i got to the end of Paul Sullivan's article where he mused, "Stephen Harper vs. Ujjal Dosanjh...in its own way it's as exciting, as transformational , as Barack Obama vs. John McCain."
So that is two off my chair things I read in the Metro over lunch today. I'm still getting the taste of spit up out of mouth. On the hand this is the one choice for Liberal leader that would actually put the Liberals in an even deeper hole to dig out of. Sickos.
What if Wes Anderson was making John McCain's TV spots. Well, it would be awesome for one thing.
"Ha Ha." Pretty sure the loneliest, perhaps worst job in the Vancouver area today was handing out fliers for candidates for the October 29, 2008 Provincial By-election in Vancouver-Burrard. Nobody seemed to be too pumped up for the Federal Election, now in in downtown we have a By-election only two short weeks later. Ouch. The guy handing our Arthur Griffiths fliers did not look like he was having fun around 6:45 on Nelson St.
First question, what do the Hedy Fry maniacs do with their vote sans Hedy? I can hardly wait for their and the Green voters super awesome fun times.
It's post election hangover time in Vancouver. In the core of Vancouver (Vancouver Center) Liberal Hedy Fry continued her death lock grip on the riding, and conservative Lorne Mayencourt came in second. It was typical of Vancouver, to continue to send a do nothing, know nothing, someone like Fry back to Ottawa instead of someone who actually might matter in, you know, governing the country. Good news is that teflon Hedy's down to just 35% support, a nearly 10 point drop in support. One more point, Vancouver South charmingly chose, barely, to send Ujjal Dosanjh back to Ottawa. Are you serious?
Sure, it Steve Harper didn't get that majority he wanted but he did shake things up a bit. Maybe a couple of first downs. Bottom line is he move the game slightly and positively. He gutted Stephan Dion, which is good although maybe a little too good for the Liberals. And he probably gave himself a three year lease on office, as its unlikely anyone will be dumb enough to push for an election anytime remotely soon.
That said, Greater Vancouver support for Tory Blue was 39.13% (44% in BC) all round and that blue has started to creep back around the city gaining back North and West Vancouver, taking Richmond from the Liberals, amongst other gains. The Liberals turned into bronze medal winners, and for those keeping score all the Greens could muster was a lame duck 8.35%. You call yourself granola eaters people? Come on! In West Van, the sole Green MP, former Liberal Blair Wilson came in a distant third with only 14.4%. Then again, its clear that Canadians didn't really give a crap as they turned up in near record low turnouts. Not a good sign when the world faces a huge economic challenge that most of Canada chose to vote, "meh."
But here's the other thing that baffles me this morning. Why are there two, count 'em two, also ran lefty niche parties running in this country? The NDP and Greens are just killing each other. And don't get me wrong, its no secret that I think that concept in itself is pure awesome, but are voters just taking crazy pills? What makes you vote Green vs. NDP? Or either? Sure the NDP gained ground, sort of, but could they have won if in Vancouver Center it was either or? Yes. Combined they would have had more votes than the winner. What a total "fail".
And seriously, can you people just stop supporting the Green party. 2 independents won seats. And yet, not a single Green MP. Get over it. PS: Elizabeth May was in included in the debates and still got absolutely clobbered as she ran against Peter McKay. She should be the first leader to pack it in even before Dion. And here's dumbfounding evidence of Green insanity:
Adriane Carr says two losses provincially and now one federally under the Green party banner won't discourage her from continuing to run for politics."I'm here for the long run," Carr said of her defeat in Vancouver Centre to Liberal incumbent Hedy Fry. "A lot of people expressed to me they'd like to vote for me, like to vote green. I just hope that if it's not this election, it's the next."
So I get this email the other day entitled, "video on upcoming Vancouver election". I was like cool, this will be awesome. The email went on, "I wanted to pass along a short news segment that may interest your readers. The piece is titled "Why the November elections are critical for Vancouver's future" and it outlines a few of the main issues, including transportation and homelessness."
It's really too bad the video was called "Vision of Hope" and was more Michael Moore-ian in its one sided anti-NPA message (including terrible "We don't want no NPA sequel chant" from some lyrical hipsters) and pro-Vision party stance. So, thanks for the campaign ad pal. Bonus points for the one interview suggesting something about change, Obama style. I can safely predict that homelessness won't be solved by either of the two candidates come November. You heard it here first.
The above request probably won't happen, but in the words of Wooderson, " It'd be a lot cooler if [it] did." "by a Starbucks coffee to the first person who finds me Lorne Mayencourt sign installed with some sort of Jesus statue.
In other news, and more fun presumably, Mayencourt's campaign office is on the corner of Nelson and Granville St. I can only imagine how fun that place is going to be at like 2:30 AM Fridays and Saturdays the next few weeks.
(Image Via Wonkette)
So its day three of the Canadian election. And its really nice to see that the candidates are trying to really capture the best of what the web medium has to offer. They offer tonnes of web 2.0 tools on their sites and a plethora of tactics sure to make anyone rethink the power of web 2.0. At this rate I'll skip the 3.0 and just wait for the 5.0.
1. Conservative Microsite: Notaleader.ca features the hilirious "Do you think it's easy to load websites." This features both the facebook-lite Dionbook (currently down) and a blog for his dog Kyoto.
2. Liberal microsite for Mr. Dion: Thisisdion.ca. Love the "Meet Dion" moniker and the montage of him fishing and playing hockey. He's just like us! (PS: love the contrast between Green Shift and Liberal Red. It's like Christmas!)
3. Self Indulgent videos referencing both website name and purpose. Justin Trudeau's Justin.ca is reason enough to stop letting candidates use the web. On the other hand, its worthy of a 'Smug' award. I'm torn. And of course the interwebs strike back with hilarious results.
4. The Stephan Harper Flickr photostream. Now with 40% more sweater.
5. Liberal microsite #2: Scandalpedia. Of course if the Conservatives are doing a mock facebook, you know the Liberals have to go the wikipedia route.
6. Is Jack Layton really trying to channel Barrack Obama's website. But in orange, green and blue. 2nd prize goes to the Bloc. Duceppe is floating Obama style on his site.
7. Wait. NDP Twitter? You've got to be kidding me. Are you on the edge of your seat yet: "What a great event!! So many people, all excited about the hope and optimism our campaign is spreading… about 5 hours ago from web."
8. A Harper Twitter. But no Dion Twitter. What the? Burn!
From a Liberal press release this morning: "The Conservative Party today released a website with a puffin defecating on Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion."
Genius. On both counts. It's day 3.
Find more videos like this on AdGabber
Seriously, how did Gordon Campbell and the Liberal government not think about just saving the polar bears with some sort of cute bombs rather than the lame carbon tax. Too easy, right?
Huzzah to us. It's Canada's birthday and today to honor our nation's birthday, we celebrate day one of the carbon tax and $1.50/L gasoline! Yay us! [Globe and Mail]
To do my part I spent my rebate on dvd's and video games. Take that Gordo! There's probably more damage from the packaging than from the carbon. What I really like to see is that three out of five in B.C. oppose the tax, which pretty much confirms to me that at least two thirds of those are total "green imposters". Which, I have to say, kind of warms me a little.
I think the best thing I have heard yet about the carbon tax rebate ridiculousness was something like this:
"I'm going to go fill up some jerry cans with $100 worth of gasoline and light them on fire to celebrate."
Awesome.
Well hooray for us in Vancouver! We now have two candidates for Mayor. NDP star candidate Gregor Robertson is set to face off against Peter Ladner after winning the Vision Vancouver nomination. So now there is the Happy Planet juice empire builder and "ardent bike commuter" facing off against the man who wants to see "Vancouver build on its global reputation as a green city that sets new standards for One Planet Living."
This is just like Hilary vs Obama, Bud vs. Bud Light, Tastes great, less filling and all that. Unless someone else enters the race.
Other than the political geeks of Vancouver's civic hothouse -- who vote for their party's mayoral candidate with the same amount of thought that lemmings give to running over cliffs -- Vancouverites also seem to be expressing deep ambivalence over the candidates. Presented with the batch of wannabes in the current race, 40 to 50 per cent of voters say they don't really know whom to pick.
"Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan's dream of waving the Olympic flag from his wheelchair during the 2010 Olympic Games has been shattered.
In a surprise move, Sullivan's party -- the Non-Partisan Association -- voted to dump Sullivan and make two-term NPA councillor Peter Ladner its nominee in Vancouver's upcoming mayoralty election in November." [CTV]
Meanwhile, The Sun's Douglas Todd asks, "Should Sam Sullivan 'die for' Vancouver?"
I guess he didn't launch enough Obama hope bombs or whatever.
Watching Ezra Levant go off on the Human Rights Commission on the intent of his magazine publishing those Danish cartoons is, well, pretty rad. [via Megan McArdle]
Still laughing about...Andy Samberg's Digital Short love poem to Iranian dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Because if I have to read one more article about the impending doom of months of our garbage and library strike, I'm going switch gears for moment. Mostly I just liked where Wonkette was going with thier coverage of the NAFTA meeting:
"The leaders of Canada, Mexico and the United States are having secret meetings in a sinister Canadian castle today that will mean the End of the United States, finally, sources said.Bush Junior is meeting today and tomorrow with Mexican prez Filipe Calderon (who also wasn’t exactly elected to office) and Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper (who also wasn’t elected because Canada worships the Queen, we think?) so they can combine the three countries into one slave-labor economic ruin known as Canarexico or something."
With the news that the hotel workers are thinking about striking now, Sam Sullivan's popularity will reach a new apex in the George W. Bush ratings system. But how would Mayor Sullivan stack up against Cracked.com's "Pop Culture's Top 5 Fictional Mayors." Particularly the comparison to Mayor McCheese which is outrageously uncanny, or not:
"Rather than running on the issues, Mayor McCheese primarily campaigns against his frequent rival, the Burger King, whose autocratic regime saw a drastic increase in crime (most notably breaking and entering and possession of a Croissan'wich with intent to distribute), as well as the rise of the insidious "Chicken Fries," which stand as an affront to both God and Man. Also fondly remembered by Europeans for his moving speech to a divided Germany, where he famously announced "Ich bin ein Hamburger."
But seriously, has someone started the draft Harcourt campaign yet? It's that bad.
Wonkette rightly posted this video under the headline, "Internet Videos to Destroy Democracy for Good" but the possibilities are endless now.
While Vancouver lay in ruins, okay fine, I mean still had 1,000,000 people drinking bottled or boiled water while the city's mayor was carted around by horses during the Christmas parade, the ever vigil Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Vietnam, looking completely out of touch. Unfazed, Harper told the press, "I hear the water in Langley is great. Besides those hippies didn't vote for me in the city."
"The voters gave the Republicans a well-earned kick in the gut yesterday. . . . This is good news .. and bad news. Good news because of the message it sends to Republicans. Bad news because of the message it sends to Islamic jihadists who are dedicated to the destruction of our culture. One thing is certain. The Republicans worked very hard for this defeat."
Ah. The midterm elections today. I'm still rooting for the Democrats per my Halloween bet. Somebody left a huge message on my phone this morning about this insignificant bit of politics, which is kind of creepy since I don't know who left it.
The amazing Don Imus gives Sen. John Kerry some good advice to ensure the Democrats really do win in 5 days and possibly in 2008. Bonus for my dear friend Miss Layton: Andrew Sullivan and Christopher Hitchens eviscerate Bush
You know, it's ads like this one from Wisconsin Republican Congressional Candidate Paul R. Nelson that make supporting the Democrats next Tuesday so easy. [Wonkette]
I feel bad for the last post. And at somepoint last night I made some sort of insane bet with someone - it involved a 5-minute pinky swear, so it must be serious. Apparently if she dresses up as Jack Layton for Halloween - including mustache - I will spend the week after up to and until the November 7th mid-term elections in the USA professing my love for the Democrats. Clearly only Nixon could go to China, and this one is on like Donkey Kong, Layton! Too bad I can't cheer Joe Lieberman on - the Joementum has hit a 17-point lead. This was better than the first bet which involved me baking Gerard Kennedy cookies for some reason.
Don't even begin to tell me how completely amazing this photo of Premier Gordon Campbell and the legendary Bill Cosby together hanging out at the David Foster and Friends Gala at Richmond's River Rock is. All I can think of right now is is the two of them dancing to the Cosby Show theme song. So hot. Sitcom gold.
Here's two highlights:
Hedy Fry and her magical 15-year plans:
"Grand 15-year plans, with goals evaluated every three years, are needed to tackle three major challenges: productivity and competitiveness, environmental degradation and sustainable health care."
Please, please, please, please, could we please have her as the leader? It would be so sweet. 15-year plans? My god that is riduclously insane.
And this part from the writer:
"That kind of reaction is far from the image of Ms. Fry often found in the media, where, for the past five years, she has had to bear a heavy cross, of the burning variety."
This is funny stuff since he throws out this clever little line only to then spend the next 9 paragraphs on the issue.
Bonus Points:
In the article former campaign foe Svend Robinson declaring the Fry campaign "the ultimate kamikaze mission".
So the Liberals are here in town for their caucus retreat and you can read this amazing press release hot off the Liberal spin presses:
Liberals Optimistic at Vancouver Caucus Retreat
Holy cow! That is confidence! And If I was Stephen Harper I'd be totally freaking out. Interim Leader Bill Graham is rolling up his sleaves! Stop the presses! They're working! They're making plans. Watch out! Can you feel the Liberal heat!
All this excitement down at the Hyatt kids. Go now! Feel it.
Bonus: A cache of really sweet Ujjal Dosanjh fan photos
Who does Mike Harcourt think he is? He shows up to support the Insite injection hotel with fellow ex-mayors Philip Owen and Larry Campbell looking like he just stepped out of his beach villa. Damn this bitch is so hot. For reals, and is he even wearing pants? He totally wants to boogie like it's 1991 all over again. And Metro Vancouver just nailed this on the front cover. Also a really hot move.
He makes his cohorts look like establishment suits - and speaking of those old guys, could Larry Campbell's face get any redder? My goodness he looks like hell.
Photo: JARED FERRIE/METRO VANCOUVER
The idea of less needles on the street is a compelling argument. After so many years of working and living down here I would rather see human waste in the open than ever see a needle again on the sidewalk or in an alleyway. My son knows what poop is and that his parents get mad when he plays with it or throws it. It's a non-negotiable no no. There isn't room for trial and error should he stumble upon a needle, used or not. That, and the zero fatality stat, put me on the "FOR" side of Insite's future.
As a taxpayer I cringe when I see money spent on what is already a drain on society. Not the people but the subject of all this, the drugs. Near every crime in this city is spawned by drugs and Insite isn't quite stopping use so much as just keeping the user safe. Now keeping these people safe is worth it but it's just a big band-aid on a very permanent problem. I realize I should care less how money is spent if it is in fact saving lives as reports suggest it does. But at what point do these people start helping themselves, if ever?
I don't suspect more are going into programs and successfully kicking it than there are new users knocking on the door. So how big can Insite get to keep all the area's users safe? Will the term "big box" and "safe injection" co-exist in the same sentence...again?
UPDATE - In the Metro this Morning was a short blurb about Insite: "...has saved taxpayers up to $8 million in health and criminal justice expenses..." It was from a Paper published in the Harm Reduction Journal, whatever the hell that is. If my math is right then Insite is money well spent. Also the idea of Paramedics spending less time in those alleys is a raging plus. Meet me at Emerson's office at 5pm, bring snacks!
I could say something smug here, like, "I'm in Siberia, what the hell are you doing this weekend" but I won't. I will say, that thanks to global warming it's about a million degrees in Irkutsk today and since the next two days will be on a train, a solid dose of trash is needed. And when it seems like Lindsay Lohan spent an entire week in just her bikini it seems like a good idea. Ready, set, go:
*Justin Timberlake's new song, 'Sexy Back" is supposed to be the hot single of the summer. They could use it here in Russia that is for certain. Blasting Euro-dance music everywhere. Thoughts?
*Apparently hollywood's new "it" couple is Jeff Goldblum and Nicole Richie. Sigh.
*And speaking of Euro awesomeness, David Hasselhoff, is so on fire right now its crazy. He actually does refer to himself as "The Hoff' - of course he totally should, that is A-mazing - and then I read that he got kicked out of Wimbledon for being too drunk. Hasslehoff, Tennis Hooligan... Love it.
You know, you have a nice morning, and then during 'lunch' you miss the ridiculous fact that Hedy Fry is running for the Liberal Party Leadership.
"I stand before you a woman, a Westerner, and that's a good start for anything. It's a time for Canadians to seize the opportunity boldly and aggressively to stretch once again, to reach beyond our grasp."
God help us all.
You got a playlist. Now go watch the Special Edition Colbert Report from the White House Correspondents' Dinner. I'll be back later. This is just too much awesome for one morning. Remember as Colbert says, "Reality has a well known liberal bias."
This is day 58. Fifty-Eight days since Emerson crossed the floor. I can't believe people are still up and arms about this - more people are protesting this than troops in Afghanistan, which kind of points out just how far out of whack priorities are for much of the political scene. Then again, they also have a song. Emerson Must Resign. It seems more ridiculous in video form. The flying banner that said this: "David Emerson - Call Home" flew over Ottawa.
58 days. I'm just saying.
Come on. Was Bill Clinton ever NOT sexier than Jimmy Carter? Of course I can think of nothing less sexy than Clinton entering a building to U2's "In the Name of Love" like a rock star. Moving right along, Patricia seems to be amazed that Clinton has had a "comeback" in the past five years. Now the thing is, besides jet setting around with George W. Bush's dad and hanging out with George W. himself, I think it is pretty hard to figure out anything of actual substance that Clinton has even done in 5-years. Actually I was kind of reminded how irrelevant Clinton could end up being during this week's West Wing. President Bartlett suggested his 8 years would simply be remembered for the last big action of military force in his presidency.
Of course, for Patricia, Clinton's speaking tour has to get back to the local - holy crap (literally after Monday) it's still on page one for an amazing 6th week - David Emerson situation. "As cynical post-Emersongate Vancouverites opened their wallets and their democratic hearts to Clinton last night, we can only hope that his redemptive salve soothes the embattled psyches of local politicos." I think that sets a new record for Emersonizing. Well played.
It only took six weeks of this story before a couple of democracy freedom fighters smeared manure on David Emerson's office door. Excellent. "Police haven't publicly identified the men, but they did say they were brothers. Officers said the pair would likely face mischief charges."
Question for the readers. Which is worse: That former premier, turned federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh, is now the Liberal Defence Critic? Or that Lindsay Lohan had a one night stand with ex-flame Wilmer "Fez" Valderrama. [Egotastic]
On any other day I'd say the Lohan news was worse, but come on, having Vancouver South's Dosanjh as the Defence Critic, that takes the cake. I guess it could be worse Lohan could have been hooking up with Dosanjh? Ewwwww...
24 Hours's Sean Holman talked a bit about the off-white pumps purchased at Holt Renfrew that Taylor was going to wear to the budget today but we didn't get this part: "What you should first know is that Holt is one of the few stores that carries my size of shoes." Small feet? Big Feet? Now we're totally on edge. Although she didn't know during one interview, the shoes (by Gucci) supposedly cost $600. The Canadian Press was not having any of it acting like Janice Dickenson on America's Next Top Model:
"Taylor, in a long string of pearls and stylish black glasses, defended her wardrobe after she was asked about wearing shoes that few British Columbians could afford."The jacket I'm wearing is from the time when the mini was popular," she shot back.
And while some are delighting in the press and irony of the fancy shoes coupled with moving the luxury tax on cars from $49,000 to $55,000, this just means we that much closer to getting that A4.
Apparently the de-election festivities are happening this afternoon at Emerson's office, even as Emerson made his latest attempt at salvaging the situation on CTV's Question Period this afternoon. " I'm still not much of a political person, as perhaps you can now tell," said Emerson. "I'm not the sharpest political knife in the drawer, I quite freely admit that."
The stupid thing is this. If anyone can think of one other person - just one other person - who is better suited to the portfolio of International Trade and even more important to Vancouver, the 2010 Olympics in Ottawa to be represented by Vancouver i'd sure like to hear it. And I would say that what might actually be true is what Emerson told the Globe & Mail yesterday, "In my day-to-day life, I'm getting people coming up to me in the street who I have never seen before and they've been very kind and very positive. I have not had anyone come up to me and slam me for my decision."
Sure the NDP seems to be able to get 700 people out to protest this at day 12 or 13, but who is going to care at day 60 or 90? Lastly, Jack Layton seems to be spending an awful lot of his time and political capital talking about Emerson. I can guarantee you that the issue of Emerson won't help Layton in the next election, and in the long term this is a long term strategy for Harper - even if Emerson would have to move ridings. He should buy a house in North Vancouver and he'd be elected in a heartbeat. Have you seen Don Bell?
Buttons or no buttons, the reaction by some in the city about Harper and co.'s first week is laughably over the top. The Canadian Press called it "horrible". Crawford Kilian writes that a Toronto Star story claiming Emerson might resign, "might give us a happy ending to one of the most unpleasant weeks in Canadian political history." One of the most unpleasant weeks in Canadian political history? Are you even serious? I bet this won't even make the top twenty.
Unpleasant for whom? The 54% approval of Harper and his government thus far seems to say differently - that is nearly 20 points above the 36% who voted them in. Sure 48% think that Emerson and the appointment of Michael Fortier smells like rotten fish and old school politics. But let's not forget this. Paul Martin and his government scored a 70% on these issues.
And Emerson doesn't seem to be wavering much at all, telling The Province, "I am doing what I think is in the best interests of my riding, the best interests of the province."
But lets go back to the traitor/bait and switch questions. Let me get this straight, people who voted for David Emerson the cabinet minister, are pissed off because David Emerson ditched his greedy corrupt overlords to continue to serve his riding and country in governement as David Emerson the cabinet minister? People have been saying for years how important democratic reform is because the parties are too powerful. And here we have Emerson who has made his own way to deliver results to the people of Vancouver-Kingsway. Over at the CBC Anthony Westell has a rather calm meditation on the idea of switching sides.
Of course it isn't just the Liberals and NDP who are upset. The often http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Miersjellyfish like Conservative coalition is also second guessing Harper's newly found and epic "Rove-ian" political chess strategery. Blogger Damian Penny writes, "An MP can have legitimate reasons for crossing the floor or leaving caucus to sit as an independent, but the circumstances under which Emerson jumped ship betray nothing but pure, unadulterated opportunism. It makes Emerson look bad, and it makes the Conservative government look even worse."
If hanging out with nothing to do were a sport, this would be the shoe of choice for elite-level pros with multi-million-dollar contracts. In other words, this shoe is specifically designed for doing absolutely nothing, but being comfortable.
They are kind of the perfect shoe for blogging - since we don't get out of our Pajamas or leave our apartments anyways. Anyways, February 15th at the Edgewater Casino, TBWA/Chait/Day Creative Director Chuck McBride from Adidas will give brand nerds a rare look into, "the strategy, creative and launch of the new
'adidas_1' shoe" New Adidas shoe whoo hoo. [Newswire]
*Quite possibly the most entertaining spoof movie trailer ever. Brokeback...to the future.
*Hey Vancouverites, can you hardly contain yourself waiting for the big Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee announcement tommorow? They are going to tell us how much extra cash this whole thing is going to cost. Any guesses? [Canadian Press]
*Due to the new city council's failure to accomplish anything but fight, a World Peace Conference set for Vancouver, was cancelled. Vancouver Council 1, Peace 0. [CKNW]
*Later to peaces conferences. At least February has the Vancouver Burlesque Festival February 9-11. Enter a contest to go at The Georgia Straight.
*Attention geeks. The Stargate Vancouver Convention is set to rock you. Monday, March 27th at the scenic Hilton Vancouver Metrotown. Just to be a mean jerk, how awesome will this part be: "Saturday 9pm DESSERT PARTY & DANCE" Suh-weet. The Beau Bridges appearence, a crazy bonus. Really, Beau Bridges. Totally huge star power.
*Kitchen fire this afternoon at the sassy La Gavroche.
*April 28th. Mark it on the calendars if you like Death Cab for Cutie. That's when they hit Vancouver. Too bad that unlike every other Canadian city - Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Calgary - gets Death Cab plus Franz Ferdinand. What gives? [Billboard]
*A very cool story that I saw, but didn't read, until I saw the new Silicon Valley gossip blog from Gawker, Valleywag. It starts with Vancouver community site publisher Bryght and gets into the story of Assemblenow.com - a startup that assembles you furniture - IKEA stuff too.
This is good news. Our sister site, Fed Kicker finally limped to life this evening to cover the "State of the Union" address. Of course, Fed Kicker is all about politics, mostly Canadian politics, but we begin tonight, South of the border, with the American State of the Union. There is some live blogging coverage.
Expect daily political coverage starting this month!
*One of my favs, Wonkette is tanned, rested, and ready for '06 - hopefully some live blogging of the State of the Union tonight, which is like the Super Bowl of politics. It's got a redesign, and two new editors. But wait, what about the 'ette' asks Defamer. [Wonkette]
*The new Jack White (and Brendan Benson) side project The Raconteurs has a throwback DOS website. [Stereogum]
*DataWhat? in a few short links explains the all powerful interweb. Midget breakdance off. More Lisa Loeb. Chewy blog.
*Family Guy rules. Stewie beats Brian up for screwing him on a bet. Wheres my money. Brian doing the Peanut Butter Jelly time will make you feel better. Right.
*Yeah, we like cool short films, John Malkovich, and big ads. But on what planet does a glossy 10-minute short scream, tires. [Adrants]
*Chris Walken in space. Magnificent. Click it.
-Quebec must have gorged on cheese and booze to elect 10 Conservatives. Non? Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew was voted off the island, the space candidate Marc Garneau lost by nearly 10,000 votes.
-Um, welcome our new 'Tory Glory' overlords. I think there was a Simpson's episode where Homer becomes an inventor and thinks up the make up shotgun. Marge isn't amused, and thinks it was set on whore. Interesting. It looks a lot like these Tory Gals. Yeah. Okay.
-Paul Martin is quiting as Liberal leader. But really, will he really stay as an MP? Who is he kidding?
-Alberta finally rid themselves of those pesky Liberal enclaves by sending deputy PM Anne McLellan packing plus her collegue Reg Alcock.
-And of course, over here, the NDP made some big gains on the west coast. Sadly, the five new NDP seats in BC did not includes Svend Robinsons.
Before I get to some very last minute political notes, I have a programming note for The Vancouverite: Due to scheduling conflicts, posting election results won't begin until late into the evening - you may get a few five-word jumble, but our clever services are needed elsewhere to fight crime or something like that. Until then here are some last minute thoughts:
*First. Will you just go and please vote already. And unlike some other people in this town, I could care less who you vote for. Apparently you can't vote Tuesday, just Monday. Got it?
*Why should you vote? Because your vote actually means something. And even better, the election may not be over within the first 10 seconds of the results this time. The country may actually be holding thier breath for BC's results. It's not too late to jump on that drunken with power Liberal band wagon people.
*Andrew Coyne's pre-election seat projector lists the parties as: Fascists, Crooks, Commies, and Traitors.
*This buger poll will be the least likely to accually predict the results. Let me go out on a limb here - Jack Layton is winning two things tommorow: Jack (pardon the pun) and squat - and Jack, heh, just left town.
*This is almost unfair. A day before the election, and there are 218 reasons not to vote Liberal. That's 218 reasons to choose your Canada. I did not make this up. Maybe some fun election videos will make Uncle Paul feel better.
*Always look on the lighter side of life. Check this one - 22 Minutes' version of a Liberal ad: "Stephen Harper wants to give old people a wedgie, then set a brown paper bag filled with dog poop on fire, then leave it on their front porch, ring the door bell, and run away. He said he'd do that. We didn't make that up. Choose Your Canada."
*Our French is not very good, but is this last Bloc ad some sort of Stephen Harper Brokeback Mountain attack? And the cowboy seems like high brow stuff compared to these local Conservative ads which are just awful.
The Vancouver Sun gives Stephen Harper a lukewarm endorsement today.
During this campaign, however, the Conservatives have rolled out a far-reaching program that offers new approaches to important issues like government accountability, health care and crime. Meanwhile, Harper himself has shown a new political maturity. While Martin appeared erratic at times, Harper stuck to his platform and his plan, and started to show the composure and focus we expect from a prime minister.
Meanwhile the Sun's messy little brother, The Province, does the same:
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who will never be accused of too much style and not enough substance, assembled a strong team for the election of 2006. He charged out the gate and seized the agenda through a series of thoughtful and "very Canadian" policy initiatives.
Gee, you aren't able to post anything for about 24 Hours, and you miss so much. While the rest of the country prepares to welcome our friendly Conservative overlord Stephen Harper with open arms, some local bloggers just didn't get the memo.
There is creepy shot of Stephen Harper's audition for Brokeback Mountain II, Beyond Robson begs you, "Please...Anyone but Harper", and of course, Matthew Good who sounds the alarm. "I have this terrible feeling that it’s going to be a good night for the Conservative Party, which I think would be a truly terrible thing for this country – most importantly from a foreign policy standpoint."
That hasn't stopped Vancouver Centre Conservative candidate Tony F (Fogarassy is cool, but crazy One letter mafia name is much cooler) thinks he can ride the wave of Harper-mania all the way to Ottawa, which will probably scare the crap out of Matt Good. Then again, The Georgia Straight picks Svend Robinson - I seem to remember they didn't pick winners in the Vancouver election back in November, but I digress.
Today, our governing overlords unloaded with a nice dozen of tv spots that really go after 'crazy' Stephen Harper, which is what politics is all about. Too bad, there was one spot that, oops, wasn't supposed to leak out. And then there was poor Ujjal Dosanjh, Vancouver South MP, out commenting on the new ads and saying how Paul Martin approved them all, and they were all fair game. Double oops. Gets Ujjal didn't get the talking points.
The ad? Of course CTV has it now. Ads ending in "We did not make this up" are just so awesome, it's hard to believe. Here's the text of the ad:
Stephen Harper actually announced he wants to increase military presence in our cities. Canadian cities. Soldiers with guns. In our cities. In Canada. We did not make this up. Choose your Canada
Mader Blog wonders if the disclaimer is because the Liberals are so completely full of it nobody believes anything they say anymore. Even better is Conservative MP Monte Solberg who is trembling from thier awesome power and working on his demos for the Daily Show:
The Lib attack ads are so scary I'm going to have to sleep tonight with the light on. I mean what if Stephen Harper is hiding under my bed and then smothers me with a drycleaning bag and steals my remaining Burnt Almond to give to an ultra-conservative Bush Republican, who packs a pistol AND a Bible. No, even better, it's a Bible machine gun. Yep, fires two hundred rounds a minute, and plays Amazing Grace at the same time. Perfect for huntin' varmints, and personal protection.
In the immortal words of Stifler, "It's on like Donkey Kong beeyotch". Conservatives strike back. How fun is this? Warren Kinsella says they'll work. Adam Daifallah thinks they are ironicly American.
Liberal incumbent Hedy Fry, the riding's MP since 1992, is in the lead in a Mustel Group Poll commissioned by The Province. Fry had 41 per cent support among decided voters, compared to 33 per cent for New Democrat Robinson and 19 per cent for Tony Fogarassy, the Conservative candidate. Jared Evans of the Green Party had seven per cent; four per cent cited "other" and there were seven per cent undecided.
Svend is down by 12 points. I think If I had to vote in this riding I would have to take a shower right after voting to get the stink off. The story suggests that 25% of people aren't supporting the NDP, and Svend Robinson because of "past criminal charges." Meanwhile Rafe Mair wonders if Hedy will suffer from the Gaglardi syndrome - named for a long forgotten pest of BC politics who everyone wanted thrown out of office. Unfortunetly this is a showdown of Gaglardi's - well maybe not unfortunetly, 'cause I guess it sure is fun for people to watch to a couple of politicos like this throw it down.
More: Mathew Good steps into the Canadian election to offer ten questions for the candidates as well. They questions about defense spending, missile defense, gay marriage, and not one question on the Liberal scandals. The funny part is that I bet you couldn't ask those same 10 questions to the average voter without 75% of people rolling thier eyes.
The fact that some have called the political battle for Vancouver Center the "battle of the divas" pretty much sums up exactly why we don't care. But this 24 Hour's article on the riding in today's issue claims that, "Vancouver Centre has become one of the most watched ridings in this federal election." Now, that may be so, but it isn't clear that anything of any note has happened in the race between Hedy Fry and Svend Robinson yet.
The Georgia Straight offers a little more context, but this supposed showdown is a depressing race between two "star" candidates most places wouldn't elect as dog catcher. Meanwhile, The Westender headlines an article with "Svending a Message" and that is about as deep as the coverage gets.
Got the update and what could be the big news from Nardwuar and his "2006 Election Hip Flip Poll".
Yesterday (Wed January 4th) Paul Martin *did not* do the Hip Flip (1960s twister-like game) when approached by intrepid reporter Nardwuar the Human Serviette -- aka the asker of the infamous "For me, pepper, I put it on my plate" question.
If the Hip Flip poll is to be believed, Jack Layton - the only leader to do this so far in this election - should follow in Paul Martin's 2004 footsteps. Martin won't do it again, and Harper is very slippery.
Well, 2005 is coming to a close, and 2006 is upon us. Our first post was way back on Halloween, and we still haven't had our official launch yet, but we have had 214 delicious posts, and some pretty damn good feedback thus far. Except those people who think we're just a bunch of blog warmongers.
I still haven't found The Vancouverite an intern yet - maybe the promises of calling Bill Good and stalking Tamara Taggart just weren't enough to overcome the sweatshop-like working conditions, although truthfully we haven't looked very hard - apply today!
Our first 8 weeks of posting has been a lot of fun - and when I'm not dropping nuclear bombs and fighting in Vancouver's blog land I've managed to post more than enough about the Canucks, Jennifer Good, 24 Hours, and Lynne McNamara. So I thank you for all your visits in 2005, and please come by early and often in 2006 when we start posting for "real". Which means you should look for the lawsuits, or name calling, to begin stacking up as we begin our assault on Vancouver's media scene.
In January we will have to drop the pretension that we are still in "beta" and the postings will be coming more regularly, hopefully. January will also mark the launch of our misguided politically obsessed political site, Fed Kicker, which has been preoccupied with things other than the elections, so far, but is keeping it's powder dry for the 23rd and the sprint for the finish in the elections.
Meanwhile here are some links to ring in the new year:
*Finally, Pac Man in mexican puppet theatre form. Genuis.
It's interesting to watch this election. The media and even voters are ready to throw somebody to the sharks - and you know when people start talking about about the things that get said during elections and how that is interpreted in other cultures we could be in for a bumpy ride.
In this case Industry Minister David Emerson refered to Jack Layton as having a "boiled dog's head smile." And Chinese voters don't react well to the negative impact and insult, that may not even be an insult, has on Layton in the Chinese community. But the dirty little secret of it all is that this campaigning in other languages is tool politicos have been increasingly using.
Well, he's still at it. And informs The Vancouverite that he's on the case and this week his target is Gilles Duceppe. Yes! That would be even better than when Mr. Duceppe wore that wicked awesome hair net.
*Get ready boys and girls, like Santa Claus, Paul Martin is coming to town later today. It would be excellent if we could see a lot of references to the whole popcorn and beer gaffe that plagued him this weekend. Of course there is already a "Kids not beer" website up.
*Best press release headline thus far in the campaign. "Svend him packing". The new issue of Maclean's isn't impressed with our friend Svend, "Now Robinson is back, once again running for a seat in the House of Commons. And this time it's Canadian voters who should be crying for help."
*Will six ridings in Surrey/Burnaby/New West be the new super battleground that the entire election could all come down to? "...the Liberals can be expected to carpet-bomb B.C. and Greater Vancouver in particular with announcements and campaign stops in a bid to make up for Quebec seats they expect to lose to the Bloc Quebecois" More from Burnaby Politics.
According to the number crunching poll by CTV/Globe & Mail, the race for the election in B.C. is tighter than a pair of Lululemon pants. The NDP is ahead with 31%, with the Liberals 30%, and the Torries 29% following close behind. Pardon the pun. The greens are up 4% from the last time at 10%.
In the lower mainland it is slighly less wide open with the Liberals 37%, Conservatives 28%, and the NDP 24%. And then there is this nugget. "In West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast, a riding currently held by the Tories, the Liberals may win." This was John Reynolds' seat, but he's not running. Can you imagine if in West-Van they actually reward the Liberals with a seat after all this scandal. That would really be something.
This is excellent news and could provide some really great daily news down the campaign stretch. I'm fully endorsing the NDP in the federal election and I think that's the best thing our people can do is support the New Democratic Party in British Columbia for the federal election so I plan to actively do that," Emery told CTV.
Wasn't the line on Emery that he was a libertarian? Now he's supporting the NDP. What gives? PS: Marc, what happend to you man. He's totally jamming on that hobo chic thing. How derelicte. (Mugatu: Let me show you Derelicte. It is a fashion, a way of life inspired by the very homeless, the vagrants, the crack whores that make this wonderful city so unique.)
Politics is totallyhard. And mean. And not everyone thought acclaiming Svend Robinson to run for parliament again was a good idea. Mark Bonokoski writing the Toronto Sun talks about cesspools and kettles being called black.
"How can Jack Layton accuse the Liberals of 'helping themselves' in the sponsorship scandal, for example, when he has given his blessing to Sunday's endorsement of Svend Robinson, a politician who helped himself to a $50,000 antique ring while still sitting in the House of Commons. Truth is, he can't."
At least the Liberals are at least torn about somebody like Micheal Ignatieff's nuclear candidacy. But Svend? Nope the NDP loves him.
On whether or not there is a problem for Robinson to run against the Liberals given his 2004 theft of an expensive diamond ring, fellow NDPer Libby Davies says: ""That is a political culture of corruption that we are dealing with. In Svend Robinson's situation, we're dealing with an individual who had something very unfortunate happen and he immediately took responsibility for it."
"A Conservative government will fight the plague of drugs in our cities and our communities," said Harper. "But the nightly news now tell us that these are not things we can take for granted. Crime and drugs now reach places they shouldn't – our parks, our school yards, even our churches. Our values are under attack and we must take action to protect those values."
*Craiglist post about B.C. Finance minister (and cover girl & #5 on the Vancouver Magazine Power 50) Carole Taylor is just too good to be true: "Smoking hot...great librarian look. She makes Carol James look-a-like-a-man-a."
*Watching the Conservatives in any election is so much fun, isn't it? Five Reason for saying that, just today: 1. MP James Moore is being challenged in his riding by an old member of the local constituency association who doesn't like Moore's thumbs up to same sex marriage. 2. Three men now in the running to replace the stink of MP Gurmant Grewal (bonus points to formal failed Liberal Shinder Purewal!) 3. Conservative website being programmed by someone to left of Matthew Good (Bonus points for it looking like the Republican's website) 4. Two words: Jason Kenny. (And yes, he was much cooler when he was fat.) 5. Seriously, the Conservative secret weapon, Rona Ambrose, doesn't have her website up. What up yo? (we're we not totally preparing for this for like 17-months? Hello? Bueller?)
*The Hottest thing in the election thus far? The Liberal Party blog. No, that's not a joke. Wink.
*This makes no sense to us. The first debate is set for"Vancouver, [and] will be broadcast Dec. 15 in French and the following day in English. Each will be broadcast between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. EST and include videotaped questions for the leaders from voters across the country." On the other hand, more Gilles Duceppe.
*Unintentionally hilarious: The Green Party signs made of plastic?
Nope. Paul Martin just took that title. Let the campaign games begin.
It is interesting see that during this weekend's NDP Celebration 2005 fundraiser the lefty kids noshed on Memphis Blues Barbeque meats (how delicious is that stuff.) Oh, the irony of American imperialism hanging over the NDP convention is just too much isn't it. How delicious.
Public Eye Online has the details on the event and the special royal guest there strickly for the medicinal purposes as it were.
Over at the Shotgun there is a post worth reading. It would seem that the Conservatives, simply not satisfied that they are completely unready for governing this country thought it might be fun if they got explosive former local Rachel Marsden to run as a candidate against Jack Layton in Toronto Danforth. Kevin Libin writes this mind blowing bit of political news:
I was probably one of the 10 non-socialists that did. It's full of CBC journalists, public school teachers, gay and lesbian couples and immigrants who came over 30 years ago but still think they owe Trudeau a favour for it. The Tories wouldn't stand a chance in that riding if Shania Twain was their candidate. But sticking a loose cannon who revels in making obnoxious comments about gays and Muslims, smack dab in the backyard of the Toronto media would not only earn the Conservatives no points in that riding, but would almost certainly ruin their campaign nationally.
So even the Consertives thought twice about this extremly bad idea and they decided against it. Shorter Election Theme of the Day: Charlie Brown meet Lucy. Good Grief.
This is excellent news. Vision Vancouver is calling for an inquiry about the dualing Mister Greens in the election on November 19th. While Sullivan has denied any wrongdoing, it appears that he asked if he could help James Green out when he was evicted from his office space. But Sullivan's credibility is pretty much debatable since he has a penchant for helping people buy crack and also has a weak spot for prostitutes in need. As Mr. Burns would say, "Excellent." [CBC]
Update: Darren Barefoot commented on this post below that we didn't give you the follow up story or give nearly enough background information on Sullivan's, how shall we put it, 'exotic tastes'. He is absolutely right, we were distracted by all the pretty Kate Moss movie watching, but any additional excuse to post more on Sammy is simply a great idea. More cowbell, as it were. He mentions this backgrounder on the situation from The Courier. We also liked this Bill Tieleman take down in 24 Hours too: "But that's the same Sullivan who is apologizing all over town for giving money to and assisting a drug addict buy and smoke crack in Sullivan's van. The same Sullivan who also gave a prostitute money to buy drugs."
This one at the National Post includes our favorite headline from the election, "Quadriplegic, draft dodger vie for mayor" and is a good backgrounder. Oh, and you shouldn't leave out a nice little Fox News post on a subject like this. But if righty Brit Hume isn't your bag, The Tyee has got you covered.
It's nice to see that the BC Liberals got the NDP really drunk and took advantage of them last week when they rammed through that cushy raise for each other. Worst. One Night Stand. Ever. But now the NDP is feeling guilty about it, and want to change their minds. Jak King breaks it down for us: "They will pitch it, no doubt, as 'listening to the voices of the people'. Bullshit! If they had really wanted to know what the people thought, they wouldn't have connived their secret deal in the first place."
Or if they could hire John Kerry's strategist people: "We actually voted for the pay raise, before we voted against it."
Update: The Liberals drank the Kool-Aid too. The pay hike is toast. So now they both just come off smelling like garbage. Bravo.
The best part was that since Larry Campbell's Vision Party split the left vote it ended up losing the mayor's place and at the same time destroyed the COPE party, which is always a good sign of an election. They gained a lone council seat, and set up a 5-5 right/left split on Vancouver's political scene.
Of course, being Vancouver and politics the vote wasn't without controversy. "Another factor may have been James Green, a political unknown who ran for mayor and whose name appeared just ahead of Jim Green's on the ballot. James Green drew 4,273 votes -- more than the 3,747 votes by which Jim Green lost to Sullivan." That will give the COPE/Vision supports something to bellyache about for the next few years, which might add some spice to the political scene. It's already making conservative publisher/ringleader Ezra Levant giddy with excitement that the right wing has captured the city council.
This is the real good news about all these results, is a super healthy dose of politics is upon us - so thank you voters for giving us our cake, we'll eat it as soon as we can.
*And if that wasn't enough Jim Green is a dirty politician, Ryan Warawa has more on the lies and that Vision is in the pocket of the gambling industry. Which brings us to our second favorite political play, the suggestion of "hidden agendas." Check.
*We are actually surprised that The Georgia Straight has picked Sam Sullivan for it's Straight Slate feature. Yet calling it a "tricky choice" in another article seems like a lame headline, while burying the meat of what a couple of deadbeats Vancouver has to represent it.
*The Vancouver Sun is reporting record numbers of advance voters this year. That means people are engaged in this election right? We suspect that voters just like getting the dirty feeling of voting for terrible candidates and that stink off them before election day.
*Jak's View From Vancouver asks the big question. How is it that Vancouver is like the best city in the world according to all these dumb polls yet couldn't find a leader to save it's life. We particularly like this part of snark: "we have a choice between a self-serving and arrogant "left winger" who helped destroy the only true left-wing party the city has seen since the war, and a right-leaning politico who has been described as "crazy" and who has sat on Council for 12 years doing nothing."
*The Tyee predicts a Jim Green victory. Gulp. This seems to be a third favorite political meme (see also Academy Award meme). That it's "his time". Come off of it, this guy didn't finish second in the 1990 mayoral race, he lost. He didn't "almost" defeat Gordon Campbell in 1996, he LOST. Then there are these two factors: "Green has run an effective campaign by focusing on the issues that brought COPE to power in the last election. " and "He has great hats." Niether of which are true.
Ah. It's so nice to see the provincial government and the opposition play nice in the sandbox. Yesterday they spent two quality hours snuggling, playing doctor, and then voting themselves a massive pay increase, raming it through the legislature before leaving for the day.
"As question period unfolded, reporters reached for pocket calculators to work out the percentage increases," writes The Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer. "The basic jump looked to be 15 per cent. For the premier it was about 20 per cent. The pension, abolished by all-party agreement, was back as well."
Especially nice to see that the NDP, freshly back in the game wasted no time before sticking thier faces in the trough.
The Vancouver Sun's big story on the "mud flying" of the mayoral election is a total letdown. If this is mud, we declare we want to see Jim Green and Sam Sullivan fling pooh at each other like monkeys. The only nugget of interest is the picture they chose of Green has him hanging out with ex-MLA Moe Sihota, so you know the douche bag quotion was just stepped up at any rate.
More Mud Flinging: 24 Hours, "At issue is a new four-colour brochure distributed by Green's Vision Vancouver party, which Sullivan says makes a variety of erroneous claims about Green's successes or Sullivan himself."
The Vision Vancouver tv spot I saw running tonight was hilarious. Did our ears decieve us, or did it really feature a remixed verison of "i Can See Clearly Now" with new lyrics suggesting that voting visions will do this: "It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Vancouver day."
Let's just say, that along with poor website design, ripped off ad theme songs rank right up there for election "Don'ts" as the gang at Vice would say. There is just no reason to even attemp something this cheesy. Thank you Jim Green.
Darren Barefoot has what might be the best three sentences written about this week's election and he uses the word perplexing too. "Vision Vancouver seems to be making more promises than a sixteen-year-old boy on lover’s lane, and Sam Sullivan is clearly kind of nuts. And the other day I read about Tim Louis’s support of a non-profit brothel for Vancouver prostitutes, which doesn’t sound like a bad idea. What’s a barely-informed voter to do?"
Yep, this only really happens in Vancouver. And yet we found a growing debate over at Urban Vancouver about the election. According to the Tyee, UBC Journalism Professor Mark Scheider says, "Vancouver's blogosphere is just not being charged up by this election." Not charged? Could it be that electing the mayor of this city is about as important as Dog Catcher? Maybe it is the fact that the major candidates are all either communists, crackpots, or whores.
You figure out which is which so that Jim Green doesn't sue us....for this. Then again, we have heard repeatedly over the past few weeks that our beloved Uncle Jimmy Green, clearly a true man of the people, actually likes to sip the fine stuff at places like the Hotel Vancouver. He also secretly wants to be either a pimp or Vancouver-izzle's first gangster rapper. Besides the race would be so much more fun if Lorne Mayencourt was running in this race, because as we see it, the city could use a real loose cannon.
Former Mayor Philip Owen doesn't think much of Jim Green. "
In this morning's Vancouver Sun Owen calls Green, "a political freeloader" who has "done nothing but line up at the public trough his whole life."
Then again, Larry Campbell doesn't think much of Sam Sullivan. "You know what Sam's problem is. He's being run. Sam has no policy. Sam is somebody who enjoys being in a room with deep thinkers. He can quote things, he can speak Cantonese, all the rest of it, but you know what, he doesn't know how the city works. That's the real problem."
Why couldn't we get someone like this to run for mayor of Vancouver? Probably a much better option for running the city than any of the useless twits running. [via Vodka Pundit]
*Over at Beyond Robson, the gang is promoting - well that's probably too strong a word, pointing out really - a website (a very lame looking one at that) calling for a boycott of McDonald's to get Canada's money back from the U.S. for the softwood lumber dispute. "Cute. But boycotting Mick Dicks while the government of Canada continues to integrate with the US in the name of international security is a token gesture. Nevertheless I hope it gets the message out there that Canadians are sick and tired of being bullied."
Well that's just so cute. They also mention the Wal Mart is evil (Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price) movie premiere happening this Sunday, so it's only fair to tell you that I buy all my socks and underwear at Wal Mart. Shock. But seriously that film and it's counterpart "Why Walmart Works: And Why That Makes Some People Crazy" will both be available from Amazon November 15. PS: Council of Canadians babe Maude Barlow thinks Wal Mart is interfering in Vancouver's election too. Gosh, if only Maude. If only this election were that sexy. That would be so awesome. And it's not like COPE screening a politically charged movie before election day is it?
We tend to agree with Glenn Reynolds that the main problem with Wal-Mart is aesthetic not being Mr. Burns evil. He adds, "I think there's a class issue: Wal-Mart is unavoidable evidence that the American working classes don't think, or live, the way the American thinking classes want to imagine. For this sin, Wal-Mart can never be forgiven." Maude?
*And over at rocker Matthew Good's blog, he's writing quite a lot about American Foreign Policy and the War in Iraq. On Ahmed Chalabi he writes: "Were I an American, and in the DC area, I would be out front of the Ritz in Georgetown with a massive sign emblazoned with the slogan - 'hey jackass, we want our money back!'"
That's cool too. Chalabi does need a good smack. I'm curious what Mr. Good will think of those calling George Bush's speach yesterday "Bush's Gettysburg." Let the games begin.
Not to be outdone, Sam Sullivan and the NPA rolled out a really big plan today giving dog-owners more freedom. Really that's the plan to get out in front of the news today?
Craiglist is probably the greatest place for unintentional humor. Take for instance this rant & raves post on the vancouver election: "Vote COPE/Vision ...if you love labour unions, property crime (courtesy of the holier-than-thou crystal methheads), and gridlock."
More of this please.
*Sam Sullivan and the NPA are vowing to kill the bike lanes on the Burrard St. bridge and keep the bridge wide open for delicious gas guzzling cars. (24 Hours)
*Jim Green countered that move with a "Ya, fine, we'll give away free transit in the downtown area so take that Sullivan!" Or something like that. (Vote Vision)
*Current mayor Larry Campbell says that Sam Sullivan's past help for certian addicts makes him unfit to be mayor. Wow, now it's an election people. And somehow we're supposed to believe that Vancouverites won't like this loose cannon approach? (The Tyee)
It's 2005. Now, we here at The Vancouverite are people of deep, albeit somewhat Paris Hilton gossip tainted, substance. Where were we going with this...oh right, the North Vancouver City (of course the greedy kids in North Van need two mayors) civic elections. We won't bore you with the sordid details of North Van City politics - as if we even know - but let us tell you this. Can you really take candidates seriously with websites like this or this?
You have the incumbent, Mayor Barbara Sharp. Seems like a nice lady but looks to have a penchant for loud dresses and employs a colorblind web designer. We kid, because we love. But at least in her flyer she mentioned her website. Check.
Then we have her opponent, Rod Clark. Who printed his flyer in black and white (economical) which gives one no real reason or incentive to think that he is a real candidate at all. No color? Come on dude. PS: Your website is no better - in fact we think you might have kept it black and white too. Just a thought. Check.
Finally you have Darrell Mussatto. Who has the best website of the three major candidates. It's not great but it's simple and doesn't hurt my eyes. Check.
So, what's the point? I think we should all agree that candidates for public office who fail the basic website test are probably also not capable of running an entire city. Maybe that's too harsh. But we all think it.
If you want to swing by and give NDP Leader Jack Layton a cheerio before he tries to bring down the government, you're in luck. Jack is set to tour the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden today. 24 Hours calls this "Jacks Christmas Surprise". So why is he out here in Vancouver? [Vancouver Sun]
The two major parties fighting it out this time, the NPA and Vision, and throwing their candidates at each other. In one corner you have Jim Green (Vision). Green came into Vancouver politics with outgoing mayor Larry Campbell in 2002 and is basically running to continue that legacy. The new Vision Party was created to do just that, specifically trying "to make Vancouver the most sustainable, inclusive, liveable city in the world." Amazingly the once too radical to be mayor, the grandfatherly Green looks an awful lot like famed New York Times writer R.W. Apple Jr. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But let's face it, this is Larry Campbell's party and he took a seat at the trough in Ottawa, which is why Green is running. And the Vision party is the un-COPE, less commie alternative to the NPA. Bonus: Two days before the election you can join Jim at the 125th anniversary of The Yale which is pretty amazing.
But if you are trying to keep score on this election, The Thunderbird offers a few Sam said-Jim said quips to think about. The polls from the last few weeks have Sullivan in the lead with 31% and Green at 26%. But the most intersting part of the numbers are that 4/10 voters are undecided and "SFU's [Kennedy] Stewart said the survey reinforces his view that most people aren't interested enough to vote. Vancouver, on average, has a voter turnout of about 35 per cent, meaning the high number of undecided are people who just don't vote." (via Vancouver Sun, October 26)
And there are a few alternatives to these two. There's Ben West, leader of the Work Less Party, a really slacking blogger Austin Spencer of Vancouver's Interest Party, and a guy who looks very, very, much like some sort of Che era radical. three time challenger Golok Zoltan Buday. Thing about mayors here is that they can go on to become Premiers or Senators, so it's almost disapointing that 2005's candidates are pretty much never going to achieve any greatness like that. Sure Mike Harcourt went on to boogie, and Gordon Campbell went on to win twice, but that's a tough act to follow.
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