Morning Brew: April 24

Canwest signs $3-$10 million advertising deal with the 2010 Olympics. My reaction. As if our papers had an objective viewpoint on the games to begin with... we better amp up the online journalism in Vancouver pretty quick here. Here's Eby's more eloquent rejoinder.

How about some of that online journalistic greatness to offset, via the Tyee's nice look into the Hope in Shadows project; a photographic self-portrait of the Downtown Eastside. Their book launch takes place tonight.

A local clinic is under investigation for their use of Ibogaine, an intense African hallucinogen known for its ability to help cure addictions. While I really hope the stuff doesn't find it's way out to UBC, this city has a lot of addicts... and I haven't been hearing about Ibogaine-related deaths

And so much for no one complaining about playground grants... seems as though the government is able to screw that one up too.

The Straight offers a well annotated rundown of international violence caused by the worldwide food crisis. Get things in perspective.

One Book, One Vancouver; one safe choice, one society still bored with literature? I'm sorry, but can't we spread the love? Or try something a bit different. As my couple of posts on National Poetry Month demonstrate alone, there's a lot of really exciting work being done by local writers. Too many thoughts... at least the Tyee gives it a thumbs up. I know the one book I'll be recommending all year is Murakami's 'Invisibility Exhibit'.

Senior citizens get burned by SFU cutbacks. Meh, just join a bookclub and read The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky instead. I heard it was good.

A little bit younger and thinking about banking your baby's cord blood? Don't bother. Related: check out this interesting example of manipulative cord blood banking down South.

Escape all the insanity through photographic nostalgia: a collection of Expo 86 photos and the terribly addictive recreations of childhood photos.

photo by sp_clarke of the BR Flickr pool