Our Travel Editor thinks AI is short for All-Inclusive and is puzzled everyone is saying it will take over the world. Mums the word.

Reminder that ferry reservations are not transferable either.

Well, we can no longer get into our inactive Twitter account. Apparently we’ve been locked out due to lack of use. To celebrate, here’s a ♻️ joke from that account. Did you see the big new pothole on Beach Drive? It’s got its own gift shop.

Stylin’!!

Developers applying for permits in Oak Bay are being stymied by this genius hack. Rottweiler city planners.

Yesterday our food editor went to that new 24-hour breakfast place. But she got bored after 12 hours.

National News: New 2026 truth-in-labelling laws requiring Kellogg’s to change name of Pop Tarts to ‘Frosted Levelling Shims.”

Here at the Gazette we’ve been told that we’re oblivious. We haven’t noticed.

Just remember, if you don’t like the things that we print in the Gazette, you can always talk to our Ombudsperson*. *Cat

Gazette Weather Alert: The combination of a low pressure system, and strong winds, and the earth at its perihelion with the sun is going to give us some serious tides over the next couple of days.

Happy Perihelion Day!

New year, new delays.

Now this is interesting. Look at the legalese that’s been added at the end of Jeopardy! “No part of this work may be used or reproduced for the purpose of training any Artificial Intelligence technologies or systems.”

Let’s make 2026 a year of improvement. For example the Municipality of Oak Bay has resolved to not write ‘2025’ on development permit rejections.

Anesthesiologist New Years Countdown 10…..9…..8…..7…..Zzz…..Zzz

Here at the Gazette we’re resolving to make 2026 the year we have fewer speling mistakes in our newspaper.

Enter our 2026 $1,000 New Years Giveaway. Just reply to this post with your full name, address, email, phone number, mother’s maiden name, name of your first pet and the make and model of your first car.

We're going to one in Oak Bay this afternoon. Over by 5 pm. #partytown

In Oak Bay, most New Year’s Eve parties are over by 9:30. 🎉🎈🎊🍾

So many people are saying their New Year’s Resolution is to stop reading the news. Boy, are we glad people never keep their resolutions.

Gazette Laundry Factoid: Is your dryer not getting clothes completely dry? If you look on the inside of the drum by the lint filter there are two metal strips. These are the moisture sensors and dryer sheet residue will gunk them up. Try cleaning them with vinegar or rubbing alcohol on a cloth.

In 2026 our publisher is resolving to lose every pound of weight.

For 2026 we’re going to start buying our lottery tickets at a luckier store.

For 2026 we resolve to spend more of our time on this small, social media microblogging website. It’s our way of making a difference.

One of our New Year’s Resolutions is to never make the same mistake twice…We’re going to make it three or four times just to be sure.

And the NIMBY Award goes to: The 10 year saga of Large & Co’s planned 14 unit project on Oak Bay Ave which would replace two run down houses. The plan met the OCP, was approved by staff, but rejected by council. After provincial pressure it was approved but is still at the ‘building permit’ stage.

We’re putting together this year’s nominees for our annual NIMBY Awards. Talk about an embarrassment of riches.

Gazette Factoid: In the mid-1500s, the Venetian government published handwritten news sheets called avvisi (notices). These sheets typically cost one gazzetta. And that’s where the name comes from.

Reminder that reindeer are considered livestock for the purpose of ferrys transportation. www.bcferries.com/travel-board...

I hope the OneBC Christmas staff party went ok this year. #bcpoli

We just want to say thank you. 🎉🎁

Just don’t bring up the divorce settlement.

#currentconditions: 6.02×10^23 sailing waits.

We’ve figured out the perfect music to play when you’re speeding down Beach Drive. youtu.be/D5-bD372v5s?...

Our publisher just told the printing foreman there’s a lot of evidence he’s not taking his work seriously. So from now on he’s going to try harder….to hide that evidence.

BC Ferries posts without context (none needed, really.)

Does anyone have a spare $16,000? Request has no connection to the picture.

Gazette Factoid: Today is the Solstice. The word comes from the Latin “Sol Stitium” or ‘sun stands still’. Which explains why December 22nd has four seconds more sunlight than today.

Sunday’s deep dive article was supposed to be an in-depth look at cyberterrorists. But our hard-of-hearing reporter just gave us 5,000 words on the fiberterrorists who force people to take their Metamucil.

Gazette Factoid: The most popular singles dating app in Oak Bay is NIMBYLOVE.com

R linotyp oprtr splled hz peps on he keybrd. Te evng pper migt hv sum tipos

The wind is like a person who thinks everything is a door. - Kay Ryan

Remember when we watched those dystopian future movies except now it’s the news.

Gazette Factoid: When extreme rainfall overwhelms the land's ability to absorb it and the water just sits on top of the saturated soil, it’s known as Pluvial Flooding.

People generally want to live in a community that’s dynamic, welcoming, enthusiastic, and has a vision for the future. Not us.

100 km/h wind? Of course, there’s a rainfall warning also.

The wind writes letters on the dust, and the smoke moves away in a curve. The flag on the roof snaps and flaps on a tall pole. A leaf comes along and runs after the flag. The wind has a hundred arms and never gives up. - Carl Sandburg

Gazette Tip: There’s a break in the weather so get out and exercise. There are beautiful places to hike or cycle in Oak Bay and it’s a great way to meet people. Paramedics, mainly.

The joy of buying a single family house in Oak Bay is enhanced by the knowledge that while there are 74,635 single family homes in the Capital Regional District, only 4,915 of them are in Oak Bay. It’s our little club.

Well, so much for the drought.