A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

On Cutthroat Psychos And Extremists Making Fat Alberta Oil Money

 

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by Sean Orr | There’s something incredibly poetic about this: Extremists make quick cash in Alberta’s oilsands before joining ISIS. “So yes, you can make a whole bunch of money in a very short period of time if that’s what you want to do, and you can do it in relative anonymity…” Fuck dealing drugs! Let’s go work in the oilfields!

Speaking of getting rich quick: B.C. government errs on the side of optimism with LNG plants. “Exxon Mobil, in partnership with Canadian subsidiary Imperial Oil, has proposed a massive $25-billion LNG plant for Prince Rupert […] Once the plant is up and running, potentially in 2024, it would employ 250 workers…” Oh, good. That will offset the 250 jobs lost at ski resorts when there’s no snow. “And then there’s the revenue that would flow to government…” That’s important. The government, not the people. Get it? “No wonder the government hopes five of these plants get built. With so much money on the line, even one would be huge…” Premises, premises.

Scramble! Federal budget delayed due to ‘market instability,’ Finance Minister says. “This new reality poses a great, though not entirely unprecedented challenge…” In other words, this new reality, which is hardly new at all, poses a great challenge, because we’ve hinged our economy to a single volatile commodity. Smart move.

Missing the mark: Target abandons Canadian operations. “If Amazon is a success story of a beautiful machine done right, Target Canada is a tale of cargo cultists taking over a significant chunk of the Canadian retail economy to run it into the ground. At enormous human cost” – Nicholas Ellan. What’s Mexxt?

Floater: Former B.C. premier floated as federal Conservative candidate. I find it highly amusing that they need to include this disclaimer:

The centre-right Liberal Party of B.C., of which Mr. Campbell was a member, is not affiliated with the Liberal Party of Canada and is significantly closer to the federal Conservative Party in philosophy than its name would suggest.

Tell us how you really feel: Elizabeth May: Prime Minister’s Office Full Of ‘Ruthless, Cutthroat Psychopaths’. “The staff at the PMO have no allegiance to anything other than getting the Conservative Party re-elected. And they feel entitled to tear strips off bureaucrats at all levels of the system. It completely offends the principles of parliamentary democracy.”

Journalists behaving very badly. Can we blame Harper for this, too? Please?

Green with rage: Option of closing Vancouver schools may be back on the table. I honestly don’t think I have ever regretted voting for someone, ever. Congrats, Janet Fraser. You’re the first.

Only in Surrey would the Mayor of Surrey want a Facebook page called Only in Surrey taken down: Mayor, businesses want Facebook page taken down.

Only in Saanich? No spyware on Saanich mayor Richard Atwell’s computer: police.

Another one bites the dust: Gay publisher Xtra to embrace digital, close print. RIP Xtra.

Vancouver restaurateur who set up toilet camera given suspended sentence. “Ordered that he not possess any devices that take video or pictures…” No liens on opening another restaurant? Hmm…

Craigslist of the day: sectional couch – $100. “The picture attached is of previous owners. It does have some stains which can be cleaned”.

Bonus: Ska or Improv. Vancouver represent!

On Ken Sim’s So-Called “Swagger” and ABC’S Class War

Sean Orr is back from his hiatus with a rundown of the local headlines that have been running on a ticker tape through his mind over the past six months...

On Post-Election Recuperation, Platform Paradoxes and Refund Communities

In his latest read of the local news headlines, Sean Orr finds irony in "safety, affordability, and sustainability", and shouts out a bunch of amazing local organizations working on the frontlines.

On Running for City Council, Playing Whack-a-Mole with Homelessness, and the Public Washroom Deficit

In his latest read of the local news headlines, Sean Orr finds a park ranger with a grudge, a gross misuse of air quotes and Tripadvisor slander.

On Living in a City Preoccupied with Street Cleaning, Chandeliers, and Campaigns Against the Homeless

In his latest read of the local news headlines, Sean Orr hones in on the recent Langley shootings, and the ongoing criminalizing and dehumanizing of the homeless population.