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

On Poorly Named Coffee Shops And Vancouver Surviving Without Uber

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by Sean Orr | If it ain’t broke: B.C.’s rental rate hike loophole to be fixed next spring. That’s weird, because didn’t Rich Coleman say just last year that it wasn’t broken? I mean, there must be something happening next year. I wonder what it could be?

Our tiny region: Is geography a factor in Vancouver’s affordability crisis? Factor? Maybe a little bit. But how much of this “limited” land is taken up by single detached homes and why does this article only mention zoning once and only when comparing us to Seattle? Oh right, it’s from VancityBuzz Daily Hive.

Total lack of awareness of the day. Someone named a coffee shop “SRO“. So what if it stands for Standing Room Only? Cue the Facebook rage!

Runner up: Vancouver Talk Radio Host Fired After Trainwreck Interview On Race. Short version: white man upset nobody talks to him in the grocery store and that he’s not recognized as a minority. “How do you know I’m white? Maybe I’m from somewhere else. Maybe I’m from…far away.”

Of course, like Trump supporters, their disillusionment can almost always be explained vis a vis class dynamics. Neoliberalism is creating loneliness. That’s what’s wrenching society apart.

It’s the same kind of echo-chamber confirmation bias that makes people actually believe that Obama is a gay Muslim from Kenya. “It’s called the Dunning-Kruger effect and it’s an unshakeable illusion that you’re much smarter, and more skilled and/or knowledgeable, than you really are.”

Of course the same phenomenon has lead to a surge in the self-help and wellness industry: The way to a better work-life balance? Unions, not self-help.

If I recommended Daniel Blake last time, I’ll recommend Toni Erdmann today. An unflinching portrait of the modern overworked woman.

Meanwhile, New Democrat MLAs join the 5th annual Welfare Food Challenge. This is tiresome tokenism. I’m going to pretend to be poor for a month and then return to my privilege. We don’t need more awareness. We need action.

Vancouver now the largest city in North America without Uber. As a consumer it’s a no brainer. We need it. But with labour as precarious as it is, this just further destabilizes the job market. Taxis are imperfect and they need to adapt, sure, but are we willing to give our money to a company run by maniacs?

Blue Jays’ radio voice Jerry Howarth sticks to 1992 vow to not say ‘Indians’. Way to say the word that the guy won’t say right in the headline CBC!

Related: Ladies and gentlemen, Louis CK.

Trailer Park Boys of the day: Suspect faces mischief charge after man tries to break into Newfoundland prison.

Bonus: The Origins of Anti-Litter Campaigns.

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.