It’s been a tradition for 87 years in Vancouver and this year, just maybe, I’ll be able to get John to go. I mean, we’ve been enjoying the beach all year, right? What’s a quick dip in English Bay… on January 1… after a night of drinking… I mean the Polar Bear Swim Club does it all the time.

Costumes and the Peter Pantages Memorial 100 yard swim race are the highlights of this event. To be a club member you must register before the swim. Registration takes place in front of the English Bay Bathhouse from 12:30pm – 2:30pm each New Year’s Day.

You may also register by clipping out the coupon in the Province Newspaper and presenting it at the registration desk the day of the swim. Your free membership includes a commemorative button after you take the plunge [PolarBearSwim]

Basically you show up, get in the water, then get the hell out. It’ll wake you, shrivel you, and will probably be a kickass time with thousands of other people in the city.

Everyone was on the line last night for Episode 12 as we discussed our win streak that slammed to a halt on Tuesday night.

This episode caught some of us off guard, but anytime you throw a bunch of Canucks fans together, it’s not hard to talk hockey for a half hour. The whole gang was here, but our connection to Dave cut out towards the end. That didn’t stop the podcast, you can count on that.

Record as of this episode: 17-16-1 (5th in the Northwest Division)

We cover the last three games, but we only played two teams during that stretch; Calgary and Minnesota. Luongo takes center stage for some discussion, we pick out the rag of the week(only because it seems that whoever we pick on tends to start doing better), and wonder what the heck is going on with the officiating during some of the games. Dave also gives a first hand report on venturing out for a Vancouver Giants (WHL) game, J.J. gives us a Vote for Rory update(listen to an interview with Rory on the website under “Rory Speaks!”), and Alanah is live with her new blog, canucksandbeyond.com.

This is our last episode before the Christmas holiday, so all the best wishes to our listeners, subscribers, and readers. (Look for another episode before the end of year)

Update: Sorry if anyone had any problems downloading this episode. I initially linked to the Rory interview that is on the Canucks.com website in MP3 format. For some reason, it was picked up as being the file for this episode. If you got that two minute interview instead of the regular episode, I apologize. This is resolved and working like it should now.

I logged into Myspace after reading Matt Good’s post [mg] about an online doppleganger. I figured I’d check my messages, delete friend requests (from random bands and big-chested, scantily clad men and women wanting to “party”) and look at some bulletins.

It seems that some of my favourite artists are having holiday promotions, offering up special tracks and tunes at no cost, for our listening pleasure.

Holly McNarland:

“…I’ve put up Bye Bye Boy, a song from my latest EP, “The Komrade Sessions”, as a free download until Christmas.

This is the acoustic version of Bye Bye Boy. I have a full length, fully produced record coming out tentatively in April 2007 which will include the full blown Rock Steady version of the song. It’ll make you wanna go and do some driving.”

The GoStation:

“…for a limited time only, anyone who orders a copy of the Quiet Zone EP directly through our website will receive their copy of the CD signed by the entire band! Plus, as a bonus, you’ll also get a link to free downloads of both our new singles, “All Together Now” and “Not Enough.” Both tracks are set to appear on our debut album, which we’re in the studio *right now* finishing up! Click here to buy the Quiet Zone EP and get your free download link!”

Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

You are the person of the year, according to Time Magazine. Actually, so am I and everyone on my blogroll and everyone on their blogroll.

…look at 2006 through a different lens and you’ll see another story, one that isn’t about conflict or great men. It’s a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before. It’s about the cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the million-channel people’s network YouTube and the online metropolis MySpace. It’s about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes [TimeMagazine]

Here’s to the people who make content happen, those who create content and even those lovely trolls that leave comments occasionally to tell us our content sucks.

Web 2.0 harnesses the stupidity of crowds as well as its wisdom. Some of the comments on YouTube make you weep for the future of humanity just for the spelling alone, never mind the obscenity and the naked hatred [TimeMagazine]

Is this a cop out? Were we expecting someone else? Pfft, I wasn’t expecting us. It’s not like I usually pay attention to Time Magazine’s person of the year… maybe we’ll all be on Oprah now. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

The appeal of the heinously overpriced Rockefeller Centre Ice Rink [wiki] is not just to those who like to ice skate. It’s the experience and just being able to say you did it, like all those people you see in the movies falling in love amidst the twinkle of falling snowflakes. Little do some know, Vancouver used to have it’s own outdoor ice rink in the heart of downtown, just under Robson Street [wiki].

In 1979, Arthur Erickson [wiki] designed the city’s new courthouse and Robson Square [UBC], which would soon become home to Vancouver’s only outdoor ice rink (if you don’t count the one atop Grouse Mountain). It became a seasonal staple for tourists and locals alike. Open 10:00 am to 10:00 pm (minus skate rental facilities) Vancouverites could get a little taste of the Canadian winter-time activity, even in the rain. Despite its popularity, the rink flirted with closure for years.

[Coun. Tim] Stevenson said as an NDP MLA, he fought successfully to keep the rink open when the former NDP government decided to close it in 1999…

“The NDP had planned to do what the Liberals have done and chop it, but I managed to get cabinet to change its mind. It really is a very important rink-there are no other outdoor rinks and it is right in the heart of the city,” Stevenson said. “After we saved it, I started going there to check it out and it was well used by a variety of people and it was good for the businesses around there.” [VancouverCourier]

The rink finally closed indefinitely in 2004 due to budget constraints and it doesn’t look like it will be re-opening any time soon.

Kathleen Elliot, spokeswoman for B.C. Buildings Corporation, says besides the $50,000 cost to ice and operate the rink for three months, reopening the rink would require spending $250,000 to repipe the 21-year-old facility. She said the repiping is needed because the underground pipes are directly above the computer labs in UBC’s section of Robson Square. [VancouverCourier]

There is talk, however, that the rink could be a part of Olympic celebrations and brining the spirit of the games into the downtown core for 2010. This has not yet been officially proposed or announced but the idea has been floating around.

Until then, the space will be used for tango and square dancing [dancesportbc] on hot summer evenings and as a midday destination for those out on their lunch breaks.

It’s time to bring back the ice rink, especially since Vancouver’s started to abolish its “no fun city” reputation. Of course there are many more pressing issues that could use the government’s attention but if there are any funds allocated to recreation, tourism and getting people downtown to do something besides shop (for over-priced fuzzy boots or jewelery that comes in a neat little blue box…) well … this is one thing I’d support.

Update: I followed up on Metroblogging, the rink should be open by Winter 2008.

Update: Giant wooden umbrella to cover Robson Square? [The Vancouver Sun]

Update, November 2009: GE Ice Plaza at Robson Square is now open!