Since the last two Miss604 Polls [1][2] were transit related, why not continue the theme.
In the news this morning is the subject of turnstiles at Skytrain stations. I don’t know about you but two things I always thought were pretty cool were a) the honor system on Skytrain and b) there’s no one driving the train.
Sure, it sucks when you pay over $4 to go three zones and someone can just hop on without a ticket at their leisure and milk the system for free, but would the planned turnstiles be effective? I have many questions…
Apparently the Skytrain is a vehicle for crime, allowing all those hooligans from Surrey easy access to the pristine Vancouver stations, so would tougher enforcement of fare payment reduce this risk? Isn’t that why they shelled out all that money to get those Skytrain cops some guns?
Honestly, it wouldn’t bother me either way – to keep the fare-checking the same or to have fun little turnstiles that eat your ticket and spit it out the other side. I know I always pay, in many ways, for riding transit in the region so whatever, do what you gotta do Translink, but what about those that can’t?
Here are some reactions so far:
One Skytrain user says it’s about time already for these security measures. And another says he believes it would stop fare evaders.
Turnstiles will be in place at all stations before the 2010 Games and commuters will be able to pay with a smart card, which can be loaded online. [News1130]
Smart cards? NOW we’re talkin‘.
One might think most fare paying Skytrain riders would generally be supportive of the plan.
But while those getting off the train here this morning aren’t opposed to the move, they also aren’t optimistic about whether it will work.
“Do you think it will work? Cut down on fare evasion? — No, well you’ve got to think of the poor. They can’t afford anything.”
“If you look at other jurisdictions where they have turnstiles, they actually have as much or more fare evasion then we do.”
So what about safety? Will turnstiles make riders feel safer?
“No, well I don’t think it would make any difference to safety.” [CKNW]
It’s obvious that there are mixed reactions but is this what Translink should be spending their money on? Put in your two cents below.
[Poll Closed]
To view and vote on past polls, visit the Miss604.com poll page.
As I alluded to yesterday with my MPFR3DOM post, John and I will also be given a Brother Printer to test drive, taste test, sample, and play with for a little while. Here’s how marketing guru Darren Barefoot approached us.
See other comics sent to Jordan, DaveO and Tanya. If you’re a blogger and would like to participate in the printer taste test, just contact Darren.
I’ve received a bunch of cool, free things because of blogging; from my cell phone(s) to movie passes, and this is definitely one thing I’m glad to add to the collection.
As you may have noticed from my “iPod home repair guides” that my mini is pretty much on its last legs. Leave it to the viral marketing campaigners at Matchstick to offer and send me a brand spanking new mp3 player.
Here’s what I received:
Samsung T10 (rumoured to be the iPod killer??)
Earbuds
Bluetooth Headphones
Taken with my Nokia 6682 I received from Matchstick a year ago.
Features:
Slim and robust 2 GB multimedia player
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0: compatible with Bluetooth headphones and speakers for wireless stereo playback
FM radio
Text viewer
USB 2.0 connectivity for charging and transferring files
Windows XP and Windows Vista compatible (the useless portion of our program)
The marketing company, Matchstick, is truly interested in feedback for their client so they’ve even created a Facebook group where everyone can post their links and reviews.
I’ve been pretty good with posting about my Nokia I got last year and we even did some video podcasts around Vancouver with it, which honestly aren’t the best quality.
My true test will be getting it to work with my MacBook because apparently it’s suited for Windows Media Player and not iTunes. I’m looking forward to using the FM tuner though and stay tuned for more updates. This product was again FREE however I am at liberty to be completely honest with my opinions in any of my posts.
Others participating (and by that I mean they got all the awesome swag too) are Keira and Raymi. If you have also received the T10, please leave comment below and feel free to link your post – thanks!
Update: Umm… my MacBook isn’t recognizing it as a drive and it comes with PC-only software… not too much success so far, can’t even put songs on it yet. Also, it’s not discoverable as a Bluetooth device.
When I head out the door to make my trek to work these days I immediately take in the fresh fall air then exhale, making ghosts with my breath. It’s November – ALREADY and nothing says “winter activity” like hitting the local ice rink.
Due to the recent civic strike that spanned summer and parts of fall, rinks haven’t been opened on time but they’re gradually getting back up to speed and I personally cannot wait til the Twonie Skate at the WECC kicks off.
Here’s a list of Vancouver Parks Board-operated ice rinks:
1 – Britannia: OPEN
2 – Kerrisdale: OPEN
3 – Killarney: Closed for construction and expected to re-open in January 2009
4 – Kitsilano: OPEN
5 – Riley Park: To Open this Month
6 – Sunset: To Open this Month
7 – Trout Lake: Scheduled to close for construction in late Summer 2007, expected to re-open in Summer 2009
8 – West End: To Open this Month
Skating times can be referenced on this PDF.
Ice skating is definitely a low-dough activity with public skate times available at all hours during the week and on weekends. If you check the schedule there are also a few FREE sessions throughout December, including free skating at the WECC on Christmas Day.
Not sure when the Robson Square Ice Rink will reopen, although it’s slated to prior to the 2010 Olympics. There’s also the pond on Grouse Mountain (albeit not in Vancouver), which is now open and has some excellent views of the city.
Update 2010 Trout Lake Rink is open and you can find a full schedule online. View all current 2010-2011 schedules here.
It’s been almost a year since I wrote a blog post about an fire in the home of J Stuart from The Cloud Room – a Brooklyn-based band I had been listening to a lot in the fall.
The band was working on their new tunes in J’s apartment, so all of their gear was destroyed, along with the Mac computer that contained the recordings. Amps, guitars, new tracks, plus all of J’s personal items and clothes went up in smoke. Oh yeah, and yesterday just happened to be his birthday. [The Tripwire]
After writing the blog post I decided to get in touch with J via email and see if I could conduct an interview. I asked, and he obliged. The band even posted a link to my entry on their news page, from which I still get several hits every month. [Miss604, Dec 8, 2006].
Through the aftermath of the ‘officially devastating’ fire, The Cloud Room have managed to produce the EP, Please Don’t Almost Kill Me. Once I heard that it was released, I contacted J yet again to find out how I could get my paws on a copy. One email reply and about 2 weeks later and I now have a copy of the EP in my possession. But that’s not the best part….
Upon opening the parcel this evening I smelled something reminiscent of emerging from my tent at a Cultus Lake campground at 6am: smoldering ash. Sure enough, from the envelope comes a crusty CD jewel case and a “nice n’ CLEAN” wet nap, followed by a letter:
Maybe it’s because I grew up buying records and CDs rather than downloading MP3s, but while sifting through my melted music collection (after my house burned down last fall), I found myself unable to throw anything away. So here we are, with 483 melted jewel cases recycled into a Limited Edition of our new EP, Please Don’t Almost Kill Me… – J Stuart, The Cloud Room
This is fantastic. Looking at the case (which isn’t from a Cloud Room album), it is definitely burnt up somethin’ fierce and the first thing that caught my attention was the “Made in Canada” sticker on the front.
Thanks so much to the guys in the band: Dave Horowitz, Steve Milton, Jon Petrow, Jason Pharr and J Stuart, for sending this over. It will get priority podcast play on the next RadioZoom and here’s hoping a tour brings them by Vancouver in the near future.
Check out The Cloud Room‘s website and MySpace for more info.