The loss of neighbourhood events, festivals, and street parties is bad for artists, artisans, and audiences. But it's also a huge blow to local shops. Supporting arts, culture, and entertainment isn't feel-good altruism, it's good business. Time to get serious about supporting festivals and events

Some would argue that banning a certain age from using social media is regressive, overly-simplistic politics, and that big tech would rather see partial bans over actual changes to algorithmically driven platforms. I say think of all the good we could do if we banned people over 65 from Facebook

It's only a passing mention in the second paragraph, but artists are also pulling out of Canada simply because the economics of traveling here doesn't work without US stops. Anecdotally have heard from colleagues who have been unable to book non-North American artists.

“Wednesday Afternoon Brouhaha” doesn't have the same ring as “Saturday Night Massacre” does it.....

An underrated part of the discussion of how to fund Vancouver's Celebration of Light is that a generation ago, big businesses spent tons of money on local culture because it was an efficient form of advertising. And today, when everything can be targeted through online algorithms, they don't.

A few weeks ago, we put out an episode with @jmcelroy.bsky.social where we talked a lot about how the Rest of Canada tends to ignore or misunderstand BC. And the last few weeks of federal politics seem like a perfect encapsulation of that. hatchetmedia.substack.com/p/visions-of...

First we get the Rubber Duck Museum, then we get Hawaii

OneCity has its first mayoral candidate for their primary: William Azaroff, the CEO of Brightside Community Homes Foundation, and board member of The Tyee, VIFF, and a bunch of other community endeavours. His campaign video launch, here: www.instagram.com/reel/DRKifvH...

Watch the city cut arts funding and charge arts groups MORE for public space use.

The Worst Intersection in Vancouver winner (loser?) has been crowned 🏆👀

It's cool and awesome that this city has business leaders who suggest that small businesses are being sacrificed to the demonic powers of public transportation…

I'm losing the local theatre in our neighbourhood, and the ability to walk over and go watch a movie. It's one of the last single screens around and while I get that operating movie theatres is tough, it's hard not to treat this as a deeply cynical, profit motivated move

'Not currently viable': Vancouver theatre company announces hiatus, move from venue

I could give an amazing tour of spots people who work on the island go to eat our lunches to avoid the crowds

Thank you @uytaelee.bsky.social for talking about the importance of Granville Island, particularly for arts and culture (and for featuring some awesome shots of the Fringe 😉)

Y'all, we have to find better ways to invite people to our art @thewaroncars.bsky.social

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Not to bigfoot Maggie Haberman, here, but let me try and sketch this out a bit. The tldr will be: Trump *does* have a vision for what he wants out of this trade war, and I'm not sure we're fully anticipating it.

In today's edition of elections misinformation online: you should bring your own pen to vote because the government wants you to use a pencil so they erase your vote... FFS

Here is Ricochet Media's @ethancox.bsky.social dressing down Ezra Levant for disrupting the leaders debate "What I don't like Ezra is you preventing us from being able to ask questions on behalf of the public -- you created a circus here"

Or put another way "drivers who currently use roads for free, required to pay into system the same as TransLink users"....

So, just to recap, Trump's tariffs: -Were reciprocal for other nations' tariffs -Ok, were actually reciprocal for non-tariff barriers -Nevermind, they're about closing trade deficits -Aren't negotiable -Ok, ARE negotiable, but only for cash -nevermind back to 10% across-the-board

This is more important than you realize. Bluesky doesn’t downgrade links. Which means news sites will get more traffic from here than other sites. Which gives them economic reasons to post here first.

Spotted in the wild: The TGV M, aka the Avelia Horizon, at the Gare de l'Est in #Paris. This is the newest generation bullet train. Capable of 350 km/h, but uses 20 percent less electricity. Bi-level, so it can carry 740 passengers... 🚅🇫🇷🧵

Only just twigged who he is, cause he was writing out of the normal context in which I normally see him. Guy has unusual ideas about sprawl nationalpost.com/opinion/joel...

Should women have the vote? Tune in next week as Cross Country Checkup invites a bunch a men on the show to discuss.

I quit Substack. My newsletter is now here, please read it and subscribe. THANKS. www.leahreich.com/technology-i...

BTW, if you're into Buy Canadian remember that basically all mainstream print media in Canada... Isn't Choose @thetyee.ca @thenarwhal.ca hell, even @thebeaverton.com

More than 400 murals have been painted in connection with the Vancouver Mural Festival

I've been thinking about Arendt a lot recently, too. www.bugeyedandshameless.com/p/how-to-ign...

This same concept also applies to legislation like the Australian social media ban for minors. Accepting the notion that social media can only be inherently unhealthy, and thus regulated for minors, ignores the techgopoly's role in making platforms safer and better for everyone.

Oh what a surpriiiise I'm so shocked www.npr.org/2024/12/17/n...

I know the question of how we separate the art from the artist is a complicated one, but at least we can all agree on this one...

It's nice to see Bezos recognize the value of solidarity, just unfortunately it seems to be limited only to other billionaires

Thrilled to see this from the @thetyee.ca. I became a Tyee donor this year because I believe they do some of the best journalism in Vancouver, and I'm so excited to see much needed attention for a sector I care deeply about.

Glad to get an explanation for the giant WILLOW sign outside my window.

Chrome extension that gets rid of Google AI in searches: chromewebstore.google.com/detail/bye-b...

A last minute decision clearly motivated by thinly veiled politicking being followed up by *checks notes* even more thinly veiled politicking...