Friday Free for all!
Hey! You made it to the end of the work week! Perhaps it’s time to get out of town, relax at home or wait in long security lines. What you do with your weekend is up to you, but what we do here is our regular end of the week economic news round up and open topic discussion post. Here are a few recent stories to kick off the conversation:
-There is no housing bubble
-Property tax deferral plan a debt time bomb?
-Scotia Capitol warns Ottawa on popping bubble
-Is Canada in a housing bubble?
-The cult of home ownership
-VREAA: Froogle Scott 4
-Five warning signs of a bubble
-First Canadian trade deficit in 34 years
-Games will give BC short term boost
-Mortgage insurance peace of mind – at a price
-The doomsday view of the mortgage market
-Ottawa weighs stricter mortgage rules
So what are you seeing out there? Post your news links, thoughts and anecdotes here and have an excellent weekend!
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February 12th, 2010 at 3:51 am
We’re not in a housing bubble, but for God’s sake don’t pop it!
February 12th, 2010 at 4:36 am
@arit:
Could we give this a rest please? Nobody invented the Internet. It was an upgrade of an existing network used by universities and the government called the Arpanet. Gore was one on the key people involved in getting the Internet project funded. In other words he was a sponsor not an “inventor” of the Internet, and he has never claimed otherwise.
I’m not sure whether you’re trying to say you understand this, or that you buy the Gore story (which of course was invented by the neocons), but it’s still tiresome.
Not surprising people would fall for stuff like this, as (for example) I’m sure that not one person in 10 (or even 100) knows the difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web (which actually was invented by somebody). I always have, since I was using the Internet before the WWW existed.
February 12th, 2010 at 4:58 am
First Canadian trade deficit in 34 years
This of course is another red flag that the Canadian economy is being driven by the housing bubble. Instead of producing things to sell to the rest of the world, we are borrowing money from the rest of the world to build houses to sell to each other. Just like you know where.
Of course the rag in which this article is found can at the same time claim there is no bubble. George Orwell had something to say about this:
http://www.orwell.ru/library/a.....ish/e_nose
February 12th, 2010 at 7:00 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq9AFeil6_4
February 12th, 2010 at 7:23 am
The Froogle Scott Chronicles: Mortgaging Our Souls In Paradise
Part 4: Raise or Raze — Prelude
Next week, in Part 5 of our series, Froogle Scott will look at how the eight-year real estate boom in Vancouver, and the associated renovation and construction mania, have changed the face of his neighbourhood. This week, in Part 4, he offers a photo-montage as a prelude to next week’s story.
Check it out:
http://tinyurl.com/frooglescott04
During booms we see flagrant examples of misallocation of resources. Easy money fosters and rewards the ‘fast-and-loose’ mindset. People spend and destroy in ways that they wouldn’t during more measured, prudent, and thoughtful times. Individuals who would usually be careful may be lured into taking on debt, and spending, in ways that would be unimaginable for them under more typical market conditions. -vreaa
February 12th, 2010 at 8:34 am
Vancouver is the World’s Most Liveable City once again.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/201.....ies_living
February 12th, 2010 at 8:51 am
Most livable city again? That’s 2 straight weeks now!
February 12th, 2010 at 9:21 am
Happy Olympics Everyone.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:47 am
I love how the Vancouver Sun has not allowed comments for the “THERE IS NO HOUSING BUBBLE HERE” article……..
February 12th, 2010 at 10:00 am
I come from a communist country where I lived until my early twenties and this feels so weird. I’m now in a different place and at a different time, but the propaganda of lies and deception is exactly the same. Truly universal concept that survived against all odds – if you say a lie enough times, people will believe it no matter how ridiculous it is. But that doesn’t make it truth… or does it?
I think it is indeed different this time in that we have all this incredible knowledge at our fingertips, all this unlimited access to free information – and yet people are dumber than ever. Sad.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:34 am
“I come from a communist country where I lived until my early twenties and this feels so weird. I’m now in a different place and at a different time, but the propaganda of lies and deception is exactly the same.”
I also came from a communist country in my twenties, and completely agree with this poster.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:41 am
@Dave:
That’s nice. Now why does that justify a price/rent of 300 or 400? Is the city twice as livable if you own rather than rent? Is there a special section of the parks, etc. for homeowners?
The only objective measure of the utility of living somewhere is the market rent and that’s no higher in Vancouver than in Calgary.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:52 am
New CREA seeks to screw sellers by charging full commission while NOT doing ANY work at all Bwahahahahahahahahaah these realshits are insane. The arrogance is akin to the entitlement of royalty. Time to get out the guillotine eh?
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=2552890
February 12th, 2010 at 11:01 am
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/.....7Pb6JlB0uw
Nyah – what does this guy know anyway.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:11 am
patriotz,
“arit, Could we give this a rest please? Nobody invented the Internet. It was an upgrade of an existing network ”
I guess that Al Gore forgot to add the sarcasm into the internet. I did not account for the the fact that someone might take my “Al Gore invented the internet” post seriously. Sorry. But YOU should know me well enough by now though, patriotz.
regards
arit
February 12th, 2010 at 11:14 am
White Payer – “I think it is indeed different this time in that we have all this incredible knowledge at our fingertips, all this unlimited access to free information – and yet people are dumber than ever. Sad.”
SO TRUE, couldn’t have said it better myself.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:21 am
@Username2010:
If your theory relies on everybody else but you being a fool, then you might want to rethink that theory.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:41 am
@Dave:
For crying out loud Dave, would you stop trying to be clever and shut the fuck up already!
February 12th, 2010 at 11:44 am
Everybody is a fool to think that they know what is happening in Vancouver!
Realtors making too much $$, Economic’s say Why $$$ Real Estate $$$?
Why care who makes $$$, do your own thing to make your personal LIFE better.
Street people are everywhere and maybe can be helped.
I agree that the Olympics are too much of a financial responsibility for just one city to accomodate financially!
Nobody will listen to the Cryers, thinking they will once again be able purchase Van RE for pennies on a dollar.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:45 am
#10 WP: “I come from a communist country…the propaganda of lies and deception is exactly the same”
My wife said the same thing just yesterday.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:58 am
If you come from a Communist country and are not happy here?
Please go home!
February 12th, 2010 at 11:59 am
@White Payer:
Blue pill or Red? Life on the Nebuchadnezzar kinda sucks, so you may wanna keep dreamin’… and so does everyone else.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
@Different Now:
Dude, you just totally proved my point, LOLZ.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
@Dave:
“If your theory relies on everybody else but you being a fool, then you might want to rethink that theory.”
Well, if the ‘bull’ population here is representative of the real estate buying public at large I’d have to say they are fools. That said I know some very well educated and highly intelligent people who bought into the hype. They’re not all stupid, just foolish.
It doesn’t take much effort to find times and places in history where a large population including educated, intelligent people WAS foolish. Tulip Mania, Piltdown Man or the Book of Mormon (I could go deeper into world religions but the Book of Mormon has been proven false).
February 12th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
@Dave:
“If your theory relies on everybody else but you being a fool, then you might want to rethink that theory.”
I’m sure they said the same thing to Copernicus. Galileo and Giordano Bruno. In the last case it was most likely just before they lit the stake on fire…
Having said that I bet you any money if Vancouver Sun told people TODAY that the earth was flat (no pun intended), at least some would believe it, guaranteed.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
@White Payer:
There are lots of dummies out there to be sure including some who post here. However, I didn’t use the word ’some’ as a qualifier.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
@Drachen:
The bubbles you mention were all speculative in nature and short lived. By most measures, speculation levels are quite low at present. And by your own admission, we have had high prices for almost 25 years. Therefore, your bubble analogies fall flat.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
@Dave:
Dave why are rental prices out of line with prices?
February 12th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
German Guy posted this link from the Financial Post:
CHMC, the Canada Moral Hazard Corporation
http://network.nationalpost.co.....-corp.aspx
February 12th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Al Gore DID claim to create the internet. Here you can see him say as much in his own words in a sit down interview on CNN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnFJ8cHAlco. So sorry this wasn’t a neocon invention, it was Al Gore spewing his nonsense again.
Anyway the olympics will be a national DISASTER!!! And I’m glad the disaster is almost upon us. I watched Arnie this morning on CTV and the usual loser shit bags were screaming ARNIE ARNIE ARNIE as he ran past. Yes these are the same shit bags who wear ed hardy shirts and buy vancouver condos.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
@Dave: Your investment insight is truly remarkable! I hope you stick to sales, and let a professional manage your investments.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
BTW here’s some of what I would call disgraceful behaviour by VANOC thugs in this town :
http://www.montrealgazette.com.....story.html.
Hitting a 76 year old woman in a wheelchair for a stupid flaming torch nazi relay race is truly pathetic.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
#10 WP. Canadians are being controlled by a clique of ‘apartniks’ who have successfully designed a web of deceit over the apparatus of the CDN nation. The laws in this country have been specifically designed to keep power in the hands of a small minority of ideological through a whoreing cabal of media pundits, socialist (but very wealthy inheritance cases) and ivory tower politicians who campaign under differant banners towards the same end. Its like watching fat pigs push each other out of the way to gorge themselves while the other is digesting.
Any other opinion except the narrow spin of the government is branded ‘fanatical’ and inappropriate or ‘UNCANADIAN’.
You are right it is eastern bloc style propaganda. I have mentioned the parellels between the governments style of control here and the chapter and verse similarities of socialist engineering as laid out in the Communist Manifesto’ too bad the link goes over the headds of so many CDN’s.
When the ‘modern concept of Canada’ was introduced by Pierre Trudeau many failed to understand that P.E.T was an avowed communist and had been since his school days in spite (or perhaps typical) of those who inherited grand fortunes and hadn’t come to understand reality outside the narrow confines of the elitist minority of his time.
Any wonder why he decided to ‘break the bank’, break up the country into small immigrant constiuencies, downplay nationalism etc etc etc? Anyone who neglects the history shouldn’t be surprised why we have lost all control over our own affairs.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
@Dave:
“The bubbles you mention were all speculative in nature and short lived. By most measures, speculation levels are quite low at present. And by your own admission, we have had high prices for almost 25 years. Therefore, your bubble analogies fall flat.”
Are you illiterate?
The Piltdown Man bubble? WTF? The Book of Mormon bubble? Seriously, you think those were bubbles? Mormonism has been around a lot longer than the Vancouver Real Estate bubble and the Piltdown Man was believed to be genuine for 40 years!
February 12th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
From the tax defferal plan:
“The flexibility is good for new homeowners and for those for whom a few hundred dollars a month in property taxes can make or break a family budget”
So we can admit that families have stretched themselves to the point that a few hundred dollars a month could break a their budget, but there’s still no bubble. What’s going to happen when rates increase for those same families?
You know I can’t help but think of one of the final scenes from Animal House when it comes to our current economic situation and the spin we are being told. It’s the one where Kevin Bacon is trying to calm down the crowd at the end of the movie… classic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDAmPIq29ro
February 12th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
@vancouver2010Disgrace:
“Al Gore DID claim to create the internet.”
First off he didn’t say he CREATED the internet in that clip. He said he took the initiative in creating the internet, read the following and it becomes clear that this is simply a statement of fact.
“Internet pioneers Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn have also noted that, “as far back as the 1970s, Congressman Gore promoted the idea of high speed telecommunications as an engine for both economic growth and the improvement of our educational system. He was the first elected official to grasp the potential of computer communications to have a broader impact than just improving the conduct of science and scholarship” – Wikipedia
Sounds like he took the initiative to me.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Drachen come on. You and I both know that’s not what Al Gore meant. He was taking credit for creating the internet.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
@Dave: Before you get too giddy over that most livable title, maybe you should read what it says:
http://www.citymayors.com/envi.....ities.html
February 12th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
@vancouver2010Disgrace:
I was there last night actually, people were crowding forward, police would come along and move everyone back and they’d crowd forward again into the path of the vehicles. I’m not surprised people were injured but with the behaviour I saw from the crowd where I was I’d be more likely to blame the spectators.
People who are just stupid and don’t know to get out of the way of vehicles even after being told TWICE by the police to step back deserve to be hit once in a while. Though the woman in the wheelchair was probably blocked from moving by the people around her.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
@Dave: #16 is BDK a left hand of VHB.They were born to loose forever with highest scoring on the right side of this screen.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
@joycer:
Never mind that they are in over their heads because of their mortgage.
Let everyone else pay for their financial problems.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
@vancouver2010Disgrace:
And he deserves some of the credit. The scientists who CREATED THE INTERNET give him credit.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
I have been reading this site for awhile now and really enjoy it, for the most part. I was talking to my local binner yesterday and he said something funny. “It’s amazing that the closer you are to Stanley park the more expensive it is, but once you are homeless you can actually live in the park”. Just another spin on the Best place in the world!!
February 12th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
By the way that quote goes on to say, “Congressman Gore provided intellectual leadership by helping create the vision of the potential benefits of high speed computing and communication. As an example, he sponsored hearings on how advanced technologies might be put to use in areas like coordinating the response of government agencies to natural disasters and other crises.”
Remember this is a couple of the lead scientists working on the Internet talking.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Can’t believe you people are bitching about housing right now when the Olympics are ready to begin. hahahaa…..how bitter can you people be? Just turn on the TV and enjoy the games, morons.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Death at Whistler:
http://tinyurl.com/y9588su
February 12th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
@Supraboy: Hahaha, I’ll be at the opening ceremonies in a few hours. Of course, my tickets are subsidized by my landlord! It’s you bitter owners that have to watch on TV!!!!!
February 12th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Olympics were as well prepared as the matchbox condos were built, therefore : first day : first victim.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
That luge crash was horrifying to watch. My heart goes out to his family and friends…
You would think there would be a safer way to build a luge track than exposed metal poles every 15 feet but what do I know, VANOC are the experts.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
20 betamax
Lies and deception from who
Propaganda for you?
Nothing free here!
Enjoy the real world but now you have to go to work!
You are free celebrate your victory or go back to Communism!
February 12th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
@Different Now:
definition of propaganda:
“Propaganda is a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda.”
One of the important parts here is lying by omission…
February 12th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
beautiful example piece of propaganda to urge immigrants to move to California, 1876
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi....._world.jpg
February 12th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Video of the crash is here
Looks like terrible course design to me, it would only take a few dozen sheets of plexiglass to cover the gaps so he’d have hit at an angle instead of straight on at 90 kph.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
@vancouver2010Disgrace:
http://www.citizensforpublicpo.....government
Agree or disagree?
Was WAC Bennett an electrical engineer?
February 12th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
@White Payer:
Note that Paul Krugman, who was probably the most widely read economist to have been right about the US housing bubble, said much the same thing in 2000:
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11.....witch.html
He was talking about the presidential campaign of George Bush, who of course was one of the prime movers of the US housing bubble, among other disasters.
Now just wait – someone is going to pop up and claim that Krugman was a bubble denier.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
@patriotz:
WAC Bennet DID create BC Hydro, the company. You people are deluding yourselves if you think that Al Gore created the internet or did not really mean to claim that he did during his election campaign.
February 12th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
B.C. signs on to high-speed rail between San Diego and Vancouver
Finally some stimulus that makes sense. But what about Evergreen and better transit for GVRD? We need a couple more Canada lines before we can call ourselves a world class city rather than a resort city.
February 12th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
@vancouver2010Disgrace:
“Al Gore DID claim to create the internet. Here you can see him say as much in his own words in a sit down interview on CNN.”
Translation: “I won’t be able to get away with claiming that Gore invented the internet, so I’ll come up with a subjective interpretation of what Gore actually said (which I won’t bother to quote), to wit, that he claimed to create the internet”.
“You and I both know that’s not what Al Gore meant.”
Translation: “I know everything, do not need any reference to objective sources, and anyone who disagrees with me is lying.”
“You people are deluding yourselves if you think that Al Gore created the internet or did not really mean to claim that he did during his election campaign.”
Translation: “You are crazy if you don’t think like me.”
And you STILL haven’t bothered to offer a single quote of anything Gore actually said.
Classic neocon debating tactics. Lame.
February 12th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
@patriotz:
Excuse me. Second paragraph should start:
Translation: “I won’t be able to get away with claiming that Gore said he had invented the internet,”…
February 12th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
@White Payer:
Let’s not forget the ultimate irony.
If you try to explain to someone the basic rule of capitalism – that the value of capital derives from the income that it produces, i.e. a house is really only worth its rental value and no more, and that the present prices are being inflated by government intervention, you are accused of being a “socialist”.
February 12th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
@patriotz:
I don’t know if I’d call that the basic rule of capitalism. In my books it would read more like, “People and businesses are responsible for their own finances, for better or worse.”
What you quoted as the basic rule of capitalism is more like the basic rule of intelligent investing, something Warren Buffett might adhere to.
It is observably not the way in which capitalism actually works, so I don’t see how you can call it the ‘basic rule’.
February 12th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
@Drachen:
I agree “rule” is not the right term, as that is usually understood to be some norm of behaviour imposed by authority or some plan or procedure.
It’s an objective fact.
February 12th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
The arrogant baby rapers who enjoy IOC membership think nothing of murdering old ladies in thier own countries. We let these scum into Canada thinking that the ‘Olympic Family’ has something to do with ‘fresh faced atheletes from good middle class families’ and this is a complete fallacy. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The UN, which is made of of 99% of countries which have shown a complete disdain for human rights are the beneficiaries of the ‘OLYMPIC’ largesse. This money is graft that filled the coffers of some of the most disreputable and murderous regimes on the planet.
When you support the Olympics you are really just funnelling money to killers, rapists and thugs from third world countries that would kill you if you accidentally found yourself under thier influence.
February 12th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Funny hearing the talk on the tele today about the Olympics and international “unity”. All the while I hear the fighter jets scratch the sky overhead. I guess “unity” is the flow of foreign capital into this city that has mercilessly pushed out the middle class…the Native Sons who were born here…and nary a policy-maker to defend them. Suddenly I can relate to the First Nations folks as they dance in their colourful dress.
February 12th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
It was touching to see the massive crowds come out to see Arnold carrying the torch today.
The same Arnold who declared war on BC’s film industry.
People in this city are dumber than retarded monkeys.
February 12th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
The simpsons are coming to Vancouver in their next episode on Sunday. Any bets Homer and Marge buy a house? If they don’t buy one now, next time they come for a visit they’ll be priced out forever.
February 12th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
“The same Arnold who declared war on BC’s film industry.”
And the same Arnold whose state is technically insolvent. It seems fitting he carry the torch for an event that is associated with so much debt.
February 12th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
@crabman:
haha….what a fool. I got more tickets to olympic events than you, that’s for sure.
Anyways, did you run into those idiotic protesters? Bunch of morons trying to stir up nonsense because they got nothing else better to do in life.
February 12th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
What? Bunch of morons with nothing else better to do in life?
That’s exactly what I was thinking about all those people lining up for hours just to see a torch.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
BREAKING NEWS: Rich foreigners are said to be mesmerized by the unique Vancouver lifestyle experience of skiing (on dirt) in the morning, and golfing (in the rain) after lunch.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Anyone see the the Governor General get caught napping on TV? hahaa……that’s the funniest chit ever.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Jesus Christ, can we just move on to Corey Hart lighting the flame and wrap this up already?
This has been painfully long and boring.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
its a celebration of BC bud, the torch looks like a bunch of joints. And we only get 3 out of 4.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
#72 bpom, the condemnation of the sad freaky mess that was the opening ceremony has gone viral. OMG what an embarrassment!!!! Duelling tap -off ?????? WTF was that?? Does any CDN have a clue what that joke was all about????
Man did that suck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did you also catch the rip off parellels of Gandalf, Cirque,West Side Story and The Wizard of OZ?????? Holy Fuck, did we pay 7 billion for that???????? Punk Fiddlers ?????????? Bouncing Polar Bears???????? Cheesy Canuck lights projectong cut outs on the floor.
I was in a crowd of people who said it made them sick. We got the Manager to turn the channel.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Is it just me, or did KD Lang look exactly like Micheal Buble?
February 12th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Is Gretzky driving all the way to Whistler to light this fucker?
February 12th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
#75
I thought she looked more like Alec Baldwin.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
if we were the greenest games, the torch would be made of LEDs hooked up to solar panels
February 12th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
strike that, it rains too much for solar panels.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
@realpaul: This realpaul guy is very negative. He can’t sit back and just relax. The olympics is a celebration of athletes, not about your negativity. So what if they spent billions. Not like you paid for any of it.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
@Supraboy:
80
X Supraboy Says:
February 12th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
@realpaul: This realpaul guy is very negative.
=======
I wouldn’t call Realpaul negative, but rather a ‘frustrated realist.’
February 12th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
@Chilled: You have a point.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
btw, about Realpaul, guess what:
47 X crabman Says:
February 12th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
@Supraboy: Hahaha, I’ll be at the opening ceremonies in a few hours. Of course, my tickets are subsidized by my landlord! It’s you bitter owners that have to watch on TV!!!!!
I think Realpaul should make crabman eat it since he’s the one who went to this billion dollar event.
RealPaul: Man did that suck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did you also catch the rip off parellels of Gandalf, Cirque,West Side Story and The Wizard of OZ?????? Holy Fuck, did we pay 7 billion for that???????? Punk Fiddlers ?????????? Bouncing Polar Bears???????? Cheesy Canuck lights projectong cut outs on the floor.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
@Supraboy:
That’s the great thing with ‘buy now pay later’. None of us has payed for it.. yet.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
@observer: Agreed – all forms of non-automobile transportation infrastructure are needed. High speed rail will do amazing things for the BC economy. Imagine being able to have a business meeting in Seattle without the hassle of driving or the airport – and to get there in 70 minutes…
February 12th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
oh yeaah slappys! owelimpics here! nelly furtardo look fertile! your film industry been terminated! saw BDK chasing Gretsky down seemour street!
February 13th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Patriotz, you really talk a lot of tosh.
Your drooling obsession with Krugman is but one example. Sure like many others he saw a bubble coming, but he’s also the clown who wrote in 2008 that “Fannie and Freddie had nothing to do with the explosion of high-risk lending” and “didn’t do any subprime lending.”
That’s because Krugman is a hyperpartisan hack who never saw a government program that didn’t make him groan with pleasure.
And how the frig was Bush a prime mover of the housing bubble? Did he control interest rates, tell the rating agencies to trip the light fantastic, and ask Barney Frank and other members of the Congressional Finance Committee to “roll the dice” on yet more Fannie/Freddie largesse?
Hyper-political people like yourself make for the most insufferable dinner party guests. Lighten up, you’ll have more friends.
February 13th, 2010 at 12:56 am
Some of the opening ceremony was cool. I liked the aurora borealis effect. But a lot of it was so overdone and we seemed to be showcasing the world’s biggest inferiority complex. I mean, all that nationalistic bullshit. That’s not patriotism, it’s just a bunch of smoke up the ass! So much for our reputation for modesty. I think we burned that one in the last week or so. Now if they only had some viagra for that torch!
February 13th, 2010 at 1:27 am
” Imagine being able to have a business meeting in Seattle without the hassle of driving or the airport – and to get there in 70 minutes”
——————
Excpet for the fact you’ll be an hour at the border while they unload the train and interview everyone, like they do at the crossing between Toronto and Chicago…
February 13th, 2010 at 2:46 am
What an embarassing opening ceremony. Gordo looked nuts. But I guess he has a right to let it all go and party tonight. Its the event that he built his career around. Being the chief cheerleader for this dud is his magnus opus.
Did anyone hear about the athlete that died on the luge? This is truly a disastrous games.
February 13th, 2010 at 4:38 am
@chip:
Send in the clowns. You’re the one with the drooling obsession with Krugman, because he was right about your hero, George W. Bush, from day one. Let’s let Dubya speak for himself:
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/.....-bush.html
And that’s all I’m going to say in response to yet another neocon post that can’t be bothered to cite sources. It took me less than a minute to find the above.
February 13th, 2010 at 5:32 am
#74 REALPAUL
We got the Manager to turn the channel.
EXPLAINS YOUR FRUSTRATION WITH EVERYTHING
February 13th, 2010 at 6:53 am
I didn’t watch the opening ceremonies…….nor will I ever watch one single minute of the tripe that is called the Olympics. I cannot wait for the next 15 days to be over……and the utter bullshit to cease.
You see…..I am dying to watch everyones faces when the waiter brings the final cheque………
If you think it is bad now…..I really feel sorry for Rio de Janeiro in 2016, if you think political corruption is bad in BC, you guys ain’t seen nothing yet.
February 13th, 2010 at 7:29 am
@Keith in Calgary:
I didn’t watch the ceremonies either, but I will watch some of the competitions. I hate the Olympics (I mean the current Fascist edition, not de Coubertin’s concept), which I think is the worst thing that has ever happened to sport, but I have a lot of respect and admiration for many of the competitors.
BTW does anyone remember the World Figure Skating Championships which were held in Vancouver in 2001? You could get an “A” all-event ticket (the entire competition, including the exhibition) for $600. What does that amount of coin get you at the big Owe, to see the same class of athletes?
February 13th, 2010 at 10:29 am
Hope that you guys are able to put aside your cynicism for at least a sec and experience what you can of Vancouver during the Olympics. Traffic is so light downtown right now, you wonder why people were ever concerned. I mentioned in a previous post that I was there for the Atlanta games in 96. I was not on the Organizing committee, but due to the nature of my job, I had a pass to pretty much everything except events. I thought it was the ultimate blow-off that I didn’t partake in any of it.
14 years later, as I look back, I gained absolutely nothing by doing so. My friends, on the other hand, have stories and first hand experiences to share and woo.
February 13th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Wow. Although I absolutely HATE the IOC and the money being redirected away from citizens, the graft, the corruption, the lies … while money is pouring into these games, education, health care and even sports are on the chopping block in this province. But I honestly thought that there were lots of cultural moments in the piece. As a piece of Canadian propaganda/mythology art on the world stage, I was more or less pleased by it.
So I’m no fan of the Olympics by any stretch …, but I thought the opening ceremonies were a fairly tasteful representation of Canadiana (if you buy into that nationalist stuff). As far as that stuff goes, it was a class act. They resisted the temptation to be too obnoxious, and I actually appreciated the youth component: local poet Shane Coyczan, punk fiddlers — tattooes and tattered clothes are a real representation of Canadian youth culture, whether you like it or not. KD Lang performed one of the best renditions of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah you are ever likely to hear. If it brings more people into Leonard Cohen’s music, or KD Lang’s we could do a hell of a lot worse as a nation, artistically. Better people are listening to that than Celine, who was thankfully absent.
Let the Flames begin!
February 13th, 2010 at 11:40 am
“.. tattooes and tattered clothes are a real representation of Canadian youth culture, whether you like it or not.”
———————————–
Part of it, at least. It doesn’t mean we have to be proud of it.
If you ask me, parading a coupe of mentally ill homeless, pushing shopping carts filled with pop cans (Coca Cola, of course) would have been a better representation of Vancouver.
February 13th, 2010 at 11:55 am
@97 “If you ask me, parading a coupe of mentally ill homeless, pushing shopping carts filled with pop cans (Coca Cola, of course) would have been a better representation of Vancouver”
Fair enough. But we then would also then have to include the Yaletown Narcissist for balance. For my money, I’d rather stick to Leonard Cohen and KD Lang. I see too much of those others already.
February 13th, 2010 at 11:55 am
@Different Now: RealPaul logged into 2 different computers to vote you down. haha…..I can’t imagine someone else voting your post down.
February 13th, 2010 at 11:58 am
@Keith in Calgary: haha…..what a fool. Go hide in the corner with Scullboy and RealPaul and weep at the Bitter House.
These people in the games trained their entire life and dedicated their passion for sports and you fools come out spewing garbage.
No matter how sad, sorry and bitter you are, you can’t ruin the millions who tuned in to celebrate the occasion.
February 13th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
#97 BC, spot on matey. Was this OC raggedy ass display an attempt to cover up the actual poverty crisis and make the international media think that Canadians like to dress in rags and busk for pennies? Oh I see, those aren’t desperate homeless people on the streets, they’re on the cutting edge of fashion, they’re fashionista’s !!! Thats not a crack stagger they’re doing at Main and Hastings, they’re having a ‘TAP OFF’. Bwahahahahahahahaha
So when we look at the poor now our thoughts are immediatley misdirected and isn’t that much more pleasent !!
And guys, I am hardly frustrated, I am awake and involved in these issues. Just because I don’t push a shopping cart for a living doesn’t mean I have no empathy with those that do.
The propaganda and brainwashing that has occured here in Vancshithouse within the absecence of an active media is nothing short of pathetic. Its amzing how many people here in Vancshitzone have accepted the media spin as thier own and live each day without a single thought in thier head except what has been placed there by the spinsters. Soupnut for one, not to mention the myriad others without a brain in thier pointy heads.
I see Global hasn’t replayed the GG’s jaw agape snore fest during the worst OC EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I guess to show how the majority of people viewed that shitfest kept the advertisers up late thinking of how they would spin it back towards the propaganda message and away from what it was , an absoulute embarrassment of shit.
February 13th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Realpaul, although I find your gratuitous cursing occasionally funny I occasionally agree with your views about things, I think you regularly overstate your case.
Of course, the show was pure propaganda for the corporate state. Misdirection and all the rest of it. But it was also a reasonable success as a cultural pastiche. Why can’t it be both things at once?
On its artistic merits, there were some lovely moments. Or did you not notice those through the fog of your cynical hubris?
February 13th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Realpaul, I think the OC would have been better if Vanoc had you in the show. You could sit on your rocking chair and complain about everything. I can’t think of anything more entertaining.
February 13th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
I knew sooner or later SupraLadyBoy’s obsession with me would surface. Of course she’s got a ton of Olympic tickets, she’s living in Daddy’s basement rent-free. I suppose she has to shell out for the Japanese schoolgirl outfits and Hello Kitty panties, but how muh can that possibly cost?
I can’t tell which show I enjoyed more: the Olympic ceremony, which I got to watch with my good friends, some excellent drinks, a little MST3K treatment and some bud, or the SupraLadyboy/Grampy Tinfoilhat bitch fest.
I find it pretty interesting that nobody so far identified the fiddler as Ashley MacIsaac. Silly tapdancing aside, the guy had tremendous potential. I used to go to school with his sister and occasionally he’d play for the school. I *hate* fiddle music normally but damn, when the guy was 14 (14!) he was a genius. There’s no other word for it. his music could make you cry.
Sadly, he went to NYC, played Carnegie Hall, got mixed up with the wrong crowd and made some stupid choices (all while under the age of 20) that wrecked his career.
It’s also a bit sad they didn’t include Natalie MacMaster in that number and dumped the tapdancing entirely…. they could have had a 5 minute ceilidh and properly represented the East Coast. And why tap dancing? They could have had stepdancers, which would have bene a lot more authentic.
Oh well. It’s that kind of thing that convinces me the secrets of the true “best place on earth” are safe from SupraLadyBoy and Grampy Tinfoil, and will remain safe.
The opera singer (whose name I can neither spell nor pronounce) is from New Brunswick. I friggin’ LOVED her. The only way she could have topped that performance is if she pulled a revolver out of her gown at the height of the Aria and shot Stephen Harper clean between the eyes, screamed “SEE YOU IN HELL BITCHES!” then thrown herself off the dias. *THAT* would have been opera!
All in all, the show was fun. There was enough material in there to keep one’s Canadian pride swelling, yet enough ridiculousness to fuel about a zillion jokes “Oh wow, I guess Vancouver can’t really get it up!” I really enjoyed the OC… from the other side of the country.
And best of all, I got up the next day and went to the Farmer’s market, which is a zillion times better then anything I’ve seen in Van. Seriously. Best of all, everything I purchased was grown or raised in good ol’ Nova Scotia, so I know the money I spent there stayed in the province. No way could you make that claim about…. say…. Granville.
I’m even thinking of setting up a booth myself. One of the downsides of live in Van is you need a LOT of money to go into business for yourself. Here, I’ve been cooking up a storm out of my own kitchen. I’m making tons of money both working in IT *AND* as a chef. I still can believe how much opportunity there is out here as opposed to Toronto or Vancouver.
So, carry on tearing each other to shreds Supra and Grampy. From here it looks a bit like a star crossed lover’s quarrel. One way or the other, the best way to enjoy the Van RE argument is from far, far away.
February 13th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
#102 &103 D/M and Soupstain of course. I guess you guys don’t know the facts. In order to print or broadcast and receive revenue from the IOC and VANOC all the local media whores, reporters,spokespersons etc and all down the line including corporate sponsors and companies who worked for and received any benefit from (this includes the phone co , the bus co, the translink wankers etc etc etc have been under CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION not to say anything negative or disparaging about the IOC, Vanco or any of its sponsors.
So, hows that for freedom of speech and expression being shot in the head. The Vancouver Sun fro example is under A CONTRACTUAL GAG ORDER not to say anything negative about the games , the particapants , the promoters or the sponsors representatives ET AL or they stand to lose any potential income from VANOC, the IOC and any sponsors who are affliliated with the games Inter Alia.
Let me say that again, the REVENUE STARVED LOCAL MEDIA IS BEING THREATENED BY THE IOC AND STANDS TO GET THE MONEY AND ACCESS CUT OFF IF THEY SAY ANYTHING THE IOC HASN”T SANCTIONED. This means that the local media has been muzzled an no longer reports the news instead it just runs advertising spots for the propagandists.
This is a good example of why I have said that people ignorant rather than just stoooooooooopid. Many are both but a majority of the population have not been able to hear any side of the story except for the propaganda sanctioned by the IOC and related despots.
People looking for information have had a hose stuck down thier throats and have been drowned in bullshit from the very beginning because of thier ignorance of how the media etc has been contracually banned from telling the truth.
I can tell from what you say that you are just regurgitating the spin that has been put out by the fuck ups at the IOC. Why, because you are both repeating the exact same speeches that have been droning out for months, almost word for word. These are not your own opinions at all you have let the vacant space in your heads be filled up with this nonsense. Essentially you have been brainwashed.
Hey, when I said the crappy OC had gone viral I meant viral as on the INTERNET not in the Vanshitzone Scum or Province. The entire world is saying the this whole display was less than mediocre it was plain painful to watch. Christ even the GG zoned out, who wouldn’t. Since I don’t rule the INTERNET (which I invented BTW) I have to assume that you small town douchebags are in the minority.
The fart-catchers at the IOC have tried to spin the story this AM in the SUN etc and local TV (I’m sure they were upo all night trying desperatley to design a fix)but what I saw in the Sun this morning does not match ANY of the International stories or media who have escaped the IOC drag net of enforced silence.
Look, you take a guy like SoupraBoi who only reads the papers that his parents have put down on the floor of the basement suite where Soupy holds court to soak up the pee and the ‘masturbation accidents’ and what kind of mentality do you expect to evolve from someone who only gets his POV from the local rags?
February 13th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
#104 S , An Ashley McKisaac fan, need we say more. Please stay as far away from civilization as possible and BTW yahooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo and Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhaaaaaaahhhhhhhh or whatever it is you clueless hillbillies scream when you’re all pissed up and letting your skirts fly.
February 13th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Public soon to have access to MLS: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Public soon have access/2549222/story.html
All the huffing and puffing by AgentWill and Chipman seems to be for naught.
February 13th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Public soon to have access to MLS
February 13th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
@105 “Why, because you are both repeating the exact same speeches that have been droning out for months, almost word for word. These are not your own opinions at all you have let the vacant space in your heads be filled up with this nonsense. Essentially you have been brainwashed.”
Actually, no. I just liked the show. And you are brainwashing yourself. Please show me where my opinions have been repeated in the press “word for word” – I love it when my obscure blog posts get taken up into the mainstream media!
Again, I repeat: I hate the IOC, and I hate the corporate state propaganda aspect to the show, I hate the censorship and the way money is being passed around. It stinks to high heaven, Ok?
BUT: I appreciate art when I see it in any form. If you would bother to read my posts carefully you might notice that. So there is a lot of shit that comes with the show. I agree. But there are still good reasons for liking the show.
Listen: I love Wagner’s music but hate his Nazi associations. If you think that’s an impossible position to maintain, then you have a lot to learn about art and life. If you call me Nazi next it will only prove that you can’t maintain a complex thought or formulate a measured opinion.
I suspect that your personal life is quite lonely. Go listen to some KD Laing. It might do you some good!
February 13th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
#70: “BREAKING NEWS: Rich foreigners are said to be mesmerized by the unique Vancouver lifestyle experience of skiing on dirt in the morning, and golfing in the rain after lunch.”
LMAO. Funniest post I’ve read in years.
February 13th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
The no housing bubble article has to be one of the most juvenile pieces of writing I have seen in years. Not sure if they are trying to be cute or sarcastic. Sadly I think the author was trying to be smart by suggesting that housing isn’t a problem just incomes.
yup lets all go out and buy housing in those third world countries where people make dollars a day. No matter what you pay it won’t be much, the only problem there is an income problem.
February 13th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Or in other words its not housing that is wrong, just the fundamentals. So the fundamentals better get their act together to match what housing is doing.
February 13th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
#109 M,, Thats KD ‘LANG’ she’s/he’s from Alberta not Hong Kong as per your spelling pal. You must have hit your head when your knee jerked into your face. Look, I’m no art critic but when something just shit, you have to call it shit or else you’re just a pathetic poseur. The OC was absolute crapola and the entire internet community is dumping all over it. You have to get out more.
Yes boo hoo, if you tell me I’m lonely again I may have a break down right here on the net like that loser did over Brittany Spears getting lambasted for what she entirely deserved. You’re not going to break down and start whing about ‘ how I should leave Vanoc aloneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee wwaaaaaahhhhhhhh, are you?
Sorry kid, not gonna happen.
If ‘you’ liked the show’ it means nothing. You know what they say “Theres no accounting for taste’. Hell you may end up in Newfie slopping the hogs and think ‘yer doin er right ‘ but it doesn’t mean you are.
You’re an apologist, have fun with that. Stay out of public venues though, some free thinking person with an independant personality might tear you a new asshole.
February 13th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Culmination of travesty, hippocracy and nonsense. Where are we going as a human kind, does everything have a price, motherfuckers?
Kumaritashvili error to blame for fatal luge accident
http://www.morethanthegames.co.....e-accident
February 13th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Hopefully the mans family will sue the IOC/VANOC and bankrupt them.
February 13th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Interview with David Dodge on CBC about mortgages, CMHC and the bubble question.
http://www.cbc.ca/thehouse/index.html
February 13th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
Let’s report Realpaul and Scullboy. I bet those two thugs are part of the protesters. All these people do is complain and shit disturb for fun.
“The demonstration involving a number of anarchists, some of whom dress all in black and employ a tactic called Black Bloc. This included a loosely organized group of thugs from Central Canada known to attach themselves to any cause, travel to any event that attracts media coverage and promote anarchy wherever they go,” said a statement issued by police.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/briti.....otest.html
February 13th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Easier access to the Multiple Listing Service could add new fuel to Canada’s overheated housing market, Scotia Economics said in a research note Thursday.
MLS ruling seen as stoking risk of ‘bubble’
Is saving the RE consumer some money, a bad thing…or am I reading this wrong?…RTP
February 13th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
@Supraboy: “…said a statement issued by police…”
It’s stunning how uneducated and dull people understand the an idea of being allowed to participate in the public forums and at the same time think that their posted garbage add value to the discussion.
Poor boy, have you ever, but ever heard of term “PROPAGANDA”? Perhaps if you knew about it, you would be somehow able to partially understand local RE market. Please go and get some basic knowledge and then come back and try to discuss topics here in a way that won’t always make you looking extremely stupid.
p.s Wikipedia might get you started on propaganda thing… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda
February 13th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
@113 “You’re an apologist, have fun with that. Stay out of public venues though, some free thinking person with an independant personality might tear you a new asshole.”
Wow. If I’m an apologist, at least I’m not threatening to beat anyone up over it. You’re just an asshole who wants to create more assholes because you hate yourself so much. Have fun with that.
Oh, and as long as we’re talking spelling, it’s independEnt not independAnt. Who’s textually challenged now, hm?
I’m outta here. This guy is not worth any more of my time.
February 13th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Why don’t some of you guys come watch a few friends of mine compete in the Paralympics next month? You might just find something worth cheering about.
February 14th, 2010 at 3:35 am
@other ted:
Which is the exact equivalent of saying back in 2000 that the problem wasn’t that the dot-com stocks were overpriced, but just that the companies weren’t making any money.
Never mind not connecting the dots, the writer has a few missing connections in his brain.
February 14th, 2010 at 4:02 am
Just returned from the “Irish House” behind Doolins on Granville. The band was told to shut down one set early for a second night in a row because of complaints from the NIMBYs living in the nearby condos.
Obviously no one mentioned to them that their massive capital gains of the past few years were due to the Olympics and that they should just deal with the inconvenience for two weeks.
February 14th, 2010 at 4:26 am
@ulsterman:
You don’t have a capital gain until you sell. That may sound like a nitpick, but it’s really the whole issue.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:14 am
@ulsterman:
I live on that street corner too, and the music is indeed loud (even with my windows closed), but I don’t mind it. In fact, I was disappointed they stopped. I happen to like the type of music they play.
By the way, yesterday was already toned down a fair bit. I could hear them play some Guns n Roses covers past midnight, but that was only based on the melody because I could barely hear vocals. Last week they played some Stone Temple Pilots and I could even hear the vocals pretty well. That shit was LOUD.
Those poor NIMBYs!
February 14th, 2010 at 10:39 am
#123 @ulsterman: “The band was told to shut down one set early for a second night in a row because of complaints from the NIMBYs living in the nearby condos.”
Do they not know what city they’re in !? This is a world class Olympic party venue!!! If they don’t like the noise they should just move to Windsor.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:48 am
I guess all those rich Aussie’s along with the Brits won’t be buying any condos here. One of numerous articles written about this crock of shit games so far.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com......5830254961
February 14th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Sorry folks, someone has stolen my name. Your real friend Boog Rennie here. Did I tell you that I was asked over Gretzky to light the broken cauldren but decline as I was too busy selling false creek condos to Joe Biden and other world digneteries. That’s right folks.
I have paid The Daily Telegraph to remove that badly written article and replace it with some real positive news about our blessed city, not this negative speculation. I expect to be selling condos to Aussies again very soon.
February 14th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Hey Miracle, don’t worry too much about Grampy. All the excitement has caused him to void his bowels in his pants…. again. He’s just angry because nobody’s cleaned him up.
Seriously Grampy, I love your posts. I really do. You’re so angry and unpleasant. It’s one thing to be upset about wasted money and the housing situation. It’s quite another to rail on pointlessly, and violently. Trust me dude, you just sound like a cranky ol’ loon.
The money’s spent, ya cranky old bastard. Try to find a reason to be happy in life. Plainly you aren’t. It makes you look really, really ugly.
And as for you SupraLadyBoy, I encourage you to call and report me. Just change out of the Sailor Moon outfit first. Of course since I’m on the East Coast and was in an office with several dozen witnesses at the time, they might slap you around a little for wasting their time.
Somehow I think a couple of dudes in uniform slapping you around is just a standard Sunday Afternoon.
February 14th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Ow! That was a brutal review by the London Daily Telegraph.
February 14th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Oops, the Sydney Daily Telegraph then. I’m still hung over from Irish House.
February 14th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
#129 An upset frycook gets ‘refugeed’ out of his home cause he can’t compete in the market and now he’s screaming about being a malcontent over people that have whupped his sorry hog sloppin keister. Oh Boo hoo loser. C’mon back now. You already admitted failure when you got your ass run out of town. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. This is a western issue , people in Newfie are there for a reason. You’re there because you can’t make it here. I guess my ‘oldness’ is just smarter than you, eh? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Cause I’m successful, don’t hate me Dude. Hate the game not the playa.
The Olympics are looking like an unmitigated failure (are U spell checking ’spell fairy miracle’) for the ‘own the podium’ louts. It looks like all those juicy jobs for local bureaucrats that sucked up the bulk of the funding has all gone into the toilet. Canada hasn’t qualified for a single event. There was one where a Canuck fell down and got ‘ruled’ on.
So, the spin is now all towards apologies and ‘the gold medal hockey game’ supposedly making it all right in the end’ Bwahahahahahahahahaah , a 7 billion dollar bet on hockey team that hasn’t played a single practice together? What a joke !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The spin is now all saying that we’ll ‘chase the business’ after the games. Apparently no Olympic city has Vancshitholes capacity ‘to follow up’ says Greggy Robertson. Meaning “we hope to keep spending your money on exotic travel well into the future’.
February 14th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Where the hell is No-Lympics when we need him??
February 14th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Did you see all those American atheletes on the phone during the opening ceremonies.
They could’t wait to call Dave and make offers on Condos. They recognize the need to buy now before they are priced out forever.
February 14th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
@Neighbour: I’m reporting you to the police, you’re probably another one of those troublemakers storming Robsons.
February 14th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
@scullboy: You don’t belong here. Why are you still spewing nonsense? I bet you’re pretending to be in Halifax. Wherever you are, you don’t seem to be happy. I hope the city of Halifax decides to run for an olympic games, send you packing up to some crap city up in the Yukon.
February 14th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
A new take on the old rent vs. buy argument?
February 14th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Boom/Bust in Vancouver!
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/abou.....+boom+bust
February 14th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Is there anything more amusing then tweaking a couple of idiot?
People in Newfie? Wow Grampy… I’m pretty sure Newfoundland wasn’t a province when you were going to school but you really should bust out an atlas. Did you go to Pangea high?
In a way you’re right Grampy. There wasn’t very much opportunity either in IT or to start a small business in Vangroovy. The taxes were too high and it’s really expensive to live in Van. I wasn’t at all happy with the quality of life relative to the money I was spending, so I left.
By all means you and your boyfriend Supra should keep displaying your appalling ignorance of the country you two lovebirds live in. I’m pretty sure I speak for the entire East Coast of Canada when I saw we’d really prefer you stay where you are. You two could spend time greasing each other up and whispering sweet MLS listings to each other.
People think Torontonians consider themselves the most important part of Canada, yet much of Vangroovy are just like ol’ Grampy and Supra; completely ignorant of anything east of the Rockies.
Life in other Canadian cities is just as awesome, and maybe even better then in Van. Personally I’m having a blast in Halifax, but I’ve spend a lot of years living in Toronto and Montreal too, and those cities have a lot to offer.
I think ol’ Grampy and Supra are very helpful in explaining the housing bubble. They really don’t get that it’s a big country with lots to offer everyone but somehow most of Vancouver really is better then the rest of the country.
Go on now Grampy… it’s time for Nurse Supra to clean up that nasty mess in your pant and get you some nice Tapioca. YOu can eat it while watching Matlock reruns if you promise to let Supra tuck you in at 10PM.
Supra, time to bust out the naughty nurse outfit…..
February 14th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
“It was touching to see the massive crowds come out to see Arnold carrying the torch today.
The same Arnold who declared war on BC’s film industry.”
Frankly, I’d gladly cheer on Arnie BECAUSE he declared war on BC’s film industry.
There are plenty of us in non-favored industries that don’t get massive tax breaks. I have yet to hear a coherent argument for why the film industry should be given massive handouts, but my industry should not.
February 14th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
@Yalie:
If the BC economy had not been massively warped by the government-sponsored RE bubble, secondary industry would have had a fighting chance to compete without subsidies.
February 14th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
#139 S, so getting the bums rush out of BC like a loser refugee and then raviing out of some hovel in Newfie isn’t embarrassing enough? You want to stay in touch with us so badly? Why’s that, no one wanted to recognize you when you were here? Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha . The busiest time this province has ever seen and you can’t get a job scrubbing toilets at McDonalds? How does one say ‘opportunities and newfie’ in the same sentence without laughing. having a ‘blast in newfie’ is probably akin to all the ‘burn outs and bush bandits’ that end up in Spuzzum and Prince George.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahah, I’m sure if I came to newfie I’d find you working as the ‘piccolo chiquino’ in a the can of some dump begging for tips and asking if you could flush the toilet for me.
Meanwhile back in reality, the apologists at VANOC are blaming the Aussies for ’stealing thier medals’
“It’s no secret Canada is hungry for gold. It started an $110 million program called Own the Podium, publicizing the drought to build excitement for the Winter Games and setting the bold goal of claiming the most medals here.
“We know it’s a seminal moment in the minds of many Canadians,” Rudge told reporters.
The home country was shut out at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary.
Canada had a chance to break through later Sunday at the men’s moguls competition with four skiers, including Alexandre Bilodeau of Montreal as one of the favorites.
But there was also the prospect of a particularly painful loss. Another favorite is Dale Begg-Smith, born in Vancouver but competing for Australia.
“We have four athletes in there,” Rudge said optimistically. “In a sense, we have five athletes. Unfortunately, one of them is wearing an Australian uniform.”
Who can fathom the idiocy that is building towards the denial campaign of the failing Olympics.
And yes, more howling denial can be expected from the losers and the malcontents from wherever. Be sure to check my spelling kids, like anyone gives a shit.
February 14th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
World opinion turns against ‘the ugly Canadian’.
What the local press has been spinning regarding behaviour of the Canadian olympic movement and what the international press is saying about the ugly behaviour of the ‘impolite’ Canadian in the now villified ‘own the podium’ snakepit are two completley different stories.
The international olympic movement says Canada has lied and cheated in a sleazy attempt to limit other atheletes access and that is why atheletes have been at risk and one has died. Legal proceedings have already begun against Canadaa , own the podium thugs and the Canadians are rushing to do a massive cover up. read on.
“Yet if these are issues for the lawyers somewhere down the line, more immediate questions may be asked by the Canadians of themselves, who, in pursuit of their own Olympic dream – 30 medals at least, with as many golds as possible – appear to have forgotten that national characteristic for which they are best known: politeness.
“Some say what defines us/is something as simple as please and thank you/and as for you’re welcome/well we say that too,” wrote Shane Kozycan in “We Are More”, a poem he delivered during the opening ceremony.
In normal times perhaps, but in the run-up to these games, the hosts – or at least the Canadian Olympic Committee – seemed to have mislaid their manners. “Own the podium,” it implored its athletes in an initiative aimed at ensuring the host nation finishes at the top of the medals table at these games. Money has been poured into training, while a hard-edged approach has been adopted in dealing with other teams, most noticeably in granting them only limited access to facilities such as the sliding track.
Such behaviour is within the Olympic rules, but it came across as distinctly un-Canadian at the time, and in the context of Friday’s death it seemed like a terrible misjudgment. Steven Holcomb of the US bobsleigh team said: “This track is one of the fastest and most difficult in the world, so I think keeping it closed and not letting people have access… made it very difficult. Then you have Olympic ice, which is even faster. Little mistakes become big mistakes, and big mistakes end in tragedy.”
Kumaritashvili was one of those who had relatively limited experience on the track. He spent a week there in November during training, according to reports, and had gone down the track 26 times in total. He had crashed once, as had the double Olympic champion, Armin Zöggeler of Italy.
“It would be speculation if I said the time period of practice was sufficient or was not,” said Georgia’s minister of sport Nikolos Rurua, before defending the luger against suggestions that he was inexperienced – or simply not good enough – to be competing at Olympic level. Rurua said: “He was a very progressive, strong athlete. It was his wish to compete at the Olympics, and he underwent a rigorous qualifying process. He was 44th in world rankings.”
Yet if the formalities of Olympic diplomacy required the minister to leave it at that, so sparing the feelings of the hosts, Holcomb felt no such compunction. “They limited the amount of access and training time we had on the track, while they let Canadians train on it as much as they wanted,” he said. “There were smaller nations that have never been down here before. It is kind of unfair and now it is a tragedy.” So much for the Olympic dream.”
The truth cannot be found in Canada but it can’t be hidden from the world. Canada is really getting a black eye because of the gross bullshit that has been perpetrated on the people. Anyone still in denial needs a slapping, not another dose of kool aid. Can’t handle the truth, then you better hide under the bed or run away to some far flung shithole, cause it ain’t gonna get any better.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/spor.....ritashvili
February 14th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
I just checked out that headline ….OUCH !!!! Makes me embarrrassed for all Canucks.
“Winter Olympics athletes blame hosts for death of Nodar Kumaritashvili”
February 14th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
And in the NY Times !!!
According to the British Olympic Association’s chief executive, Andy Hunt, the British skeleton sliders have had just 10% of the practice time on the stretch that the Canadian team has enjoyed. Similar complaints had been voiced by the Americans. “I think it shows a lack of sportsmanship,” Ron Rossi, the executive director of USA Luge, told the New York Times
February 14th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
The sleazy cover up is ‘uncovered’.
When the mourning phase is over, no doubt lawyers acting on behalf of the luger’s family will seek to find out why it was necessary to make alterations if the track had no role to play in his death. It will draw attention to complaints from other competitors about a facility that has stretched the boundaries of safety in what is already a dangerous sport. “We are not crash-test dummies,” an Australian competitor said on Thursday.”
There was a big team changing and boarding up the track from the top down and a big bundle of padding put on the posts where the luger had died. Its really scummy of the CDN Olympics guys to have done what they did to ,own the podium’. Winning by stepping on someone elses neck to cross the finish line is not what Canada has ever been about. But now with the cover up it is downright disgusting behaviour.
February 14th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....le1467045/
February 14th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
@kabloona:
“Where the hell is No-Lympics when we need him??”
I saw him in the crowd at women’s 3000 speed skating, he’s probably still fighting traffic to get home.
February 14th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
@Frank:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com…..le1467045/
Another reporter who cannot connect the dots.
Digital media? You mean like Creo? Well I guess Greg has to talk his best, but why would any tech company set up in Vancouver when it has the least affordable house prices in the Western world – twice those of leading US and Canadian tech centres such as Ottawa and Seattle?
And farther down:
Yeah right. Who is the author of this incisive reporting?
Say no more.
February 14th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I spent the day today, riding my bicyle downtown and checking out the tourists. I suspect this entire non-event may be the con of the century. What where those thousands of people milling about actually doing? You could spot the visitors from around the world; Americans walking around with food in at least one hand, Europeans looking bored and pissed off, Asians having difficulty walking in a straight line…….what a laugh.
And the DES. The annual native womens gathering at Main & Hastings ??celibrating?? missing women. I dunno, it sure didn’t look like a solemn event to me. Crusing through the back alleys, it is blatently obvious that the city has jumped through hoops to tidy the place up and keep the downtrodden corralled around Cordova and Main. This reminds me of that annual visit you are obligated to make to those slovenly relatives of yours. They always clean up prior to your arrival, but the grime is still apparent and nothing will completely dissipate the odor. You actually can go 12hrs without using the washroom and “no, it’s OK, I’ll drink my beer right out of the bottle.”
In all honesty, I have never seen SO many people in my life wandering around, going nowhere. I suspect everyone wasn’t lining up for 4hrs to get into the Art Gallery to see those 6 or so paintings in there. And Robson Street, completely closed and no one buying a thing. I doubt foreign visitors are going to buy overpriced crap that they could get for half price back home. Where would all these people be if it was raining today? By 3 in the afternoon the mini-bar would already be empty and they’d be planning the escape.
What a scam this city, this province and the feds perpetuated on the world. Wait until the visitors get a taste of the overpriced crappy food topped off with a dose of bed bugs. What we read in foreign media will be very interesting in a month or so.
February 14th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Dodge suggests Feds should cool house market
Canada should be bracing itself for the reality that house prices are more likely to go down than up in the next few years, says former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....le1468224/
February 14th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Stop the CHMC!
David Dodge is a smart (and, above all, honest) guys. This is what he has to say about the CHMC:
“……you’ve got to look at lending standards and the framework for mortgage insurance as very important tools of stabilization,” he said. “The terms and insurance over which mortgage insurance should be given over the next little while probably should be tighter, and probably should have been tighter over the past period.”
Mr. Dodge said he has never been comfortable with the idea that people can buy homes with down-payments of as little as five per cent. Whether increasing it to 7.5 per cent or 10 per cent, he would be supportive of raising the minimum payment.
He certainly makes A LOT MORE sense than Mark Carney or Jim Flaherty. What are these guys doing? What are they waiting for? I sincerely hope they will crucified for not taking action on time, and letting this bubble get out of control.
Abolish the CHMC!
February 14th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
One last post about the David Dodge article. This is what he had to say about the mission of the CHMC!
CMHC’s “actual mandate today, which is different from what it was back 20 or 30 years ago, is really just to get people into houses,” Mr. Dodge said. “And that’s always been something that bothers me, because it really doesn’t have a stability mandate.”
He suggested that it would be wise for Ottawa to officially give CMHC a mandate to watch over the health of the housing market.
This makes a lot of sense! It is exactly what we would need. I wish he was still in a position of influence, instead of these young yuppies who just want to ride the good times and let them roll as long as possible.
February 14th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Some links posted on Garth’s blog. I like these:
http://rabidoux.tumblr.com/
http://catharticranter.blogspot.com/
February 14th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
149 – patriotz – see, what you did there – actually read the author bio – was far deeper “reporting” than anything I’ve seen in the press for years. it’s really sad – i know some eager young journalism students, socially-active and activist in nature, and I fear they will be simply transformed into midless parrots if they are ever “lucky” enough to get a mainstream media job…
February 14th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
@Chilled:
I spent the day today, riding my bicyle downtown and checking out the tourists. I suspect this entire non-event may be the con of the century.
I also took a bike ride and probably went to similar places as you. Yeah, the Art Gallery line, was unmentionable. It almost took 10 minutes of standing. What a bunch of cheap a$$es getting in for taking advantage of the free entrance fee instead of paying the normal $18. There’s a couple of paintings inside, alright – a few rough sketches too – Original 500 year old sketches from Leonardo Da Vinci from the Queen’s collection that we were able to get within millimeters and see the details of his pen stroke, the texture and thickness of the paper, light construction lines, the edges of the paper that’s a bit deteriorated. Who cares? We’ve got digital cameras now.
Unfortunately, it was sunny in Vancouver – Too bad the visitors get to actually linger around outside instead of jump from one cover to the next. Too bad also that Canada won only one Gold medal today. So sad that the entire Yaletown including boats in the harbour almost blew up from excitement when it was won – what a bunch of losers with low standards, they had home team advantage and should’ve won at least a dozen Golds by now.
February 14th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Guardian: http://tiny.cc/BqpNW
“..the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Vancouver, where four giant penises rose slowly from the floor to stand proudly erect in the arena, presumably intended as symbols of a thrusting young nation… (sorry, but does that not look a bit like four huge todgers?)”
February 14th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
@domus:
“He suggested that it would be wise for Ottawa to officially give CMHC a mandate to watch over the health of the housing market.”
Abolish the CMHC entirely. Not only do they have a problem “watching over” the health of the housing market they are the cause of most of the problems in the housing market.
When they at least did housing inspections and stopped things like leaky condos from happening (they lost that mandate just before the leaky condo crisis of the ’80s) they had a purpose but now they’re taking taxpayer money and using it to fund a program that hurts taxpaying Canadians! How ludicrous is that!
February 14th, 2010 at 11:21 pm
@Drachen: I agree. It should be scrapped, it would benefit almost all buyers and equilibrium prices would settle at a lower level. However I am afraid politicians would not go for outright abolition: then, it seems reasonable to redirect its objectives and limit its distortionary effects on the housing market.
In summary the CHMC is the single biggest distortion of thr Canadian housing market, with effects particularly dire for Vancouver (where the share of low down-payment buyers is the highest).
Removing the distortions due to the CHMC would result in a more balanced, stable and affordable market.
February 14th, 2010 at 11:54 pm
I told you carpet baggers that the olympics would be a national disaster and the opening ceremonies have clearly demonstrated just what I meant. How could you possible fuck up the lighting of the olympic cauldron after 5 years of planning? How much money was spent on olympic security which was apparently non-existent during the “great ones” ride on the back of a pickup truck in the rain to the real cauldron? Which btw what kind of a bumpkin country has the final torch bearer ride on the back of a pickup truck? I won’t even talk about the hour long interpretive dance snooze fest.
February 15th, 2010 at 2:23 am
DON’T SNORE — ‘THE WALLS ARE AS THIN AS CURTAINS
http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/b.....tains.html
Disgruntled athletes and coaches staying at the Olympic Village in Vancouver have hit out at what they say is shoddy accommodation and a lack of basic comforts.
One of the complaints is that the walls of the rooms are so thin that the athletes are struggling to fall asleep – not a good time to have snorers nearby…
Ski jumping trainer Werner Schuster compared the Olympic Village with a boy scout camp. The 41-year-old said: “The living standard is very poor. Five, six people have to share a bathroom and the walls are as thin as curtains.”
Such Spartan living, all in the quest to win gold at the Olympics!
The size the accommodation has also been criticised. A particularly sore point is that there isn’t enough space for athletes to dry their clothes.
A German functionary said: “The Village is good for summer. But now in winter with this weather it’s a problem.
“The German team have especially bought heaters to dry their things which are always getting wet due to the relentless sleet.”
Hermann Weinbuch, Germany’s Nordic combined coach, also slammed the fact that athletes and support staff will have to live so far apart.
And having to eat with plastic cutlery off paper plates in the Olympic Village hasn’t gone down well with the 49-year-old either.
But despite the problems, most of the Olympic Village residents seem to have come to terms with the inconveniences.
Schuster added: “I think it is enriching for the athletes to experience this. There’s a different atmosphere in a four-star hotel because you have to adjust to the circumstances.”
February 15th, 2010 at 2:28 am
oo, oo, can i sigh up for an 800k condo there right now?
February 15th, 2010 at 3:39 am
@BeggarCity:
Entertaining, but one big clanger:
I have a hunch that his only exposure to Canadian aboriginals was at that ceremony. Or perhaps he visited some of our local reserves, which are about as relevant to Canada as a whole as the Beverly Hillbillies were to Appalachia (the locals are sitting on top of huge RE wealth). Just a short walk down to Hastings and Main would have given a taste of the reality for most of the rest.