Tea & Two Slices is a long-running local news round-up by NEEDS frontman and veteran dishwasher Sean Orr, who lives and works in Gastown, deeply aware of his privilege.

This entire story is a clusterfuck: An NPA board member was accused of attending an anti-SOGI event. It was a different man. Attending or not, he still took the endorsement of the group. While a terrible mistake by the board member who leaked his name, and an unfortunate misidentification by Lauren Boothby, the fact remains that Bligh is LGBTQ, and Phyliss Tang, Christopher Wilson and Ryan Warawa represent a stark shift from her values. Good on her for quitting.

That being said, “Fiscal conservative breaks with social conservatives; says she is only comfortable attacking gays for being poor, not gay.”- Best Facebook comment on Bligh’s resignation by Jeremy Leveque.

This is who NPA board member Christopher Wilson represents. Fuck Rebel Media and their gaslighting: This Is What Happens When You Try to Fight Systemic Racism in Canada.

Just pay your fucking taxes: Getting your money’s worth. Imagine going to the BC Supreme Court because – even though your name is emblazoned on the building like it was a god damn hockey arena and it appeared on all Juris Doctor degrees – it was missing from 60 or so Master’s and PhDs. That’s narcissism, not philanthropy.

We built this city on rock and roll personal debt: Greater Vancouver Households Are Going Broke Mega Fast. Who thought leveraging vast amounts of unearned wealth from runaway land speculation because the banks gave you a sub prime mortgage to fuel a lifestyle beyond your means in a city with an absurd cost of living would have unintended consequences?

Who would have thought the internal contradictions of capitalism would one day catch up with itself? Oh, yeah that guy who looks like Santa… We have to give up capitalism to save the planet, says George Monbiot.

The intersection of 2nd and Larch is also the intersection of campaign finance and lobbying: Mayor and councillor urged to declare conflict of interest in Kits spot rezoning.

“You received financial support from the developers for a development that you singled out for public support,” Rush wrote. “You are out there promoting the project. It is clear you will not change your point of view and you have an interest in approving the rezoning and the development proceeding.”

A good example of what CACs can do, bridge scrotum be damned: Howe Street Studios open with print-making, a new public artwork, and a plea.

Typical dirty tactics from Translink. Turn the public against workers. Shame: SkyTrain workers’ union president takes exception to TransLink spokesperson Ben Murphy’s “incendiary remarks”. Remember folks, this means the Skytrain is free. Just push past those fare gates!

Toxic masculinity kills: For Canada’s working men, an opioid crisis and a blue-collar code of silence are a deadly mixture. Brothers, I love you and it’s ok to be hurt.

Tweet of the day:

I’d prefer dental care, affordable housing, clean drug supply, and increased taxes on the ultra-rich. But ride-hailing is a nice distraction from what really matters. https://t.co/JoQ1dmSjMJ

— Liam Ford (@mailfrod) November 29, 2019

Bonus: Walmart Canada pulls sweater of Santa with what looks like cocaine.