Morning Brew: May 1

Posted by Jon
Filed in News
May 1, 2008

Doctors will start making Downtown Eastside house-calls in an attempt to clear up beds. I don't think I really need to recount my memory of having crack smoked in the bed next to me at St. Pauls a few years ago... but I just did.

Surrey finally finds a way to feel superior to the rest of the Lower Mainland: if you're having a smoke, you'll have to stand an extra 1.5 meters away from those doorways! Huh?

And on that note, the first of two great articles from recent New Yorkers I'd like to draw your attention to is Letting Go, where David Sedaris recounts his attempt to quit smoking... and his initial assumption of the habit right here in Vancouver:

I'd always heard how clean Canada was, how peaceful, but perhaps people had been talking about a different part, the middle, maybe, or those rocky islands off the eastern coast. Here it was just one creepy drunk after another. The ones who were passed out I didn't mind so much, but those on their way to passing out--those who could still totter and flail their arms--made me fear for my life.

Any local smoker can definitely relate to his rant about being incessantly asked for butts... it's "like standing on a street corner and jiggling a palmful of quarters. "Spare change?" someone might ask. And what could you say?"

If you haven't yet heard the absurdity: the Burrard Bridge bike lane renovation will cost $63 Million...

Also from the New Yorker, there's Crazy English, an interesting piece on the increasingly cult-like industry of ESL instruction in China, as the nation preps for the Olympics.

In relation to yesterday's disposable coffee sleeve... it's time to throw away your addiction to convenience, instead of all that excess cardboard and styrene. Lots of good stuff over at the Tyee.

And following up on our talk of Apple-inspired assault, you might be better off skipping on the leather case and saving up for one of these instead. Has the requisite style, looks ideal for the rain, and "also protects against stabs, cuts, slashes with sharp and blunt edged weapons like hypodermic needles, ice picks, knives and broken bottles up to 33 Joules." Or alternatively you could just broadcast the New Kids on the Block comeback via your flashy new iPhone to keep everyone at bay. (Aside: they actually measure stabbing in joules?)

After the flurry of media attention, the courts have granted a stay in the release of that 'killer' Salvadorian.

And finally, I'd really like to see Vancouver's street racers try this on our rain-worn highways: watch the insanity of Saudi Arabian street surfing.

photo by Mark Demeny of the BR Flickr Group

Reader Reviews and Comments

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That Burrard Bridge issue is killing me. Why not try the lane re-allocation? It is cheap and easy to do. That bridge is "the most heavily used bridge in the city for pedestrians and cyclists and they need more room." It is also the most under-used bridge for vehicular traffic. Sure, it is busy for rush hour, as every slab of pavement is around here, but one look at the katkam.ca and you'll see those six lanes are not packed on an hourly basis. Many studies have proved this. It's time for some (forward) thinking at city hall.

Posted by: david at May 1, 2008 9:37 AM | Quote Comment

I'm with David on this one. A lane relocation would be uber-cheap. I live just above the Burrard Bridge, so I watch the traffic go by every morning. It usually backs up a little bit between 8-9, but that's only because of the cars making a right onto Pacific and then often a left onto Hornby. The number of lanes on the bridge isn't the bottleneck, it's the roads off the bridge.

Posted by: Chris at May 1, 2008 10:23 AM | Quote Comment

I agree with using a lane thats already there for bike, what have we got to loose? We can change it back to if we want to. Seems thats the best solution for now.

Also, I never thought about how nice it is not to be asked for cigs anymore, I remember smoking dt/ i was getting asked non-stop. Screw my health , I just dont want to be bugged anymore;)

Posted by: Chris at May 1, 2008 10:24 AM | Quote Comment

That unicyclist rides past my place in Kits every day. I have two pieces of advice for him:
1) Keep your shirt on
2) Please don't pick the flowers from the community garden

As for the Burrard Bridge, I am all for the lane reallocation - it's absurd that the city keeps pandering to motorists' sense of entitlement over this, especially when it flies in the face of the facts (for example, that traffic over the BB has been in decline for some time.)

Posted by: Mark at May 1, 2008 10:37 AM | Quote Comment

Jon, you're less negative in doing the MB round-up. I think you've done a great job filling in for Sean.

Posted by: Vanessa at May 1, 2008 12:07 PM | Quote Comment

Sacrifice a car lane for bikes. I've heard it before. Seems like it would work. Get these people out of their cars!!
Why wouldn't they over inflate the price to make it look bad and therefore undoable?
corrupt bastards!!

Posted by: knitgirl at May 1, 2008 12:40 PM | Quote Comment

I remember working the phones for a municipal party in the last election, and getting asked about the Burrard Bridge bike lane by a cranky geriatric in Kits. I attempted to go into the positions of various councillors and the benefits of the proposed bike lane, but he cut me off and snapped, "I'm voting for whoever is against it!" And hung up.
Draw whatever conclusions you see fit.

Posted by: Sage at May 1, 2008 1:22 PM | Quote Comment

Jon - I don't know what the dynamics at BR are, but you're doing and AWESOME job with morning brew. Word to the wise though, Orr can be a bit crabby when upstaged, I'd watch my back. (Hope you stay - reassign Sean to the classifieds or something, at least then he'd post half-interesting stuff.

Posted by: QT at May 1, 2008 3:36 PM | Quote Comment

Re the bridge

There are a thousand other places you could spend money in Vancouver to make it more bike friendly. The Burrard bridge is one of the few places where when I ride my bike I don't really worry about traffic or pedestrians too much. This could just be me but I've had zero problems on the bridge, getting to and from the bridge has caused me many more problems and head aches.

Re Sedaris

I can only hear his whiney nasal voice after getting an audio book of his.

Posted by: JT at May 1, 2008 3:43 PM | Quote Comment

Thanks for all the kind comments... and good to see the discussion. Why don't issues like homelessness and the Olympics get said attention in the comment roll?

As for Sean... the more I focus on the local news the more negative I get; I can sympathize with the man's point of view, and have that much more respect for his daily devotion... whipping up these longer posts takes quite a bit; I've been lucky to have had the time.

But I am really enjoying it, and am glad to hear you guys are too. Will try and put my skill with the hyperlink to future use for BR in some form or another...

Posted by: Jon at May 1, 2008 7:21 PM | Quote Comment

Looks like a consensus. Tim, if you're out there, your readers prefer more positive writing.
Sorry Sean.

Posted by: anon at May 2, 2008 9:04 AM | Quote Comment

That last statement is not true. Nobody consulted me and I'm 'a reader'. Don't be a hater.

Posted by: whatever... at May 2, 2008 9:35 AM | Quote Comment

Yeah, I really want my news 'positive' and sugar coated so I don't have to get 'bummed out'. You fucking pussies. Go smoke another bong hit and break out the hacky sack so you can feel good about your boring lives.

Posted by: bumbum at May 2, 2008 11:32 AM | Quote Comment

Not trying to be a hater. Just sharing my opinion (yes the consensus thing is a bit of an exageration). BR is a great page, I think it can be made even better with more positive, but still honest writing.
More positive doesn't meet sugarcoated. But I really think you should move to another city if all you want to do is whine about this one.
hm...now where's my hacky sack....

Posted by: anon at May 2, 2008 2:34 PM | Quote Comment