Vegas at last

I've arrived. Yet another weekend trip away.

Hopefully I'll spend this weekend doing some photo essay and social commentary, like DiAnne over at Silenced Majority.

For now, I'm too tired. Time to go to bed.

Torture: the official policy of the United States of America

It seems headed that way, with rubber-stamp Congress approving a new torture bill for W, to override recent court rulings - and the US Constitution.

Outrage is an understatement.

Again, the Democrats are simply rolling over dead, and not putting up a coherent, unified opposition. I will do my part to make them pay for this, by voting against Dianne Feinstein come November. Feinstein gave me a muddled answer to my inquiry on this matter (and has supported W's war anyway), and I am not happy with her at all.

Democracy Cell Project discussion

Vegas, baby!

It's been only three short weeks out of Vancouver.

But between a work project that is spiraling out of control (thanks, subcontractors!) and more stress at home, it's time to get away again.

Fortunately, Vegas awaits me this weekend. I am extending my stay to two nights, partly to avoid construction work on the I-15 near San Bernardino, but most importantly to make the most of the weekend. Although I am using the Las Vegas stop of Mariah Carey's "Adventures of Mimi" tour as an excuse to get out there, I am planning on a lot more.

Vegas will be unusually hot, but I hope it won't wrinkle my style. And speaking of style, it'll be casual all the way - I am going without my miniskirt suits. (I did pack a mini, but it's a casual khaki.)

As long as I don't do too badly at the blackjack tables, I will be happy.

Latino defection from GOP

Latinos are a socially conservative lot. Thanks to them, Los Angeles is decidedly more anti-choice and anti-gay than San Francisco, for example. And more Republican - thanks to W's wooing of the Latino vote. I saw plenty of "VIVA BUSH" bumper stickers in 2004, and still see them today.

That may be changing, however, thanks to the Republican immigration legislations which have incensed the community. Loyal Republicans in the Latino community feel betrayed, and are going independent or Democratic. This is exactly what happened a decade ago here in California, when then-governor Pete Wilson turned xenophobia into a potent weapon to get himself re-elected. What was, until then, a solidly red state (one that gave Reagan and Nixon to the nation), suddenly turned blue, and stayed that way, until W started wooing the Latinos on cultural issues.

That hard-won Republican victory in the Latino community may be getting lost again, not only in California but nationwide, since the immigration debate in the party is being dominated by the xenophobes who speak of Latinos as criminals, disease carriers, or even worse. Colorado's Congressman Tim Tancredo is running for the presidency on blocking further Latino immigration alone. If this keeps up, and Latinos feel let down by both the W wing and the Tancredo wing of the Republican Party, then the Republicans will lose their control of national politics the way they lost California politics a decade ago.

Democrats and progressives should not rejoice, however. Latinos have continued to vote for socially conservative legislations, like the teen abortion ban and the gay marriage ban, in California, even as they voted for Democratic initiatives otherwise. A get-out-the-vote campaign, and an attempt to re-educate the Latino community on social issues, are still sorely needed. And these campaigns need to be packaged in ways that resonate with the average Latino voter (family values context), not just with clueless white liberals.

I also want to see how this debate extends to other conservative ethnic communities, such as the Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese communities (the latter two being solid Republican blocs). However, just as the Cuban community is being pampered by the Republicans on just about every issue - illegal immigration is a non-issue for them since they have automatic asylum - the same may apply to the Korean community, at least (thank you, Reverend Moon, John Yoo, and Michelle Park Steele). However, the Republicans must remember that they pamper the vocal Cuban minority at the expense of the rest of the Latino community, and the Korean community at the expense of the rest of the Asian community.

MSNBC/National Journal

Two LGBT-related items

I've been meaning to post these for days, but they were rotting in my inbox, in the form of an email message from National Lesbian and Gay Task Force, until now.

Ethnic homophobia is a severe problem for me, especially the machismo kind coming from the Latino communities. I was pleased to know that the National Congreso Latino, during its meeting earlier this month in Los Angeles, overwhelmingly passed a resolution committing itself to LGBT rights. Although the cultural prejudices remain overwhelming and oppressive, this is a step in the right direction for the Latino community.

Meanwhile, the Governator decided that LGBT-positive school curriculum did not belong in California's schools. It was a measure pushed by openly lesbian Sheila Kuehl of Santa Monica, watered down to appease moderates, but was virulently opposed by two Republicans, Dennis Mountjoy (of Monrovia - my former Assemblyman) and Bob Huff (of Diamond Bar - my current Assemblyman). I am reminded that even within the so-called blue Los Angeles County, there are large swaths of red and hate - and that contrary to liberal fantasies, the large influx of immigrants are NOT turning the places blue at all (both Mountjoy and Huff represent large numbers of upper-class Asian immigrants).

Nickname dropped

ABC has gone ahead and aired its propaganda piece tonight. Tomorrow, it will continue to air - and will be interrupted by a special speech from W himself.

And in two weeks, Calista Flockhart will star on another ABC show as a right-wing talk show host.

No words can describe how incensed I am. I am dropping my long-used nickname, Ally McLesbian, as a protest against ABC/Disney, Calista Flockhart, and Fox. A variation of the nickname, Ally McRepuke, will continue to be used as a form of displeasure, but it will have to go eventually too.

I am also dropping Calista Flockhart from my favorite links section as well.

Dictators of the past, including Stalin, have repeatedly said that those who control the information control the truth. And I am very well reminded of it tonight; the reactionary Disney version of 9/11 will now stand as the truth, in the Orwellian world of W.

Disney's Propaganda

ABC, owned by the Disney Company, is planning to air a "documentary" on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, based on the "findings of the 9/11 Commission."

Problem is, the contents are all about smearing the Clinton administration, and praising the W response. The contents differ so much from the findings of the Commission that to call it based on them would be an outright lie.

This is the most blatant partisan meddling by the media in American history. Progressives and others are up in arms over the programming, which has since been renamed a "docudrama" then simply "drama" with disclaimers. Yet it is still misleading enough that it should never be aired at all. ABC may have its free speech rights, but its broadcast license is contingent on responsible content.

I am also reminded that Walt Disney was your typical rabid reactionary Southern California Republican. His main financier, Bank of America, is another rabidly Republican company. I am utterly fed up with the reactionary politics, cultures, and religions of this so-called blue state that is, in real life, bleeding red.

If this travesty airs, I will cancel my cable TV service, and throw away my Samsung. And I will also be taking down Calista Flockhart posters, over her role (as a Republican talk show host, at that) in Brothers and Sisters, which is on ABC.

Think Progress

Wrapping It Up in Vancouver

Here I am, at the Stanley Park Totem Poles.

The rest last night certainly helped. And I finished up my weekend in grand style.

Running low on Canadian dollars, I first headed back to Robson Street, in hopes of finding a currency exchange and a breakfast. No luck on breakfast (I ended up at a nearby McDonald's), but I did run into a very cheap currency exchange near Burrard Street, where $100 US bought me a whopping $109.25. That gave me enough money for today, as well as the taxi fare and airport fee tomorrow as I return home. Getting the Stanley Park bus was a bit tricky though, due to blocked streets all over downtown and a long wait.

Most of the day was spent at Stanley Park, primarily at the Vancouver Aquarium. It was a smallish facility, but was still full of great exhibits, including the beluga whale, one of Canada's symbols. It was definitely worth the $18.50 admission, which, unlike at other places, was inclusive of GST (federal sales tax) - at most other places, the 7% GST is extra. After hanging out with the otters and the dolphins (the dolphins were local celebrities, by the way), and exploring the Amazon exhibits, I moved on to the shuttle bus service, which circled the park and allowed me to get great vistas in all directions.

After another long wait for the bus back to downtown, I moved on to Granville Island, a formerly industrial district re-developed into a shopping area in the early 1980s by the federal government. It had great shops, including grocery markets, toy stores, specialty stores, restaurants, and lots more. On a good day, I could spend a whole day here; but with limited budget, I spent just two hours (plus $3 for a strawberry sorbet), and moved on.

A bus ride through the seedy East Hastings Street, complete with its homeless, drug addicts, and residential hotels, brought me to Commercial Drive. The lively sections began a few blocks to the south, where true to its reputation as a lesbian enclave, I could find lots of vegan restaurants, community services, boutiques, and more. Not much in the way of nightlife though; after all, this was a women's (not men's) community. It didn't prevent straight couples and even Jamaican homophobes from strolling the streets - and in the case of the Jamaicans, throwing insults at me from their restaurants. Even the Canadian tolerant atmosphere can't stop the notorious Jamaican homophobia.

Just as I was trying to turn back north into the lesbian section for a dinner, I spotted SkyTrain. Not quite hungry, I decided to head back to Burnaby and dine at the Metrotown. Arriving at the Metropolis mall at 5:20, I managed to do a bit of window-shopping in hopes of finding an extra item of clothing (or preferably, hosiery) to take home. No luck, and by 6, everything was closing up. TGI Friday remained open until 8:30 though, so I went there for dinner - even though my feet were hurting again. Fortunately, wearing only my walking shoes and no socks, I had plenty of wiggling room in my shoes, so my feet had held up very well - until the lack of cushioning got to me.

So it's all over. Three days of my first date with what may be my future home. Vancouver is not perfect - the rain will get to me eventually, plus I got to see the uglier sections today - but it definitely is a great place to visit, and most likely, to live in. As I saw the hordes of American-registered vehicles at Stanley Park today (some from as far as Texas), I vowed to return soon, with my own car, as part of my lengthy Canadian road trip that will also include the Canadian Rockies, Calgary, and maybe Edmonton (not to mention US sights on the way and back, such as Portland, Seattle, Glacier National Park, and Grand Tetons).

I can now only hope for a smooth flight back to Los Angeles tomorrow, and a good workday.

Two of the four beluga whales at Vancouver Aquarium.
Belugas live in the Arctic.

False Inlet, as seen from Granville Island. The rainbow-colored Aquabus carries passengers to downtown Vancouver.

Exhausted!

Just woke up from a long sleep, after going to bed rather early.

The heat in Vancouver really did me in yesterday, as I explored sights on the North Shore - Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. Thanks to the exchange rate, both turned out to be poor values, though they still were worth a visit. I was able to cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge and take in the rainforest, as the park employees served visitors in late 1880s-era costumes. Over at Grouse Mountain, not even a bit of the napping at the lodge helped, as I had to sit in the sun for two shows - one featuring lumberjacks, and one featuring birds of prey. And my feet still hurt from the previous day, even though I had my most comfortable walking shoes and athletic socks.

Regarding Canadian currency: it's really expensive right now, at parity to the US dollar and with higher price tags, but using it is second nature. The coins, from pennies through quarters, are of the same size and material compared to their US counterparts. (In fact, at the hotel restaurant last night, I was given change in a mix of Canadian and US coins - had to look to tell them apart.) $1 and $2 are in coins, $1 being called "loonie" (after the duck on it) and the bimetal $2 "toonie." Bills are clearly color-coded and look much like Euro banknotes. $5 is blue, $10 is violet, $20 is green, and $50 is red. And most importantly, it's good not having to see "In [mean, judgmental patriarchal] God We Trust" on every coin and bill.

As I walk around Vancouver, I see a very good mix of people of different backgrounds. Granted, the roots of the modern city lie with the English, and there are plenty of fair-skinned, blue-eyed people here, looking better than their London counterparts. However, there also are lots of Asians - both East Asians and South Asians. Canada's liberal and FAIR immigration policy, one that picks immigrants based on their ability to contribute to Canadian society as a whole (as opposed to a specific political cause, as is the case in the US) results in a polyglot of faces and languages. There also are many Europeans here. I hear just about every major Western European and East Asian language on the streets every day. As I was returning from Grouse Mountain yesterday, the bus driver was practicing Spanish with some passengers!

Back here in suburban Burnaby, I noticed that my Hilton hotel is connected to a Chinese mall. The Chinese - and their money - are everywhere here, especially down in Richmond near the airport. There is also enough Korean traffic here at the hotel, to warrant putting up emergency instructions in Korean. I've heard that affluent Asians, particularly those fleeing Hong Kong, settled in the Vancouver area in droves. And it seems that Canada, with its higher standard of living, is attracting more wealthy immigrants - especially ones who could start new businesses in Canada and create jobs - than the US, where low taxes and a potential for quick money attract desperate unskilled workers, often illegally. And no matter how many come here, the basic value of tolerance is staying put here in British Columbia, a province that legalized gay marriage on its own before the rest of Canada followed; compare this to the US, where immigrants are being actively pitted against the gay community.

I wonder if and how I can fit into the picture here in Vancouver. With every SkyTrain ad for an immigration attorney service (as well as ads for condos under $200K), I keep wondering. After all, I am fed up with my inability to get healthcare in the US, at any price.

Getting Acquainted with Vancouver

It was a great, if a bit warm, day. An unusual heat wave is affecting Vancouver at this time, and temperatures are above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, when they should be struggling to hit 70. (Of course, here in Canada, everyone uses Celsius, so I'm just converting.)

After a sleepless night, my day began with a longer-than-expected walk to the SkyTrain station, where I took the train to the last stop at Waterfront. I immediately climbed the Vancouver Lookout to get my bearings, locating such landmarks as Stanley Park, Canada Place, Grouse Mountain, Granville Island, Telus World of Science, and GM Arena. The Lookout isn't too tall though, so the views were not as great as I hoped; also, promotional material regarding Vancouver's bid for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games were way outdated, since Vancouver has won the bid years ago. The Lookout will close at the end of the year for a 2-month renovation.

I then proceeded to Water Street in nearby Gastown to visit Storyeum, a live production of British Columbia's history. As I waited for the show to begin, I took in two surprises - the steam clock (which shouldn't have been a surprise) and an antique car show (which WAS a surprise). There were many strange cars represented, including an Auto Union (now Audi), a Tatra, a very early Honda that was practically a 4-wheeled motorcycle, and more; I figured that it would be impossible to import many of these cars into the United States, and this show was possible only because this was Canada.

Finally, the show began at Storyeum. It touched up on the native inhabitants' creation story first, moving on to George Vancouver's visit to the area (hence the city's name, as well as Vancouver, Washington, just north of Portland), British Columbia's decision to join a new Canada - instead of joining the US or staying with the UK - to get the railroad, women's and Chinese civil rights, and World War II era boom. Because the shows were spread out over six stages, and I had to change stages every 10 minutes, I could stay awake and enjoy the show, despite being tired. I even got to play the role of a turn-of-the-century suffragette, shouting "Sisters Unite!" and waving a sign. (I'm highly doubtful that those suffragettes wore miniskirt suits and double-female necklaces, like I did.)

Next up: Vancouver Art Museum. With space for four special exhibitions, but no permanent exhibits, it was a bit of a dud. Nevertheless, I enjoyed exhibits showing the First People art - as well as the white, Christian Canadians' attempts to suppress their culture - not to mention exhibits on architecture, including designs by Vancouver area architect Arthur Erickson, whose works include the Canadian embassy to the United States and many others.

It was a short walk over to Robson Street, where I got to do some window shopping and people-watching. I brainstormed some ideas, to put them to use later in the day back in Burnaby at Metrotown.

My final sightseeing stop today was the Sun Yat-sen Chinese Garden. It was a tiny plot of land, but with an elderly docent explaining everything, it was still very informative. The Daoist concept of yin and yang contrasting with each other was the key here, whether it was a maple tree (Canada) with a gingko biloba tree (China), or the progression of stone patterns. As I stopped at the gift shop, I was pleasantly surprised to know that the Buddhist figure of Kwan Yin (the favorite deity of DiAnne Grieser back in Seattle, btw) started out as a male, but eventually was portrayed as a female. Kwan Yin as a transwoman, what a thought!

My toes hurt badly, so I returned to the hotel, changed into something more comfortable, then after some rest, set out again - for the gigantic Metropolis mall at Metrotown. I wasn't too happy with the overwhelming size of the mall, and certainly the Hudson Bay Company's department stores (The Bay, Zellers) were cut-rate. I window-shopped mainly Canadian stores, but in the end, I ended up buying two tunics and a belt from a familiar American name, Old Navy. It was one of the few affordable stores anyway, as well as one with prices similar to US prices (other stores with presence in both Canada and US, such as Bebe, charge much more here in Canada, once the unfavorable exchange rates are factored in).

It was a hard and expensive day, but a wonderful one. I am very glad to be here in Vancouver.

Finally, some pictures as proof of today's activities...

Canada Place, with a cruise ship docked there.
The brown skyscraper in front has an air traffic control tower there, making it the tallest control tower in the world. It manages seaplane traffic on the water.

Stanley Park. Lord Stanley is also remembered through NHL's Stanley Cup.

Stanley Park was originally the site of a 1860s fortress to guard against a possible US invasion, but when that invasion turned unlikely, it became a huge park. Today, the only US invasion to worry about is one of disgruntled progressives fleeing the W rule.

The steam-powered clock in Gastown spews steam to mark 10:00 AM.

Antique car show on Water Street. This example is a 1930s Tatra.

Not part of the car show, but noteworthy anyway, is this VW Beetle on Robson Street.

The pond at the Chinese garden. You may find a pair of turtles sunbathing on the waterlily leaves. There used to be hundreds here, but all except a few were shipped off one day, according to the docent.

Vancouver, at last

Thanks to a delay caused by a broken vertical speed indicator on my flight, I did not arrive here in Vancouver until well past midnight.

But I am here. In suburban Burnaby, actually, but within a quick SkyTrain ride of Vancouver.

I have just unpacked and showered, and once I wake up in the morning, my "first date" with this wonderful city will begin. Anything can happen from here - it could be an "LTR" or even "marriage" down the road. And it will all trace back to today.

My purse will take a hit from the exchange rate, for sure; in fact, with commissions, the Canadian dollar is now worth MORE than a US dollar. (Good thing I bought $100 Canadian back at LAX anyway, otherwise I would've had nothing to pay the taxi fare with, due to late arrival and closed currency exchanges.) I've also been warned about the crime wave in Vancouver, now approaching American levels, and especially targeting Asians, who are perceived to be wealthy.

But I'll still try to make the best of my three days here. Not having to see a W oval is already a great improvement.