by Sean Orr | Stuck in the middle with you: City proposal ignores ‘deplorable’ reality of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The anti-poverty activists say this doesn’t go far enough, and the free-marketers think it goes too far. Hmm, perhaps the correct route forward lies somewhere in between? Or is that just my naive liberal rationalism talking?

Speaking of naivety: How does all this density improve the lives of citizens? “Not all of us love the endless bustle of huge cities, which is why we made our lives in Vancouver”. Romantic bullshit. Vancouver has always been a boom-city. From the very first real-estate deal that lured the CPR to extend its terminus from Port Moody to some small mill-town called Granville Townsite, to Rails to Rubber, to Expo, and to the 2010 Olympics. What did you think was going to happen?

Vancouver condo owners upset neighbourhood is going to the dogs. I mean, is it any wonder that you’re called NIMBYs? And just for the record, there’s nowhere for humans to pee, either. Best unintentional pun: “These guys have hounded everyone in the building”.

Newspaper article from 1978: Vancouver apartment owners pursue tenants. Ask and ye shall receive.

“A sanitized ethnic playground for the rich to satisfy their exotic appetite for a dim sum and fortune cookie fix”: Chinatown’s Difficult Evolution: Do working-class ethnic enclaves have a space in future cities? Maybe instead of “Ni hao” it should say “Han hai”* (get out of my way). *this is probably not correct.

Related: The Right to REMAIN in Vancouver’s Nihonmachi/Downtown Eastside. Man, my white guilt is in full overdrive right now.

Vancouver is a hollow tree: Douglas Coupland to create replica of Hollow Tree for development at Marine Drive and Cambie. “A lot of people will be arriving in Vancouver for the first time and they’ll see a big Golden Tree,” said Coupland. “A lot of things will go through their mind at once…” “Holy Crap what is that? Wow, it’s a tree. It’s gold. Oh, it’s a very Chinese place here.” Can someone please glue a copy of The Chinese Exclusion Act to it? Please?

You’re either pho us or against us: This week in f**k you: Pho. “I don’t need to willingly eat a bowl of hot rainwater poured over fish nightmares”.

“Garbage Buildings Shouldn’t be ‘Preserved’ in the Name of Culture”. RIP Juicy Fried Chicken.

Clearing cap space: Vancouver Canucks terminate contract with Rogers Arena concession staff.