Jan 22, 2010

countdown

hi again,

Ryan Dahle plays the olympic Celebration site on feb 17th---it's coming up!

the olympics start apparently on the 12th of Feb...I have no idea how it will affect my life? I currently walk to work, will I never be able to drive anywhere? restaurants are doing a mandatory 18% tip included on meals...a friend of mine is stocking up at costco so she doesnt have to buy food during the 'lympics...maybe we should all treat it like Y2K. speaking of Y2K, did you know that I played a show at the Anza club on Y2K with my old band, the Salteens, and the new pornographers opened for us!!! I guess they won that fame game...

how 'bout this weather? it'll go one of 2 ways: tourists will think that this is the most amazing and warm and beautiful city and real estate prices and taxes and food and parking will go up more and I will officially move out of this expensive town once and for all. OR, the warm weather will reek havoc on the wintery sports and vancouver will fail...but even if the weather fucks with the games, i guess the vancouver tax payers will just be fronting the bills to come for "snow creation".

so that sounded pretty negative--I am not against the Olympics, i just think this city is a bit of a farce on the "world stage" as we've got some deeper social issues to manage before bragging.

1. You wanna play the world-stage game? wouldnt it be great for vancouver to have a pedestrian bridge over false creek? No more experimental bike lanes cutting into traffic. Think of vancouver more as London or salsburg, with their quiet pedestrian bridges crossing their famous rivers. it would increase tourism, cut down traffic.

2. free transit in the city limits. Wanna play against portalnd, Vancouver? Go free internet and free transit. Wanna go green for real Vancouver? how about free transit.

3. HST. Oh good one BC! make everything more expensive! Kick the people while they are down...reduce GST to make canadians vote conservative but then create a new tax that will cost even more! Groceries and books should have more tax on them afterall! kids shouldnt get books and clothing at a reduced rate compared to an adult! hooray for progression!

hey, topic change: paralympics. what are the qualifications to be a paralympian? discuss.

I have been discussing with my Attic and Cellars friends about finding some tix to the paralympic events. i think it would be interesting as I have little knowledge about these less glamorized sports.

I will be attending some Cultural Olympiad events including:

Kronos Quartet with Inuit Throat singing:
http://www.chancentre.com/whats-on/tundra-songs-kronos-quartet-tanya-tagaq

Anthony Braxton at Christ Church:
http://www.coastaljazz.ca/concert/anthony_braxton_12_1_tet_0


so there!