The Best Place on Earth!

The license plate issued by our province says it; British Columbia is The Best Place on Earth! The rest of the world, suck it! Sure, the title is self-granted, but we are so CONFIDENT of the superiority of what we have got here that we don't need to ask for your opinion!

It doesn't matter where you live, Hawaii, Japan, Finland, where ever. What we have here in BC and Vancouver is so much better than what ANY OF YOU anywhere else have got. You can only fight where does the title of "the second best place" go!

They only cure to the jealousy is that one day you may have chance to move and live Here. If you make $200000 a year, you are welcome to make yourself comfortable here. If you make >$500000 a year, you are even more than welcome! If you make less than $100000 a year, you are welcome too, since we will need lots of low-paid workforce to be servants for the rest of us!

More information:
http://www.gov.bc.ca/keyinitiatives/ubcm_brochures.html
http://www.icbc.com/registration/reg_spec_lic_plates_opp.asp

"Everybody wants to live here": the beach

On a sunny summer day, what would be more refreshing than to head out to the beach. During summer 2008 in Vancouver, you can probably do it. There might be quite a few people there, but still it is likely there will be plenty of room:


Once the dream of having everyone to move here has started to come true, by 2012 the beach will be more like this;


And, by 2025 it will be like this:


If you decide to head out there, you better prepared to remain stand up, since there may not be enough room for you to lay down. Of course, you can try to arrive before everyone else, around 7am to find a spot. Then you just have to hope that not too many people arriving after you will step on you.

So, let's keep selling Vancouver and BC to the world to make sure this dream comes true!

Pedestrians pollute the city!

You might think that choosing walking over driving is "green" and does not create any pollution, but think again. Of course, pedestrians do not cause any emissions directly, but indirectly they cause massive amounts of pollution.

This happens thousands of times every day in the city; a pedestrian presses the button on pedestrian controlled traffic light, the light turns red for cars, and dozens of them will have to suddenly stop to let the lone pedestrian cross. In case there is no traffic light, only crosswalk, cars are again expected to stop even if it only appears like the pedestrian is about to cross the street!

Why on earth is it so that cars do have to yield to pedestrians? Environmentally it does not make any sense. If car weights 1000kg and moves at 50km/h (typical speed on a good day) and pedestrian weights 70kg and moves at a walking speed, which one will waste more energy, if the pedestrian had to stop or the vehicle?

To save the environment, the legislation must absolutely changed so that pedestrians will have to yield to vehicles. This will reduce gas consumption dramatically, since cars will not have to stop constantly to let single pedestrians to cross the street. An additional 10c/litre gas tax could be applied, and still overall gas expenses would be less. This additional tax revenue could be used for public transit, so that even those who do not own or use a private car would benefit!

By this little change in the rules, everyone will win, even the pedestrians. With this change, the world will become a much greener place for everyone!