rants and observations

Here’s the latest boneheaded parking job I’ve spotted at Suter Brook. This person ‘parked’ their car in this spot for about 15 minutes which begs the question is “Why is there an inordinate amount of morons parking their cars at Suter Brook”? It looks like the driver only learned the first part of parallel parking and didn’t actually take the time to follow through with a complete parking job. I’m hoping that anyone that actually leaves their car like this for more than 30 seconds is automatically damned to eternal hell (or at least given a ticket).

~ click the picture above to view full size, click again to close ~

Today’s paper contains the story of Anthony Wayne, a local beach bum that’s complaining about being ‘hassled’ by the Greater Vancouver Regional District. The GVRD has filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court seeking several orders against Wayne including claims that he sells pot and booze to beach-goers and harms the environment. This wanker is quoted as saying “I’m a dropout. I’m on social assistance and I’m an admitted [marijuana] smoker” which says nothing of his decade in prison for robbing three banks in three months. Mr. Wayne is insisting he have free access to Wreck Beach to sell pot and booze although he denies the allegations of his entrepreneurial endeavors. We’re to believe this guy just wants to hit the beach and let it all hang out? Not likely.

He has spent at least part of every day of the last 15 years at the beach and spends most of that time in his ‘condo’ – a small clearing on the hillside. He lived on the beach full time for six months in the 1970′s after suffering a nervous breakdown then moved to the Cobalt Hotel. After becoming “sick and tired of being sick and tired” he left the downtown eastside and returned to the beach, bought a camping stove and brought his groceries to his new home. He now works for a catering company (would you want this clown preparing or serving your meal?) and has a residence away from the beach although he still considers his little niche in the hillside his true home.

So we, the hard working public that probably pays most of Mr. Wayne’s day-to-day living expenses are supposed to allow him free reign to sell pot and booze on a public beach? Wreck beach is a lovely stretch of sand and surf, well maintained and a nice place to spend the day (as long as you’re not squeamish about nudity of course) but if they continue letting these morons roam the beach it’s probably off limits to the majority of Greater Vancouverites. I encourage the GVRD to punt his useless, naked behind as far from the beach as possible.

Today’s death of Michael Jackson, though sad and, in a lot of ways tragic, leaves me with mixed feelings. Although I’ve been disgusted with Mr. Jackson’s behaviour over the last decade or so, his talent and innovation were undeniable. I clearly remember his performance on the Motown 25 TV special in 1983 and how impressed I was even though I didn’t listen to mainstream pop music or enjoy Motown TV specials. The last time I had seen him he was still lashed to the Jackson 5 and fast becoming a has-been so this was a remarkable ressurection and completely unexpected. But as the years passed and his star dimmed with bizarre behaviour and various legal problems I was suprised that I felt anything at all when I heard of his death this afternoon. Michael Jackson had transcended typical celebrity and fame to become part of our lives whether we liked it or not and his passing will no doubt have a variety of effects depending on age and musical tastes. He was, for a period, an absolute musical power and eclipsed and inspired the careers of many pop artists of his time and in the future. I admit that I never purchased his ‘Thriller’ album or any other of his recordings but his music was ubiquitous whether we liked it or not. He invented the present music video and contributed to a dance, music production, marketing and other aspects of the business but was obviously haunted by a variety of demons. He became eccentric (a word we use for famous and wealthy people that are completely nuts) and destroyed his reputation and legacy although a vast contingent still adored and idolized him no matter what stupidity he became immersed in.
I won’t miss Michael Jackson the pederast and drug addict but rather his contributions to my life when he was at the top of his game. His music reminds me of my life in Victoria, my girlfriend at the time (who would succumb to MS in 2000), my job, my fellow employees, youth and all the joys and pitfalls of my 20′s. His music was present at parties, nightclubs, on radios, in elevators and and as a result became part of the soundtrack of my life during the early and mid eighties. So it’s not Michael Jackson the human being or ‘king of pop’ celebrity trainwreck that I’ll miss but his music that attached itself to specific moments of my life. I have no doubt that many, many other people will feel the same way when they hear of his death.

And to the crane truck driver that forgot to lower the boom before driving under the Moody Street overpass, nicely done ya schmoe! There’s a large number of commuters and residents that would like to know exactly where you learned to drive and if you’ve ever driven a crane truck before.
This picture was taken on my camera phone from across the tracks in the WestCoast Express parking lot as I was trying to figure out how to get across to my spouse waiting in the Rocky Point Park parking lot. Not a great shot but you can make out the white truck cab and the boom resting against the overpass.