by Sean Orr | In 2013 TransLink recorded 2.76 million bus riders taking trips for free. “The Taxpayers Federation of B.C. is using these figures to bolster its new ‘No TransLink Tax’ campaign..” Huh? So you don’t want to replace lost revenue? That seems absurd. OK, so they want more enforcement? How do you pay for that? “Regular transit riders have probably noticed that three of those buses spend a considerable amount of time along East Hastings Street and that all five of them traverse the Downtown Eastside…” Ergo, fining them $173 will do nothing because they won’t pay it. So, make it a fare-free zone. We’ve failed that community. There’s no point trying to squeeze money out of the impoverished.

I’m not saying having free transit is practical (mainly because we need to bilk all those disgusting tourists), but these cities all have free transit.

Interesting comment: “Fare dodgers on buses? If you use the buse (sic), you’re already in the club…” He’s right in a way. That’s because Transdink has tied gas tax revenue to transit revenue, which is to say that they lose money when people stop driving to take the bus.

Meanwhile, despite having the highest house prices in Canada, we have a comparatively low property tax average: How much you need to earn to buy a house in every major Canadian city.

Vancouver:
Average price: $819,336
Monthly mortgage payment: $3,570
Property tax: $251
Income required: $147,023

$147,023? Maybe Scout can give me a raise! [ed. note: we did already]

In it’s none-of-our-business news: Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said to be dating Chinese pop star Wanting Qu.

Those interested in Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson’s romantic life since he separated from his longtime wife last spring were tossed a tasty nugget of information Tuesday…

Oh, wow. I’m wanting to never read the words “tasty nugget of information” ever again.

Racism of the day: University backs professor who says Asian immigration damages Vancouver.

This week, Prof. Duchesne was quoted by CBC as saying the influx of Asians and Chinese to Vancouver was “too fast, too quick,” leading a “beautiful British city” to take on “a strongly Asian character.”

So by damage he meant change; by British he meant white; by city he meant something similar to Saint John; and by too fast he meant Asian immigration happened pretty much during the exact time period as British colonization. But it’s ok because he’s of “mixed race” himself and used an “almost Marxist textbook”…

Speaking of freedom of speech. Here it is versus the freedom to be racist xenophobes: On Charlie Hebdo.

True to form, the Vancouver Sun finds a way to make it all about us: Paris attack brings back memories of Surrey assassination.

Loser of the day: Woman caught on video setting up traps on North Van bike trails. Sorry, but I just pictured a mountain biker trapped in a little cedar cage eating Clif Bars and drinking Vitamin Water to survive…

Ersatz 21: One of these things is…exactly like the other?

I hate to give this poorly done parody any attention but: 7 types of girls in Vancouver. Never mind that you’re calling women girls. Never mind the fake Chinese accent and the racial stereotypes. Never mind how women in the DTES aren’t represented because they don’t exist…Damn, I forgot where I was going with this. Never mind.

Bonus: The worst sentence you’ll read all month, ever maybe.