Monday, January 28, 2008

I know capitalism is evil and all, but I felt pretty excited when I recognised this reference to Adam Smith in Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America:


I was so excited in fact, that I marked it in pencil in the library book -- something I don't think I've ever done before -- so that other, less keen readers would know.

It would take a lot of hardwork and pain for me to acquire the math skills necessary to become an economist. Even so, I entertain a fancy of economics. It's a great way to enrich one's analysis of society; it truly is a social science.

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posted by Vanessa at 12:47 AM



I feel like a little boat
Trying hard to stay afloat.

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posted by Vanessa at 12:28 AM


Sunday, January 27, 2008

I couldn't help but feel a little bit like Chuck Palahniuk earlier today. My mom fell and hurt her left wrist so I took her to emergency to get it checked. Anticipating a lengthy wait, I brought my laptop and other materials I needed to work on a paper due tomorrow. Our worst suspicions were confirmed: its broken.

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posted by Vanessa at 3:57 PM


Thursday, January 17, 2008

As a public transit user I was very interested to hear more about the provincial government's new transit plan announced this week.

The major points of the plan are rapid bus lines (green), the Evergreen Line (#2), and the Millennium Line extension to UBC (#3).

I am in complete support of the Evergreen Line. I've traveled to the areas the it would service and the bus that it would replace is always full. People in that area take the bus and I think they deserve the Evergreen Line.

I am less keen on the extension to UBC. While I am not an economist (I've completed 100-level micro and macroeconomics courses), I am trying to figure out a cost-benefit analysis:

The 99B-line, which the extension would replace, is always full a peak hours. The experience is a bit like being herded into a cattle car. However, as it is an express bus it comes frequently so you never have to wait, and it only makes a few stops so you don't usually have to stand for too long. The trip from the university to Granville Street, where half the bus gets off to make connections, takes twenty minutes tops -- not too long to stand if necessary. I think it'd be rare where you would have to stand the whole way from the university to the last stop at Commercial Drive. The bus is always full because it is an efficient route and it works.

If a SkyTrain line were built, assuming it had the same number of stops West of Granville Street, I don't think the time saved would be that significant. To the end to Commercial Drive the trip is 40 minutes by bus, so SkyTrain would likely cut the trip time in half. However, this particular project is not the most pressing transit need. Moreover, if the motivation for this project is the inability to find a seat on the bus, I would definitely consider it unnecessary. It is my understanding that once the Canada Line is completed the 98B-line will be cancelled. These are the same types of buses as the 99B-line so they could just add buses. Although as Darren Peets argues, it is true that "for the 99 route, we’re going to get to a point when we just can’t add any more buses to Broadway."

My final point of resistance to the project would be a repeat of Cambie Street, as Stephen Rees explains. I would hope that businesses and residents of West Broadway oppose this expansion vociferously. I would hate to see my favourite coffee nook close down; it was closed for a long time after an oven fire last winter so I don't think it could survive the effects of SkyTrain construction.

The one real merit of the UBC extension would be the environmental benefits. As SkyTrain is electric, it is cleaner than buses. However, buses are greener than cars.

Finally, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who noticed that the transit plan ends the need for immediate highway expansion. Besides, didn't Mike Harcourt advise the Minister of Transportation to provide citizens who would otherwise use this new highway with viable transportation options first? Can unnecessary, irreversible highway expansion be stopped?

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posted by Vanessa at 10:06 PM


Monday, January 07, 2008

I went to bed early last night. I was pretty tired from the day's events. About half an hour after I'd been sleeping my cell phone rang. However, because I was sleeping I didn't really want to talk to anyone so I let it go to voicemail.

I checked the message this morning, and I was absolutely shocked:

Hey sweetie it’s Anna. I’m actually just calling because you know I realise it’s a new term starting and the new year and I just really started to realise all the people I’ve basically just sort of forgotten about and been really bad about not talking to or getting in contact with or hanging out with and you were top of the list. So just give me a call, give me a call back. I want to figure out what your schedule is. I definitely just want to meet up with you and we’ll go for coffee or something and see how things are. So yeah, give me a call sometime. Bye.
It sounded really heartfelt. I was really broken up about our friendship falling apart. We were best friends in high school despite going to different schools. When I started first year university, she took a year off to work in England. I got a job and saved up to fly out to see her. Though we hadn't been able to talk often, when I got to England it was like nothing had changed. It was an amazing trip. When she came back in August we spent a lot of time together again. Shortly after we had a fight. Things were smoothed over, and I saw her a couple times at the start of the academic year, but ultimately we grew apart. I know that things like this happen, but I was pretty torn up nevertheless. Eventually I gave up trying to connect with her because it was too draining. I figured if she came around, I'd still be here willing to have her back.

Last night's call was totally unexpected. I really hope we can go for coffee and try and pick up where we left off, or simply just begin again. What a nice new year's surprise.

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posted by Vanessa at 7:51 PM


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