Feature Articles

Observations on civil society: Bar culture in Vancouver and London

By Colleen Dixon
London photo by Colleen Dixon. Vancouver photo by Allen Yu.

A self-organizing crowd is a curious phenomenon. In a social science context, it can be described as a complex aggregate of human interactions rather than an overt system of controlling entities. There is an absence of an ‘orchestrating factor’ and the group seems to operate on more discreet principles than what is obvious. Read the story »

TransitFan

Biggest transit service increase - EVER

TransitFan has definitely noticed the increase in the crowding rate on Lower Mainland buses in the last year or so. While I don’t think we’re normally over 100% (all seats and standing places taken), I’m feeling a little…ahem… ‘closer’ to my fellow commuter. Hopefully the huge service increases rolled out this week by TransLink for the back-to-school rush will go some way towards alleviating the crush. So what are the big changes? Read the story »

Books

Historical Atlas of Oregon

Authors: William G. Loy and Stuart Allen [University of Oregon Press; 2 Revised edition (October 2001)]

That we live in an “Information Age” is old news.  We take for granted the marvelous technological feats we have achieved in the past few decades and the vast amounts of information - digital and physical - that we as a global society have managed to gather with a relatively short period of time. Read the story »

Cartographically Speaking

Rising Tides: Metro Vancouver Flood Map

By Richard Balfour, Metro Vancouver Planning Coalition
Map by R. Balfour (edited by Erick Villagomez)

In the SSP Manual: A Civil Defense Manual for Cultural Survival (Balfour & Keenan, Old City Foundation Press), a map of the Lower Mainland of BC is shown with a projected tide rise of 6m which would wipe out the Fraser River floodplain, one of the most precious farmland areas on the planet. This was projected from data available at the time, not a certainty if we change our wasteful habits in carbon fuels. Read the story »