24 HOURS WEEKEND APRIL 1-5, 2010 VOL.5 NO.245 SUN MEDIA CORP. 554 EAST 15TH AVE., VANCOUVER, BC V5T 2R5 Max 10 Min 6 OK, what happened to the beautiful long weekend weather? NOW NEVER? OR Investigators have renewed their calls for help from the public to find the killer of Wendy LadnerBeaudry. CARMINE MARINELLI Debate rages over how to pay for much-maligned Evergreen line. line >News P3 Pass this along to another reader! Langley Mayor Peter Fassbender is raising some crucial questions as to how to pay for the Evergreen Line P.4. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND WE’LL SEE YOU TUESDAY 3 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APR 1 - MONDAY APR 5 2010 VANCOUVER.24HRS.CA > Nightlife p17 >Breaking News » Jerseys found EAST VAN HOME Dead baby déjà vu in East Van DHARM MAKWANA – The vancouver.24hrs.ca/fb TODAY’S POLL Do you think the Evergreen Line to Port Moody will ever be built? vancouver.24hrs.ca YESTERDAY’S POLL This close to the playoffs, is the punishment for Shane O’Brien too harsh? YES: 12% NO: 78% Vancouver Weather Today High 10 Low 6 Cloudy with showers (POP 40%). Winds light. Tomorrow High 9 Low 5 Cloudy with light rain (POP 90%). Saturday High Low 9 5 TWN incorporates Environment Canada data seen since. Police said the same woman gave birth to the baby who was found inside a plastic bag outside her home in the 2500 block of Charles Street in March 2009. Coroners ruled the first death as suspicious. “The reality is there are no restrictions on her freedom, her movement, any of her activities just because she’s involved in an investigation,” explained Const. Jana McGuinness. “She’s not charged with anything.” Police began searching for the newborn Wednesday at the same location where the first infant was found. “It’s difficult even for seasoned investigators to manage a case like this,” said McGuinness. “No one would ever think they would be doing an investigation like this again inside of a year.” Recovering the child’s body is essential for investigators looking to press homicide charges through the Crown. McGuinness was unable to comment on the woman’s state of mind or any interviews with family. Murder case enters ‘new phase’ MATT KIELTYKA - Investigators still don’t have a single suspect in the 2009 murder of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry in Vancouver’s Pacific Spirit Park. Integrated Homicide Investigation Team Cpl. Dale Carr returned to the park – where the 53-year-old woman was brutally murdered in broad daylight April 3, 2009 – to update media on the case in an attempt to spur new leads. “We’re here because of Wendy,” Carr said at the spot where Ladner-Beaudry’s body was found, just off the busy intersection of Marine Drive and 41st Avenue “We have no witnesses that have come forward to date. We did CARMINE MARINELLI Check us out on facebook mother at the centre of two investigations involving the deaths of her two newborns is currently free. Vancouver police were convinced the woman’s second baby met foul play during an interview March 29. Investigators learned the child was born in early March but had not been Cpl. Dale Carr said police are asking the public to come up with tips to help solve the year-old murder of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry. not come up with a suspect for this investigation, we currently have no suspect.” Being no closer now than they were nearly a year ago, police have entered a new phase of the investigation. IHIT have made a plea to the public on YouTube and investigators have created a “persons of interest” list with 270 people. Carr wouldn’t say how the list was compiled or what criteria was used, but said everyone would be questioned starting with those who live (or have lived) closest to the popular park. It’s still not known whether Ladner-Beaudry, sister of former Vancouver councillor and mayoral candidate Peter Ladner, was a random victim or if she was targeted. Carr said his team hadn’t lost its composure during the trying investigations, but understood the public was getting restless. “These investigation are inherently long, there shouldn’t be an expectation of time,” he said. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 1877-551-IHIT or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. UFC fight night back on for June 12 date MATT KIELTYKA - UFC 115 in Vancouver appears to be back on. After a roller coaster week of negotiations between the city and the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization over plans for a June 12 pay-per- view event at GM Place, the deal is “basically done,” say sources. The down-to-the-wire talks over insurance issues got so dire that sources within UFC said the event was cancelled and promotion deals in Vancouver were scrapped. But the pressure tactics appear to have paid off as the city and UFC have reached an agreement over the insurance issues. UFC president Dana White told The Canadian Press the event was going ahead and was expected to make a formal announcement after UFC Fight Night in Charlotte, North Carolina, Wednesday night. Officially, the city isn’t saying a deal has been reached but had a rosy outlook considering the pressure they were under earlier this week. Burnaby RCMP have recovered six of 10 stolen Vancouver Canucks jerseys intended for auction to support B.C. Children’s Hospital. A Good Samaritan contacted police Wednesday after finding the items and a stolen laptop inside an office-building elevator at 3965 Kingsway. The items will be returned to donor Dueck GM. Earlier police had commended the good spirit of a number of people who donated items to replace the stolen jerseys. » Chase charges Abbotsford Police want more than a dozen criminal charges approved against a man who led officers on a high-speed chase Tuesday afternoon. The pursuit ended just south of Golden Ears Bridge where police pinned the suspect’s vehicle between two police cars after it lost control. The male driver hopped over a guard rail but was quickly taken into custody. Police clued in on the suspect when one of two teenage girls riding in the vehicle mouthed the word “help” while waving her arms. » Tip scores An anonymous 911 call on Tuesday has led to the arrest of a man identified as a person of interest in a March 23 sex assault along the Seawall. Police went to a homeless shelter in the 300 block of East Hastings where he was sleeping. Charged with one count of sexual assault is 29-yearold James Frank Shalagan. - 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES >Breaking News 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APR 1 - MONDAY APR 5 2010 VANCOUVER.24HRS.CA Roberston rubbed shoulders with leaders of industry vancouver.24hrs.ca 604-322-2340 Reader Services: 554 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C., V5T 2R5 Olympic sites off-limits to inspectors CARMINE MARINELLI BOB MACKIN - Mayor Gregor Robertson rubbed shoulders with captains of industry during the 2010 Winter Olympics. His agenda, released to 24 hours under Freedom of Information, shows a Feb. 17 dinner with Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson and venture capitalist Frank Giustra at Cioppinos before the Virgin after-party at Gossip. NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker hosted a Feb. 13 party at Goldfish. The next day’s entry shows a meeting at the figure skating short program with Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner. On Feb. 21 there was a reception with Cisco Systems vice-president Robert Lloyd at Molson Canadian Hockey House before Canada and the U.S. met in the first round. The next day Robertson was scheduled to meet Canadian Pacific CEO Fred Green. A Feb. 15 appointment lists Vinod Khosla and Bing Gordon of the KPCB venture capital firm at the Shaw Tower residential boardroom. Khosla was founding CEO of Sun Microsystems and Gordon the former chief creative officer at Electronic Arts. The agenda includes entries for a Feb. 18 council and commissioners midOlympic briefing/update and a Feb. 26 caucus meeting. The last entries on Feb. 28 are the Hill and Knowlton rooftop party at Joe Fortes and an after-party at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Robertson found time to attend son Satchel’s hockey game on Feb. 14 and rugby match on Feb. 27. 4 Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender is pushing the province to talk about how to pay for the pending Evergreen Line. RAPID TRANSIT End of the Evergreen line? DHARM MAKWANA – Is it now or never to build the Evergreen Line? That’s the $1.4-billion question TransLink’s Council of Mayors must somehow answer in considering a federal funding commitment and matching provincial dollars for the rapid transit line, connecting Burnaby to Coquitlam. In addition, the offer would likely be pulled if TransLink can’t come up with it’s $400 million share. “We would probably be ill advised to say, yes we’ll let that money go, because we may not get it back,” said Langley City Mayor and Mayors’ council chairperson Peter Fassbender. “Then we’ve got a bigger problem.” Fassbender has been vocal in calling for talks between Metro Vancouver mayors and the province to determine a sustainable funding model for TransLink that doesn’t compromise existing services. But pleas from the Langley mayor and his cohorts for consultation have gone unheard as the province continues to announce and re-announce progress on developing the 11-kilometre stretch without providing financial details. All that’s known is the money will be raised, perhaps through unilateral legislation sent down from the province, which could hike property tax rates, install road tolls or other carbonpricing measures. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which pot it comes out of. The pot is filled by the taxpayer whether it’s federally, provincially or municipally,” Fassbender said. “How that taxing authority is done and the reallocation of some funds that are already collected may be an issue that we need to look at.” Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan has examined expanding rapid transit in the region’s northeast sector from a number of angles and willingly concedes now is not the time to break ground on another mega-infrastructure project. “That may be the most sensible way to deal with the problem,” he explained. “Since the province cannot come up with enough money to be able to make this project work and TransLink is not in a position to make this project work. “If you do go ahead re- gardless, we know, the bus system will be affected because the bus system always gets punished and the bus system carries 80 per cent of our riders.” Corrigan contends the province is dancing to the beat of a federal agenda by scrapping original plans for light rail for SkyTrain technology. “They’ve eliminated any potential competitors, so it will surely go back east,” he said. “The federal government would only put in money that this would go back east.” Transportation Minister Shirley Bond did not return 24 hours’ calls for comment. An announcement on Evergreen Line financing is expected sometime this spring. Camping in great outdoors only a click away SAVANNAH BOYD - With the long weekend right around the corner, many British Columbians are eager to engage in one of the quintessential Canadian pastimes – camping. Thursday, the B.C government launched an enhanced version of its Discover Camping website. The reservation service allows users to book individual campsites in advance to reduce check-in lineups at the various sites. Several improvements have been made to the web- site to provide a user-friendly interface. Jordan Klassen, a website designer, speaks highly of the page, calling it a “great service”. He said the ability to browse campsites based on location, or on availability, was particularly effective. Editorial: [email protected] tel: 604-322-2356 fax: 604-322-3036 Advertising: tel: 604-322-2341 fax: 604-322-3036 General Manager: Philip Tan [email protected] Distribution: Mike MacKichan [email protected] tel: 604-322-2353 Editor-in-chief: Dean Broughton [email protected] Director of Sales: Elena Dunn [email protected] Promotions: Elise Toplass [email protected] tel: 604-322-2371 Klassen added the flow of the site could sometimes be choppy when navigating between pages, but this matter would likely be resolved over time. To book a reservation, visit www.discovercamping. ca or call 1-800 689-9025. BOB MACKIN - Vancouver’s former civic electrician said inspectors were unable to enter Olympic venues to do their duties. “They could not continue inspections,” said Arkady Tsisserev. “I was terminated on Jan. 21 and the Olympics started Feb. 12. They could not provide inspection services, they were not accredited to access those installation sites.” Tsisserev was fired without cause Jan. 21 by city council in a cost-saving measure. Tsisserev said accreditation forms were circulated and submitted to chief building official Will Johnston in December. Johnston could not be reached for comment Wednesday. “In January I sent another e-mail asking about accreditation because some of my inspectors were already expressing concern they had problems accessing sites,” Tsisserev said. City manager Penny Ballem confirmed accreditation was not obtained for inspectors, but venues were certified before the Games. She said emergency crews arranged by VANOC were on-site at venues around the clock. “If we had needed (accreditation) we would have gotten it at short notice,” said Ballem, one of the city’s two directors on the VANOC board. Tsisserev’s lawyer reached a $177,345.54 settlement with the city on Feb. 12, according to documents released Monday. He was appointed in 1994 and due to retire in 2011. Corporate Vice President for Western Canada: Craig Martin Vice President Marketing Sun Media & Managing Director 24 hours Publications: Chris L Brockbank [email protected] Vancouver 24 hours is published Monday to Friday and distributed free throughout the Lower Mainland. Twitter: twitter.com/24hoursvan Opinions and views of columnists appearing in 24 hours do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the newspaper. 5 >Breaking News 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APR 1 - MONDAY APR 5 2010 VANCOUVER.24HRS.CA HOMELESS MAN Watts reforming Surrey’s image Flower seller fondly remembered Feedback citycaucus.com, Mike Klassen MATT KIELTYKA MATT KIELTYKA - Friends and family gathered Wednesday during an intimate memorial service to close the book on Tom Sawyer’s life. The beloved 55-year-old – who was homeless and sold flowers to Vancouverites for money – was injured in an alley between the 900 block of Homer and Richards streets March 10. He died in hospital from the injuries, but the circumstances around his death remain a mystery. None of that mattered Wednesday at The Gathering Place, where more than 100 people shared a laugh and tear in memory of their “flower child.” “If you knew Tom, you Memorial for Tom Sawyer drew more than 100 people. knew he was a free spirit,” said his brother, Doug Sawyer, at a tearful ceremony. “He was a child of the 60s. Sometimes he looked it, but he always lived it. I think he would be surprised with all the people here today, but I’m not. Tom » [email protected] IN REGARDS TO BILL Tieleman’s article “Thankfully students shut up Ann Coulter” (24 hours, March 30). I have never been a fan of Ann Coulter, but I have always admired her guts. It is preferable to Bill’s chauvinism. That is what gender equality is all about Bill. Deal with it. - Ken J. Marsh TWITTER CHATTER PHOTO OF THE DAY @JSBMrevolution So UFC is back on for Vancouver? So much for those "sources" I guess that said it had completely fallen through. #ufc @Madusaurio Now UFC is back in Vancouver I can wish that mma fans would be more like Olympic fans. I love mma but it attracts meatheads touched a lot of people.” Doug said his brother stayed true to that spirit, whether it was when he was successfully living in Mexico or when he had fallen on hard times and ended up in the streets of Vancouver. FOR A GOVERNMENT claiming that going “green” is the answer, this is just pathetic. Anybody that has seen the bumper-to-bumper traffic on a 10-lane highway knows that wider highways and bridges are not the answer. People have to create alternatives, not to mention electing responsible governments. - Randy Hodge FLICKR: BCOL CCCP Mini bike in the woods. SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO WWW.VANCOUVER.24HRS.CA/FLICKR My most delightful neighbour is a widow nearing her 80th birthday. Last month, she announced she was moving out of her house to live with a relative up north. She put her home up for sale and got seven serious offers. The winning bid was $100,000 over asking price, with the new owners paying three-quarters of a million for lot value alone. The obvious question is how on Earth can anyone ever afford to live in Vancouver? They can’t, which is why people are moving to Surrey. Look at Surrey today and you can see why 1,000 new people migrate to the city each month. You can still afford to buy a home there. Businesses can still afford the rent and earn a profit. Yet, when some bad guys shoot each other in a fastfood joint, the headlines explode that Surrey is somehow an unsafe place and a crime capital. It’s a reality that frustrates Mayor Dianne Watts no end. “If a shooting takes place in Vancouver, Richmond or any other city,” says Watts, “it has a distinctly different flavour in the media than when it takes place in Surrey. We’re a big city now – nearing 500,000 citizens, with 100,000 arriving here in the past decade alone. Big cities sometimes attract big city problems, and Surrey is no different.” On Wednesday the mayor held her annual “State of the City” speech, an event that attracts Metro Vancouver’s business community as well as a lot of media attention. The speech is a proud recounting of Surrey’s success to date, and a plan for the future. “To achieve this “greatness” Watts and Surrey city planners did something revolutionary – they asked the world to help them re-design significant parts of their city.” Families are choosing to live in Surrey more than any other city in the province, and one-third of the population is under 19. They are shifting away from being a suburb, says Watts, and becoming the region’s next great metropolitan centre. To achieve this “greatness” Watts and Surrey city planners did something revolutionary – they asked the world to help them re-design significant parts of their city. The TownShift competition offered a prize to the winning architects and urban designers who could re-think five communities: Cloverdale, Fleetwood, Guildford, Newton and Semiahmoo. TownShift (www.townshift.com) received responses from more than 20 countries, and the winning designs were from leading thinkers from around the globe, as well as from Canada. Designers were asked to address head-on matters of Surrey’s car dependency, and were required to plan communities where you could live, work and shop all within a short distance. By comparison, Vancouver has had a “neighbourhood centres” program stuck in bureaucratic limbo for years, bogged down by NIMBYs. Where Vancouver feels stuck in neutral with no leadership, Surrey is propelling forward with a vision for the future. During her speech, Watts announced a new City Centre Flagship Library designed by local architect Bing Thom. It will be a showpiece public building and an inspiration for the rapidly re-shaping “downtown Surrey”. Watts, her council and Surrey city staff are quietly reforming the city’s image. Surrey’s slogan is “The future lives here”, and it’s becoming increasingly hard to dispute it. >Breaking News Isotopes solution to lead to worse cancers: Experts QMI AGENCY — The federal government’s solution to the medical isotopes shortage will only result in more advanced casesofcancerand heart disease, Canada’s leading nuclear doctors say. Thedoctorswererespondingtothefederalgovernment’s decisioninanewreportnotto build a medical isotope-producing reactor to replace the ChalkRiverfacilitythat’sbeen offline for almost a year. “It’s concerning they’re backing away from a multipurpose reactor,” said Dr. Christopher O’Brien, president of the Ontario AssociationofNuclearMedicine.“It’s also concerning they’re putting all their hopes and re- “It’s concerning they’re putting all their hopes and resources into an untested and unproven technology.” sources into an untested and unproven technology.” The report was the feds’ official response to a panel, created by former natural resourcesministerLisaRaitt,to find new supplies of medical isotopes used in cancer and heart scans. The key recommendation made by the panel wastobuildanew$1.2-billion reactor. >> $400M more pledged to Haiti Canada has pledged another $400 million to help earthquake-ravaged Haiti rebuild. The pledge will roll out over two years to support Haiti’s priority projects and will flow through the newly formed Interim Haitian Recovery Commission. >> Teen pointed laser at chopper Police in Cape Breton, N.S., have taken a 15-year-old into custody for allegedly pointing a green laser at two airplanes and a helicopter. Aviation regulations state it’s illegal to project a bright light source into navigable airspace because it can create a safety hazard. 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA HEALTH SHOCKER Obese youth new heart risk group QMI AGENCY — Young people are Canada’s newest “at risk” group when it comes to heart disease,andquick-fixweightloss solutions aren’t working. A Heart and Stroke FoundationstudyreleasedWednesday found that out of 2,000 Canadians surveyed online, 62% had attempted to lose weight recently but failed to keeptheweightoff.Sixin10regained some of the weight, while three in 10 gained back moreweightthantheyhadlost. But the primary concern for researchers is the spike in averageweightandtheprevalence of obesity among Canadians aged 20 to 39. In the past 30 years, obesityhasdoubledamongCanadiansaged40to69andtripled among those aged 20 to 39. Foundation spokesman Bob Reid said the dramatic rise is “tracking through” from high levels of childhood obesity, bringing with it complications such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and type 2 diabetes, leading to potentialspikesinheartdisease. The Heart and Stroke Foundation’sReportonCanadians’ Health found that within the 20-39 age group, three million are inactive, 2.5 million are overweight or obese, two million smoke, 164,000 have high blood pressureand66,000havediabetes. TheFoundationislaunching an online forum tailored foryoungpeople,offeringa12week personalized weightloss program. The Healthy Weight Action Plan is available free online at heartandstroke.ca/hwplan. 6 Grits call for minister to resign QMI AGENCY — Liberals are once again calling for embattled minister Helena Guergis tobebootedfromcabinet,this time for a deceptive letterwritingcampaignbytwostaff members — with the Grits alleging one of the staff ’s mother, a former riding associationpresidentandaformer assistant to another Tory MP doing the same. Guergis’s assistant JenniferCravenhadbeenwriting lettersas“JenniferMorgan” — hermaidenname— totheeditors of various papers in the minister’s riding north of Toronto praising her and cutting down her critics. Maclean’s reported they, too,receivedapro-Guergisletterfromherspokesperson,Valerie Knight (who did not disclose her relationship to Guergis)foraMarch14article. All your news essentials >World International donors met Wednesday to pledge some US$4 billion to Haiti, launching a worldwide effort to rebuild the country after January’s earthquake. “What we envision today is wholesale national renewal,” United Nations Secretary General Ban Kimoon said, opening a one-day conference of some 120 countries, international organizations and aid agencies. Ban called for quick donations in response to a UN request for $1.4 billion in immediate humanitarian assistance for Haiti. 8 Archbishop comes RUSSIA to Pope’s defence Rebels claim responsibility REUTERS – Milwaukee’s Roman Catholic archbishop says Pope Benedict had no responsibility for the Church’s failure to halt sexual abuse by a local priest who molested some 200 deaf boys over two decades. “The Holy Father has been firm in his commitment to combat clergy sexual abuse, root it out of the church, reach out to those who have been harmed and hold perpetrators accountable,” Archbishop Jerome Listecki said at a Holy Week mass held on Tuesday. Victims allege that the Pope could have removed Murphy from the priesthood but declined to do so. The Vatican has accused the New York Times, which broke the story, of being part of an effort to unjustly “smear” the Church. Some of Murphy’s victims in Milwaukee have said the Church’s response vilified them and only added to their anger. REUTERS – Chechen rebels claimed responsibility on Wednesday for two suicide bombings that killed 39 people in the Moscow metro and threatened further attacks in the Russian heartland. In a video on an Islamist rebel website, Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov said he ordered the Moscow attacks. The video was posted just hours after two suicide bomberskilledatleast12people in Russia’s North Caucasus. The suicide bombings, which have killed at least 50 people and injured another 100 in less than three days, have stirred fears of a major bombing campaign against Russian cities by Islamist insurgents. Umarov, Russia’s most wanted guerrilla who calls himself the “Emir of the Cau- PHOTO: REUTERS » Donors line up to rebuild Haiti 24H VCANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA This frame grab image purports to show Chechen militant leader Doku Umarov. In the video Umarov claims responsibility for the twin suicide bombings in Moscow’s subway Monday that killed 39 people. casus Emirate”, said that he had ordered the twin suicide bombings in Moscow to “destroy infidels”. “Both of these operations were carried out on my commandandwillnotbethelast,” said Umarov. >Money DOLLAR 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1- MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA NASDAQ 98.44 ¢ US + 0.35 ¢ US DOW 799.84 - 6.57 S&P/TSX 10,856.63 - 50.79 10 OIL 12,037.73 - 6.48 83.76 $US + 1.39 $US SKYSERVICE AIRLINES Operations forced to shut down » Workforce sees winter boost In a sign the economic recovery is gaining momentum, Canadians worked more and earned more in January with stability returning to the country’s manufacturing sector. Total hours worked by payroll employees rose 0.3% in January while employment was unchanged, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday. Employment gains in mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction, construction, finance, transportation, warehousing and healthcare offset a slumping service sector. QMI AGENCY — Skyservice Airlines has shut down operations, a statement issued by the company Wednesday said. An Ontario court has placed the charter airline in receivership, the statement said. “Recent changes in the Canadian vacation tour market combined with Skyservice Airlines’ debt level have rendered the company un- able to maintain profitable operations,” the company statement reads. "As a result, one of the company’s secured lenders applied for the appointment of the receiver.” All remaining flights have been cancelled through the end of the April. The court-appointed receiver will work with tour operators and customers to “promptly” resolve passenger issues, the company said. Think tank says infrastructure spending key to recovery QMI AGENCY — Infrastruc- ture spending, not tax cuts, provided the biggest shot in the arm to the Canadian economy during the reces- sion, according to a new report by an independent think tank. The Conference Board of Canada said Wednesday that some stimulus measures had a larger impact than others. “Tax cuts can be given out quickly, but the impact on the economy tends to be short-lived and muted,” said Pedro Antunes, director of national and provincial forecasts at the Conference Board. Last Song Actor Miley Cyrus talks about graduating from Hannah Montana and taking on new challenges in her life. P12 Tiger Woods Eye-popping details about hook-ups between Woods and his alleged lovers in Vanity Fair magazine. P15 Clash of the Titans The big-budget remake, starring Sam Worthington, has nothing new to say. P13 Films ......................................... 12 Reviews ..................................... 13 24H VANCOUVER THURSDAY APRIL1MONDAY APRIL5,2010 Listings ..................................... 14 People....................................... 15 Things to do ........................... 16-17 Television .............................. 18-19 >24H Weekend 12 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA Looking for new challenges QMI AGENCY — Most teenagers just have clothes and crushes to outgrow. And then there’s 17-yearold Miley Cyrus, who’s determined to graduate from Hannah Montana, the multi-media franchise that’s grossed more than $1 billion in CDs, DVDs, novels, video games, concert tickets and merchandise. Cyrus insists there’s no going back to her blond alterego once she’s quit. “The wig is —” she says with a whistle “— out! One will be in a museum and one will be burned … We were kind of planning when the transition would take place and when I would leave the show behind and do somethingelse.I’vegonethesepast five years of doing Hannah Montana with everyone telling me what to do. And now it’s kind of up to me (to do) what I think is right for my career.” Without, she hopes, alienating her fans. “They want a really respectful ending (to Hannah Montana) and it really deserves that because it’s been such an amazing journey,” she says. “Iwantthemtoknowwho I am. But I want to extend my audienceandjustcontinueto do what I love, but also give myself new challenges,” she tells journalists at a news conference in a Santa Mon- “What’s been my life for the last five years is ending, so it’s interesting to be leaving my security blanket behind but also it’s exciting to me.” ica beach-front hotel. “What’s been my life for the last five years is ending so it’s interesting to be leaving my security blanket behind but also it’s exciting to me.” So there is much at stake withWednesday’sopeningof The Last Song. Penned by Nicholas Sparks, the weeper stars Cyrus as Ronnie, a sullen but musically gifted teenager who spends a fatefulsummerwithherdivorced father (Greg Kinnear) in a small town. Filling the role of Zeus in Clash QMI AGENCY — The special effects in the original Clash of the Titans may be dated, but its cast of screen legends is timeless. Chief among them: Sir Laurence Olivier as Zeus. So for the remake, highpowered talent was similarly recruited for key supporting roles: Ralph Fiennes as the lord of the underworld Hades and Liam Neeson as Zeus. “Liam’s agent called and said ‘Liam wants to play Zeus because his sons are learning about Greek myths and they think it’d be really cool if their dad played Zeus,’ ” producer Basil Iwanyk says. “And we thought, ‘OK, cool, we’ll take Sir Laurence Olivier, left, and Liam Neeson as Zeus. our time making his deal, he’s not going anywhere.’ And then Taken came out and it cost us a lot more money.” They later thought they would lose Neeson when his wife, Natasha Richardson, died after a skiing accident. “He stayed in there … He was amazing,” Iwanyk says. 13 >24H Weekend 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA Review Last Song full of cliches QMI AGENCY — Nicholas Sparks’ novels may as well include sad smiley faces and xoxos, so who better to collaborate with him than Miley Cyrus? Turns out, the 17-year-old superstarevengavehimstory ideas for their new teen tearjerker The Last Song, which opened Wednesday. And what was on Miley’s wish list, you ask? Appealing characters? Absorbing drama? Genuine emotion? Believable dilemmas? No, those must have been on another list. Instead, she suggested such potential plot points as animals, music and “hot Australians,” referring jokingly to her now-boyfriend Liam Hemsworth. If only she — or Sparks — had known when to quit. The result feels more like a checklist than a movie, dutifully ticking off one cliche after another. It’s filmmaking at its most generic. Just be- cause a film is aimed primarily at teenage girls shouldn’t preclude it from being wellmade. This, though, is one of theweaker,lazieradaptations ofSparks’soppysourcematerial. And it’s hardly an auspicious non-Hannah Montana outingforCyrus,who’sclearly trying to segue from pop sensation to mainstream movie star. The transition isn’t an easy one to begin with, but Cyrus isn’t helped by her choice of character — a moody, miserablebratnamed Ronnie Miller. It’s understandable why Cyrus would want to show she’s capable of more than bubbly effervescence. But by overreaching, she only draws attentiontoherlimitationsas anactresswhilecurtailingher own natural appeal. Pouting, shouting and crying does not a performance make. The Last Song *1/2 Remake not worth the buzz QMI AGENCY — As the ads make clear, this isn’t Ray Harryhausen’s nambypamby, toga-loving Clash of the Titans. So in the big-budget remake, opening Thursday night, gone are the costumes (now olive skirts) and salonready coifs (now Sam Worthington’sbuzzcut)alongwith the mythological monsters previously animated by Harryhausen’slow-fistop-motion effects. The sea-dwelling Kraken, wholookedlikeahunkofplastic that bobbed up from the bottom of your bathtub? He’s now apparently the greatgreat grandfather of the Cloverfield leviathan. And Medusa, still crowned with serpents, seems to have slitheredinfromthesetofthenext Mummymovie.Notacompliment, by the way. Sense a pattern? Fact is, justbecausethisClash isaremake doesn’t mean it has muchnewtosay.Yes,itsenergetic overload of gods and demons will probably sustain undiscriminatingactionfans. Butforthosemoviegoershopingformorethanameremortal-monstermash-up,thereis ample reason to curse the heavens — or at least the Hol- lywood sign. Despite all its clanging,computer-generated mayhem, it doesn’t have the gravitas of Lord of the Rings, the gusto of 300 or the awe of Avatar. Speaking of Avatar — that phenomenon’s star, Worthington, turns up here as Perseus, a demigod raised to adulthood by a kindly fisherman only to be swept into humanity’s war for independence against the gods, includinghisownfatherZeus (Liam Neeson). Unbeknownst to both sides, however, the lord of the underworldHades(RalphFiennes), ismanipulatingeventssothat he can ultimately usurp Zeus and consume both humanity and Mount Olympus with his rasping brand of darkness. He’s like Voldermort in need of a throat lozenge. Clash of the Titans **1/2 >24H Weekend 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA 14 Movie listings> Downtown Cinemark Tinseltown at International Village 88 West Pender, 806-0799 The Bounty Hunter Fri to Thu 2:10, 4:10, 5, 7:40, 9:30, 10:20. Chloe Fri to Thu 2:35, 4:55, 7:25, 9:50. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Fri to Thu 1:45, 4:45, 7:05, 9:25. The Ghost Writer Fri to Thu 1:25, 4:30, 7:20, 10:25. Green Zone Fri to Thu 2:05, 4:50, 7:30, 10:05. Greenberg Fri to Thu 1:35, 2:40, 5:20, 6:50, 7:55, 10:30. CinéArts How to Train Your Dragon Fri to Thu 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:10. How to Train Your Dragon 3D Fri to Thu 1:30, 4, 6:30, 9. RealD 3D The Last Song Fri to Thu 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40. MAX MANUS Fri to Thu 1:50, 4:35, 7:15, 10. Repo Men Fri to Thu 2, 4:40, 7:35, 10:15. Dunbar Theatre - Vancouver 4555 Dunbar Street, 222-2991 How to Train Your Dragon Fri to Sun 2, 4:15, 7, 9. Mon 2, 4:15, 7. Tue to Thu 7. Empire Theatres - Granville 7 855 Granville Street, 684-4000 The Last Station Fri 6:55, 9:35. Sat and Sun 1:35, 4:20, 6:55, 9:35. Mon to Thu 5:20, 8. A PROPHET (UN PROPHETE) Fri 8. Sat and Sun 1:10, 4:25, 8. Mon to Thu 7. Remember Me Fri 7, 9:30. Sat and Sun 1:15, 3:50, 7, 9:30. Mon to Thu 5:50, 8:20. A Single Man Fri 7:05, 9:40. Sat and Sun 1:40, 4:10, 7:05, 9:40. Mon to Thu 5:45, 8:30. TYLER PERRY’S WHY DID I GET MARRIED TOO Fri 6:40, 9:20. Sat and Sun 1:20, 4, 6:40, 9:20. Mon to Thu 5:25, 8:05. Up in the Air Fri 6:50, 9:25. Sat and Sun 1:25, 4:15, 6:50, 9:25. Mon to Thu 5:35, 8:10. Cooking With Stella Fri 6:45, 9:15. Sat and Sun 1:30, 4:05, 6:45, 9:15. Mon to Thu 5:40, 8:15. Empire Theatres Oakridge Cinemas 601-650 West 41st Avenue, 263-1944 CLASH OF THE TITANS Fri to Mon 1:45, 4:15, 7:15, 9:45. Tue to Thu 5:10, 8:15. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Fri to Mon 2, 4:30, 6:45, 9. Tue to Thu 5, 7:45. How to Train Your Dragon Fri to Mon 1:30, 4, 7, 9:30. Tue to Thu 5:20, 8. Festival Cinemas Fifth Avenue Cinemas 2110 Burrard Street, 734-7469 All your news essentials Crazy Heart Fri to Thu 1:30, 4:10, 6:55, 9:15. THE GHOST WRITER Fri to Thu 1:15, 4, 7, 9:35. How to Train Your Dragon 3D Fri to Thu 1:10, 3:10, 5:10, 7:15, 9:10. The Hurt Locker Fri to Thu 1:45, 4:30, 7:10, 9:45. Shutter Island Fri to Thu 1, 3:50, 6:45, 9:30. Festival Cinemas Park Theatre 3440 Cambie Street, 709-3456 The Informant! Fri 4, 7, 9:20. Sat and Sun 1:30, 4, 7, 9:20. Mon to Thu 4, 7, 9:20. Scotiabank Theatre Vancouver 900 Burrard Street, 630-1407 AliceinWonderland FritoThu12:15,3. AliceinWonderlandinDisneyDigital3D Frito Thu11:30AM,2:10,4:50,7:50,10:40. Avatar 3D Fri to Tue 11:45 AM, 3:20, 6:50, 10:25. Wed 3:20, 6:50, 10:25. Thu 11:45, 3:20, 6:50,10:25. CLASHOFTHETITANS FritoThu12:45,3:45, 6:40,9:30. CLASH OF THE TITANS 3D Fri to Thu 11:15 AM,2,4:45,7:40,10:30. Hot Tub Time Machine Fri to Thu 1, 4, 7, 7:30, 9:50,10:10. The Metropolitan Opera: Tosca Encore Mon 6:30. The Runaways Fri to Sun 12:40, 3:30, 6:30, 9:20.Mon12:40,3:30,10:35.TuetoThu12:40, 3:30,6:30,9:20. She’s Out of My League Fri to Wed 1:15, 4:15, 7:20,10.Thu1:15,4:15,10. ShutterIsland FritoThu12,3:10,7:10,10:20. Van East Cinema 2290 Commercial Drive, 251-1313 3278 Calltheatreforschedule. Surrey CO Strawberry Hill Grande 120th Street & 72nd Avenue, 501-9420 Alice in Wonderland Fri to Tue 12:50, 3:40, 7:10,10.Wed1,3:40,7:10,10.Thu12:50,3:40, 7:10,10. TheBountyHunter FritoTue12:10,3:20,6:40, 9:20.Wed1,3:20,6:40,9:20.Thu12:10,3:20, 6:40,9:20. CLASH OF THE TITANS Fri to Thu 1, 4, 6:45, 9:30. CLASH OF THE TITANS 3D Fri to Thu 11:30 AM,2:15,5,7:45,10:30. DiaryofaWimpyKid FritoThu11:50AM,2:25, 4:50,7:15,9:40. Hot Tub Time Machine Fri to Thu 12:40, 4:10, 7:40,10:15. How to Train Your Dragon Fri to Thu 12:15, 2:45,5:10. How to Train Your Dragon 3D Fri to Thu 11:40 AM,2:05,4:40,7:20,9:50. JawaniZindabad FritoThu1:10,4:30,8. Lad Gaya Pecha Fri to Thu 12:30, 3:50, 7:30, 10:25. THE LAST SONG Fri to Thu 12:45, 3:45, 6:50, 9:45. Sadiyaan FritoThu12,3:30,7,10:10. She'sOutofMyLeague FritoThu7:50,10:20. Empire Studio 12 Guilford 15051-101st Avenue, 581-1716 251-1313 3278 AliceinWonderlandinDisneyDigital3D Frito Thu1:25,4:20,7:10,9:55. TheBountyHunter FritoThu1:20,4:10,6:50, 9:35. CLASH OF THE TITANS Fri to Thu 2, 4:45, 7:30,10:15. CLASHOFTHETITANS3D FritoThu1:15,4,7, 9:45. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Fri to Thu 1:05, 3:50, 6:40,9:25. THEGHOSTWRITER FritoThu6:30,9:30. GreenZone FritoThu1:40,4:35,7:25,10:10. All your news essentials Hot Tub Time Machine Fri to Wed 1:50, 4:40, 7:20,10:05.Thu1,4:40,7:20,10:05. HowtoTrainYourDragon FritoThu1,3:45. How to Train Your Dragon 3D Fri to Thu 1:30, 4:15,6:45,9:15. THELASTSONG FritoThu1:45,4:30,7:15,10. She's Out of My League Fri to Thu 1:35, 4:25, 7:05,9:40. ShutterIsland FritoThu1:55,6:35,9:50. Richmond Famous Players Richmond Centre 6 Richmond Shopping Centre, 27371739 Alice in Wonderland Fri to Sun 12:35, 4:15, 6:55, 9:30. Mon 12:35, 4:15, 6:55. Tue to Thu 4:15,6:55. TheBountyHunter FritoSun12:50,4:30,7:15, 9:50. Mon 12:50, 4:30, 7:15. Tue to Thu 4:30, 7:15. CLASHOFTHETITANS FritoSun12:45,4:25, 7:05, 9:40. Mon 12:45, 4:25, 7:05. Tue to Thu 4:25,7:05. Hot Tub Time Machine Fri to Sun 12:55, 4:35, 7:20, 9:55. Mon 12:55, 4:35, 7:20. Tue to Thu 4:35,7:20. How to Train Your Dragon Fri to Sun 12:30, 2:50, 5:05, 7:25, 9:45. Mon 12:30, 2:50, 5:05, 7:25.TuetoThu5:05,7:25. THE LAST SONG Fri to Sun 12:40, 4:20, 7, 9:35.Mon12:40,4:20,7.TuetoThu4:20,7. Famous Players SilverCity Riverport 14211EntertainmentWay,277-59936 AliceinWonderland FritoThu12,3,6:45. AliceinWonderlandinDisneyDigital3D Frito Thu11:30AM,2:05,4:45,7:35,10:30. Avatar FritoThu11:15AM,2:45,6:30,10:10. TheBountyHunter FritoThu12:35,3:25,6:40, 10. Chloe FritoThu12:40,3:35,7:15,9:55. CLASH OF THE TITANS Fri to Thu 11:35 AM, 3:05,6:45,9:30. CLASH OF THE TITANS 3D Fri to Thu 11:15 AM,2,4:45,7:45,10:45. DiaryofaWimpyKid FritoThu11:45AM,2:15, 4:45,7:20,9:50. THE GHOST WRITER Fri to Thu 12:10, 3:50, 7:10,10:30. Green Zone Fri to Thu 11:25 AM, 3:10, 7:05, 10:10. Hot Tub Time Machine Fri to Thu 12:30, 1:30, 3:20,4:30,7,7:40,9:35,10:35. HowtoTrainYourDragon FritoThu11:30AM, 2,4:50,7:35,10:15. HowtoTrainYourDragon:AnIMAX3DExperience FritoThu1:30,4:15,7,9:30. The Last Song Fri to Wed 11:40 AM, 12:45, 2:40,3:45,6:55,7:30,9:45,10:05.Thu11:40,1, 2:40,3:45,6:55,7:30,9:45,10:05. RepoMen FritoSun1,4,7:25,10:40.Mon1,4, 10:40.TuetoThu1,4,7:25,10:40. TheRunaways FritoThu9:40. She’s Out of My League Fri to Wed 1:15, 4:25, 7:45,10:20.Thu1,4:25,7:45,10:20. Shutter Island Fri to Thu 12:15, 3:30, 6:50, 10:25. Coquitlam Famous Players SilverCity - Coquitlam 170 Schoolhouse Street at Lougheed Hwy, 523-29116 Alice in Wonderland Fri to Thu 12:15, 3, 6:45, 9:40. Alice in Wonderland in Disney Digital 3D 15 >24H Weekend 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA $5,000 spree LL Cool J slams Palin’s show promo Donatella Versace spent US$5,000 on sunglasses in just 10 minutes at Artsee in New York recently. A source told the New York Post she bought eight pairs. Then, with a quick ‘Ciao’ she was gone. Rapper LL Cool J is not pleased with Sarah Palin after she used video footage of him from an old interview to promote her new show Real American Stories, says ContactMusic.com. The star insists the interview is two years old and did not involve Palin. He writes on his Twitter page, “Fox (TV) lifted an old interview I gave in 2008 to someone else … in order to promote Sarah Palin’s Show. Wow.” — 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES — 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES He’s ‘Bridezilla’ PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Alleged lover: Tiger’s a cheap date 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES — A number of Tiger Woods’ alleged lovers have been interviewed for Vanity Fair magazine with eye-popping details regarding hook-ups. Mindy Lawton, Jamie Jungers and Loredana Jolie Ferriolo, who all claim to have had romantic liaisons with Woods, told their sordid tale to the glossy mag. Lawton said she’d been a server at the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, in Tiger’s hometown of Windemere, Fla., where the golfer and his wife, Elin, were regulars. “One of them would read the paper — just very cold,” Mindy tells the mag. “I didn’t see any signs of affection … I figured he was in a loveless relationship with his wife.” Eventually, she said, she got a call at the restaurant from Tiger and joined him at Orlando bar The Blue Martini. Later that night, she met him outside a CVS Pharmacy and followed him home. “We ended up doing it right there” on his couch, she told Vanity Fair. “He was very passionate and very rough.” She added that he did not use a condom, and that he was quite well endowed. “It was the biggest I’ve ever seen,” she said. Mindy said that although she got plenty of sex from Tiger, she didn’t get much else. He did buy her a sandwich once from Subway, but nothing else. “No, just the sub,” she confirms. > “I figured he was in a loveless relationship with his wife.” Woods Lawton Dae Kim injured on set A series of mishaps have happened on the set of hit TV show Lost. And actor Daniel Dae Kim was the latest victim to be sent to emergency. “We were shooting a sequence that involves swimming,” Dae Kim explains. “And I actually ripped open my hand on a stray drywall screw that was underwater. I had to run to the hospital to get my hand glued up. They were going to stitch it up, but they decided against it because … they were worrying about infection. So they ended up gluing it so it was a more watertight seal.” — 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES Rude tattoo Actor Amanda Seyfried has a cheeky tattoo on her left foot, says ContactMusic.com. The star stunned reporters at the London premiere of her latest film Dear John by sporting the word “minge” — a British expression for vagina — on her foot. And she revealed she got the tat after hearing actor Colin Firth and real-life boyfriend Dominic Cooper use the term. She explained, “It’s to make me laugh, and every time I look at it, I do.” — 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES Russell Brand isn’t your typical dude, passively participating with wedding plans. His fiancee Katy Perry says he’s obsessed with the upcoming nuptials. “He’s a total bridezilla,” the singer told MTV News. “He’s like a freak. He’s always buying bride magazines.” Every time we go out for breakfast, he’s like, ‘Can we just stop and get a bride magazine?’” Perry, 25, is working on a new album, and doesn’t mind taking a back seat to all the planning. “I have to plan my record first and then I’m going to get my wedding,” Perry said. “But I’m really excited about that, too.” She told UsMagazine.com, “It doesn’t matter if it’s just me and him or if it’s a big, fat ordeal.” — 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES James in rehab Sandra Bullock’s estranged husband Jesse James has entered rahab in Tucson, Ariz., says tmz.com. A member of the medical team at a Tucson rehab facility confirms James is a patient there. The facility — Sierra Tucson — specializes in drug, alcohol and sex addiction, as well as other disorders. Law enforcement sources have said that when a CHP officer stopped James last Friday on the highway near Blythe, Calif. — for driving without a front license plate and driving with tinted windows — James responded he was going to try to save his marriage. — 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES >24H Weekend » Bieber debuts No. 1 in Canada and U.S. Canadian pop idol Justin Bieber debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. pop album chart Wednesday, becoming the youngest solo male artist to achieve this feat since Stevie Wonder in 1963. Bieber, 16, sold 283,000 copies of his second album My World 2.0 during the week ended March 28, according to tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan. Wonder, 13 at the time, spent one week at No. 1 with Little Stevie Wonder/The 12 Year Old Genius. As the title suggests, he recorded it when he was 12. Bieber’s first set, My World, jumped five places to a new high of No. 5 with 50,000 copies. The album debuted at No. 6 last November, and has sold 1.1 million copies to date. Rapper 50 Cent was the last artist to place two albums in the top five that weren’t concurrently released. 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAYAPRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA Jon Spencer Blues Explosion return with Dirty Shirt Rock ’n’ Roll compilation » Akon finds new host for Sri Lanka gig Akon has found a new country to host the Sri Lankan concert he was forced to abandon last week following a protest by local Buddhists — he will now play the planned show in the Maldives. The Smack That singer was due to perform in Colombo on April 24 but the date was scrapped when Buddhist activists staged an angry protest against a sacrilegious video outside the headquarters of the promoters — prompting immigration authorities to cancel the star's visa. The activists were upset after spotting scantily-clad women dancing in front of a Buddha statue in Akon's new video Sexy Chick. 16 JSBEhavereleasedacompilation oftheirlast10yearsofpunkblues. QMI AGENCY — Jon Spencer and his Blues Explosion are back with a bang. Or at least a blast from the past. After several years on hiatus, the underground indie-rock trio are testing the comeback waters with the release of the new anthology Dirty Shirt Rock ’n’ Roll: The First 10 Years. “The compilation actually leads off a series of reissues,” explains fasttalking, no-nonsense singer-guitarist Spencer from his Manhattan base of operations. “We’re reissuing the first six Blues Explosion albums because everything is out of print. Well, the main reason we're really reissuing them is because they’re good albums and I want people to hear them. “The world still needs a great band that can show people what rock ’n’ roll is and how to do it.” Spencer and his bandmates — drummer Russell Simins and second guitarist Judah Bauer — never had any problem living up to that billing. Formed 20 years ago in New York City after the demise of Spencer’s acclaimed punk outfit Pussy Galore, the Blues Explosion burst onto the scene with a ramshackle collision of jukejoint hoodoo, noise-punk abandon and garage-rock grit, with dashes of rockabilly, soul and R&B tossed in for good measure. Front and centre was Spencer, whose evangelical fervor and Elvis-style bombast fuelled both their sweaty live shows and their only slightly more restrained studio albums. Dirty Shirt Rock ’n’ Roll, true to its subtitle, draws from the band's first decade of recordings, striking a balance between tried-andtrue fan favourites and lesser-known cuts. “It was hard,” admits Spencer. “I wanted to make a compilation that would be an introduction for someone who wasn’t familiar with the band, but also had some unusual twists and turns for anyone who knew us. “We did a lot of collaborations with some really great musicians that I wanted to include — stuff with Rufus Thomas and Andre Williams and R.L. Burnside and Calvin Johnson. So there’s a real variety of stuff.” >24H Weekend 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APR 1 - MONDAY APR 5 2010 VANCOUVER.24HRS.CA After6 MUSIC JOHN MAYER - Thursday @ 7 p.m. GM Place Tix through livenation.com OWL CITY AND LIGHTS Friday @ 7 p.m. Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts Sold out show HUGH CORNWALL Friday @ 7:30 p.m. Media Club Tickets at livenation.com THE LOVE THAT MOVES THE UNIVERSE - Friday @ 8 p.m. Orpheum Theatre Tickets at Ticketmaster Chamber Choir & Orchestra PATTY GRIFFIN - Friday @ 8:30 p.m. Commodore Tickets at livenation.com SNOCORE - Saturday @ 7 p.m. Rickshaw Theatre Tickets at livenation.com Featuring Protest the Hero with guests The Set, Hawthorne Heights, Elias and Abandon All Ships THEATRE: PARADISE GARDEN - Ongoing to April 11 - Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage Tickets and show times at artsclub.com BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR - Ongoing to April 17 Granville Island Stage Tickets and show times at artsclub.com QUEEN LEAR - Ongoing to April 10 Presentation House Theatre – Tickets and show times at phtheatre.org OTHER: Vancouver International Auto Show - Thurs - Sun. – BC Place - vancouver internationalautoshow.com 560 worthy replacement for Dick’s SARAH ROWLAND - Everyone’s got a most memorable Dick’s on Dicks moment – whether it’s the time your favourite band blew you away with an extended version of their biggest hit, or that night you made out with someone you just met on the balcony. Maybe it was the time you had to hold up one of the rundown washroom doors because it fell off its hinges when you were mid-stream. There are just so many sweet memories to choose from. Which is probably why even when the old reliable venue was standing on its last leg at its iconic location (1036 Richards St.), it was still sad to see it go. But you know what they say – out with the old, in with the new. And that’s exactly what hundreds of Vancouverites did last weekend at the grand opening of the Richard’s on Richards’ re- LE BEAST PHOTOGRAPHY 17 The main room of the new 560 is the place to get your freak on. placement: They welcomed in the city’s newest hotspot with open arms. 560, aptly titled for its address (560 Seymour St.), made its debut to much schmoozing fanfare among clubbers old and new. This bigger, better venue is a veritable maze of lounges, dance floors and galleries. There’s the main room, which presumably will host touring bands on weekdays for indie music fans, and on weekends this area will undoubtedly turn into a full-on nightclub for the tunnel-and-bridge crowd. There’s a balcony at the new location as well. Here you can see almost everything that’s going down on the main d-floor. With leather couches and tastefully decorated brick walls, this viewing area is a little more sophisticated and loungey than its predecessor – so maybe not so good for tonguing someone you just met. But don’t worry, there are plenty of nooks and crannies that seem tailor-made for public indiscretions. Back on the main floor, there’s an upscale foody lounge off to the side that is totally separate from the main disco area. In addition to smaller seating areas, it’s got an impressively large and beautiful communal table and a sunken bar. The overall effect is a little more grown-up than the main area. As for the huge barren art gallery on the top floor, it’s a perfect space to showcase local talent and host really creative and unorthodox exhibits. But perhaps the best part about 560 is the washrooms are clean! Yes, no more hunting high and low for TP and paper towels. If you ask me, that’s pretty much worth the price of admission right there. 560, you just might be my new favourite club. Imelda May swings with rockabilly thing 24 seconds with… Joe Leary Having fallen in love with rockabilly and the blues as a nine-year-old in Dublin, Imelda May has turned the genre into a cool, swinging fusion that’s both classic and oddly modern. Her debut album, “Love Tattoo”, is described as “lusciously retro but as fresh as today.” Joe Leary spent 24 Seconds with Imelda May. 24: With this being your first time through this part of North America, what’s your first impression? IM: Oh, I love it. The mountains are gorgeous. I like it a lot. 24: Growing up, your friends were into A-Ha and Wet Wet Wet, yet you were doing your own thing. Where did you actually acquire your taste for rockabilly? IM: It started with me stealing my brother’s tapes from his bedroom as all 13-yearolds do. He had Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly and I just thought it was the wildest thing I ever heard. That’s what started it off. Then I got into Billie Holiday when I was about 15. I got into blues, jazz and I liked a bit of country, Patsy Cline. Then I was loving Howlin’ Wolf and Elmore James and a lot of Willie Dixon songs. See video at vancouver.24hrs.ca/may LISTEN TO JOE LEARY EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING ON TEAM 1410 » Lilith on July 1 What better way to celebrate Canada Day this year than by grooving to the musical stylings of some of the world’s top female performers? The 2010 Lilith Fair tour makes its Lower Mainland stop July 1 at the Pitt Meadows Airport, bringing with it the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Sugarland, Sheryl Crow, Erykah Badu and Colbie Caillat. Tickets for the extravaganza go on sale Saturday through livenation.com. » New on stage Hairspray and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? are just a few of the classic productions hitting Vancouver stages in the next year thanks to the Arts Club Theatre. The local theatre company recently unveiled its 2010/2011 season lineup, which once again includes holiday favourites White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life. Also on the roster are Don Quixote, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline and The 39 Steps. For more information on all 14 upcoming shows, visit artsclub.com. » Twitter art? Like it or not, Twitter and Facebook are seeping into creative expression--a local art exhibit is currently celebrating the artistic effect of social media tools. Twitter/ Art+Social Media, on now at the Diane Farris Gallery, features works by artists who not only use social media sites to promote themselves, but who also use them as a source of inspiration. The exhibit runs now until May 1. >24H Weekend 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA 18 Television Blagojevich just not cut out to use a computer Bits of Reality Kate Schwass Celebrity Apprentice Even though the men’s team seemed to grasp the idea of an advertorial much better than their female counterparts, the women won this week’s challenge. We learned during this episodethatdisgracedIllinois governor Rod Blagojevich has no idea how to use a computer and Brett Michaels just gets more and more annoying. While some of the women seemed to think Cyndi Lauper was a nut job, she actually had some good points if they would have listened to her. We also learned that Darryl Strawberry was done. He looked like he was done. The only words he said during the episode were to order pizza, and then tell Donald Trump he was tired. He didn’t actually quit, but he made it known he was ready to go, so Trump fired him. Amazing Race It was off to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean this week for the teams. They got to ride in helicopters before their detour, which involved either leading a giant tortoise across a field or hooking a cart up to an ox and steering it. Brent and Caite had some major issues from their ox and then, they didn’t bring all the coconuts to the fruit vendor. Jet and Cord were last to arrive at the final destination, but they lucked out, it wasn’t an elimination week. Dancing with the Stars Nicole Scherzinger and her pro partner Derek Hough earned a total of 53 out of 60 points with their two dances, putting them at the top. Jake Pavelka, the most recent Bachelor, didn’t seem to want to give it his all, arguing withhisproduringrehearsals that he “can’t” do some of the moves. Kate Gosselin also threw a hissy fit during her rehearsals, which caused her partner, Tony Dovolani, to walk out on her. But it was Shannen Doherty who got the boot first this season. Biggest Loser It was each person for themselvesthisweekandtwo players returned to the ranch: Melissa and Victoria. There was some talk aboutStephaniethrowingthe weigh-in when she lost just two pounds. This week, Stephanie and Sam fell below the yellow line and maybe it was because of all the talk, but Stephanie was sent home. It’shardtoimaginewatching someone walking up stairs is a touching moment, but it actually was this week when O’Neal walked up the stairs to the scale without having to stop on each step. That was nice to see. SoYouThinkYouCanDance There’s a bit of a shake-up for the seventh season of So You Think You Can Dance. Guest judge Mia Michaels will return after quitting last fall and Mary Murphy will be choreographing routines, whichmeansshewon’tbesitting on the judges panel screeching at contestants each week. As well, the judges will be eliminating contestants all the way to the finale, and then viewers will pick the winner from the top two or three. [email protected] Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich watches celebrity chef Curtis Stone work on a laptop. During Celebrity Apprentice, Blagojevich admitted he didn’t actually know how to use a computer. cd review editor’s choice Artist USHER CD RAYMOND V. RAYMOND Genre R&B Usher Raymond is back in the game. And in more ways than one. On his sixth CD, the 31-year-old crooner comes clean on the drama of his pending divorce and the perks of his newfound bachelorhood — and with the help of guests like Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, will.i.am, Ludacris and T.I., he rediscovers his old swagger in the process. Call it How Usher Got His Groove Back. Download: Lil’ Freak, Papers ***1/2 Artist SERENA MANEESH CD ABYSS IN B MINOR Genre PSYCHEDELIC ROCK Artist SHE & HIM CD VOLUME TWO Genre INDIE POP Artist MELISSA AUF DER MAUR CD OUT OF OUR MINDS Genre ART ROCK You want underground rock? The cosmically named Norwegian quintet claim they recorded part of this sophomore CD in a subterranean cave. Fittingly enough, these eight cuts mine a darkly rich vein of shoegazing star-crunch guitars, groovey Stooges trancerock, SonicYouthynoise and unexpectedly angelic vocals. They spent a season in the abyss; now it’s your turn. Download: Reprobate!, Blow Your Brains in the Morning Rain ***1/2 Actress Zooey Deschanel avoided being dismissed as a dilletante with Volume One, her basically credible if lessthan-astounding debut with singer-songwriter M. Ward. Because Hollywood loves a sequel, here it is: Another collection of dreamy indie confections lovingly concocted from a host of sunny ’60s pop and frosted with Deschanel’s angel-girl vocals. Sweet and light. Download: Ridin’ in My Car,I’mGonnaMakeitBetter *** MAdM’s muse moves in mysterious ways. The former Hole bassist’s long-overdue second CD is long on ambition and eclecticism — shapeshifting modern-rock, artsy instrumentals, hooky pop and even Glenn Danzigaided murder balladry are all on the musical menu. But thanks to her unfocused songwriting and middling vocal skills, it’s short on satisfaction. Download: Father’sGrave, The One *** 19 >24H Weekend 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL52010 WWW.24HRS.CA Television Our pick » Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains? GLOBAL 8 P.M. After being betrayed by an ally, one castaway learns they can’t trust anyone on camp. Said castaway was also born freakin’ yesterday. » CSI CTV, 8 P.M. Blossoming romance and fetishes and a Vegas stakeout — oh my! If this is what’s happening on CSI these days, then sign me up. » Grey’s Anatomy CTV, 9 P.M. Alex fights to get approval for pro-bono surgery on his brother — who shows up at the hospital with a hernia. » The Tonight Show with Jay Leno NBC, 11:35 P.M. Jay talks to Justin Bieber. THURSDAY PRIMETIME CBC SHAW KNOW CHEK SRC OMNI CTVBC JOY GBLBC A CITY CW CBS NBC W CMT ABC RSP TSN MM YTV NW KCTS FOX HGTV KVOS A&E SPIKE CNN TLC MMM BBCW EA2 SHOW BRAVO SLICE DISC TREE HIST SPACE TCM PEACH TROP OLN TOON FAM FOOD COM WTVS APTN VISION MULT MTV TVA TV5 S 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 57 87 117 118 119 120 123 124 7:00 7:30 S - SHAW CABLE VANCOUVER 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 Wheel Fort. Jeopardy The Nature of Things (N) Love annd Haate 5/6 CBC News: The National :55CBC News /:The Hour Urban Rush Voice of B.C. 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Popoff My Queen Yi Soon Vancouver Shaktimaan Dheeyan Sadabahar Asia Desi TV Patrol CTI News The Stage MADE MTV Live Movie The Real Worrld: DC The Stage MADE MTV Live Movie Extrême 1/2 Hist. filles Dieu Merci! Deux filles le matin Nouvelles :45 Denis Lévesque Cinéma Humannima Hors série TV5Journal Reportage :20 L'invité Parttir Autrement :35 Chiffres Prendre sa p lace Is there a recipe beer can’t go with? COLIN JACK – There are hundreds of beer recipes available online. A quick search of recipes involving beer reveals everything from beer-can chicken to Irish stew and even dessert. Beer is a mainstay in most of my favourite recipes. Beer helps tenderize meat. It adds moisture to pastry and thickens stew and pasta sauce. More importantly, beer adds complex flavours water and other types of alcohol simply can’t. Two of my favourite styles of beer to cook with are porters and amber ales. BLACKBERRY PORTER Cannery Brewing, 5%, $4.95 for 1-650 ml bottle This porter is bold with a jam tartness. Salisbury steak, beef stew, braised lamb chops, crêpes and even chocolate cake are enhanced with the essence of this blackberry beer. THIRSTY BEAVER AMBER ALE – Tree Brewing, 5%, $10.95 for 6-341 bottles My Thirsty Beaver pancakes, icing sugar, pulled pork and drunken chicken wings are all tried and true recipes. This amber ale adds sweet caramel, molasses and roasted malt character to food. COLIN JACK IS AN OFFICIAL BEER AFICIANADO. CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE JUSTHEREFORTHEBEER.COM. SEND QUESTIONS TO [email protected] VANCOUVER FOOD SCENE Ramen Quest - New kid in town RAJ TANEJA - Imagine if Jimmy Pattison knocked on your door, told you to keep doing what you’re doing and he’d market and franchise your business. Pretty neat to be attached to such a juggernaut, don’t you think? Well, that’s essentially the case with the new Suntouka Japanese Ramen shop that recently opened on Robson Street slightly east of Bidwell. Headquartered in Hokkaido, Japan, the Suntouka and Kamei companies struck a deal some years ago. Kamei, which derives more than $4 billion in annual revenues from other ventures including those in the natural-resource sector, decided to become the company that oversees the franchising of Suntouka Ramen. The company which has stores in the U.S., Singapore, Hong Kong and now Canada, has ambitious plans to show locals what authentic Japanese ramen is. The restaurant has four varieties of the standard ramen – shio ramen (salt), shoyu ramen (soy-sauce), miso ramen (fermented soy bean paste) and kara miso ramen (hot spices and fermented soy bean paste) and a number of specialty items and a single item on the menu that can be turned into a vegetarian dish, which is already head and shoulders above the mere mortal ramen joint. The ramen I chose for this occasion was the plain shio, served warm, not piping hot like other ramen I’ve tried. It was accompanied by braised pork slices topped with sesame seeds, bamboo shoots, green onions, wood ear mushrooms and a single pickled baby plum that is supposed to be nibbled on, one bite at a time, during the enjoyment of the meal. Although the first thing I devoured was that little pickle, it’s absence during the rest of the meal didn’t have any bearing on my absolute enjoyment of the dish March 27, closing the doors to a steady stream of customers who regularly ventured to its industrial port setting at the foot of Renfrew Street. Turcotte said the seaside celebration brought out old regulars from across the region and from around the world. Hugs were shared and tears were shed until the doors finally closed. On April 6, those who fell for the food will be able to 5 places on Cambie Plain Shio from start to finish. I ate the soup to the last drop and will be back for more – soon. As for the company known only as Kamei, con- grats on a solid bet with Santouka. RAJ TANEJA IS PART ENTREPRENEUR, PART SOCIAL MEDIA JUGGERNAUT AND PART FOODIE. HE RUNS URBANMIXER.COM, PUBLISHES A MISCELLANY OF HIS MUSINGS AT RAJ.JP AND CAN BE FOUND ON TWITTER WITH THE USERNAME ‘TINHEAD.’ Cannery collection to be auctioned off DHARM MAKWANA – Boxing The Cannery’s wares for auction brings out bittersweet emotions for the now-closed eatery’s last general manager. “It is a little bit upsetting, that’s for sure,” Jean Turcotte told 24 hours while packing up his dining room. “But it’s healthy at the same time. You just move on, you realize it’s all over and that’s it.” After opening in 1971, the Cannery Seafood Restaurant served its last meals on 20 top >Living Well Food & Drink 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APR 1 - MONDAY APR 5 2010 VANCOUVER.24HRS.CA “The Cannery is leaving on a high note and I’m leaving on a high note.” take home maritime antiques along with kitchen equipment and dining room furniture. Turcotte won’t be placing a bid on any of the items, but instead will take home a number of awards he has earned over the past 18 years. “The Cannery is leaving on a high note and I’m leaving on a high note,” the Quebec native said. After a summer of travel and reflection he will decide if it’s time to open a restaurant of his own in the fall. Able Auctions will hold the public sale at 2205 Commissioner St. The preview begins at 10 a.m. with the auction starting at noon. Cambie Street is blooming with delicious dining options. Here are the top five to check out: LAS TORTAS 3353 Cambie St. These tasty Mexican sandwiches, piled with toppings such as guacamole, refried beans, jalapeño peppers and cheese, are the ultimate solution for a grumbling tummy. FIGMINT 500 W. 12th Ave. at Cambie The European-inspired cuisine definitely makes it worth a visit. In addition to scrumptious lunch and dinner menus, they also offer a superb Sunday brunch. PIED-A-TERRE 3369 Cambie St. A great spot for either a romantic night out or an intimate gathering with friends. TRIXI’S CREPE AND COFFEEHAUS 3306 Cambie St. Featuring savoury and sweet crepes, this is a warm and friendly joint for breakfast, lunch, or a coffee catch-up with pals. Just be sure not to head down in a rush—everything is made to order. TROPIKA’S AT CAMBIE 2975 Cambie St. This is the original location of the popular Malaysian/ Thai restaurant chain, and is considered to be the best. The food is superb and the customer service is flawless. - KRISTEN MCKENZIE 21 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1- MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA >Digital Life PORTABLE GAMING While it all goes small, Nintendo gets bigger QMI AGENCY — Cellphones have gone from behemoths carried in a hefty shoulder bag to a slim slab of silicon that slides easily into a front pocket. Clunky portable CD players have been replaced with 10,000-song iPods so small they should carry a choking hazard warning. So leave it to the radical thinkersatNintendotointroduce a new model of their portable gaming machine that’sbiggerandheavierthan any that have come before it. Arriving in stores this weekend, the Nintendo DSi XL ($199.99) is the fourth iteration of the dual-screened, touch-friendly, hand-held gaming machine that made its original debut in 2004. Bucking the trend of shrinkingportableelectronicsdown tothesmallestpossiblepack- age, Ninmarketing tendo has fluff, bedecided to causethe fatten up the DSi XL new DSi, does have making the its charms. device’s Other screens bigthan the ger, brighter l a r g e r and easier to screens and read. the inThe idea, creased Nintendo physical says, is to size and make the weight of The Nintendo DSi XL DSi XL more the unit, the shareable and social, encour- DSi XL is functionally identiaging friends and family to cal to the Nintendo DSi gather around a single unit. A ($179.99). Those bigger skepticmightwonderhowin- screens make a surprisingly creasing the screens from significantdifference,though. 3.25 inches to 4.2 inches will Everything from The Legend accomplish this — we’re not of Zelda: Spirit Tracks to exactly talking TV sizes here Mario Kart DS to the built-in — but we won’t begrudge Brain Age games looks better them this particular bit of on the DSi XL. REVIEW Just an excellent sequel QMI AGENCY — Where Rico Rodriguez goes, chaos is sure to follow. Chaos, and fun. Lots and lots of fun. The original open-world action game Just Cause was a bithit-and-misswhenitcame out in 2006, but this sequel smooths out the rough edges, ratchets the visuals way up, throws a ton of new elements into the mix and even has a stronger storyline. Althoughreally,JustCause 2 is like action porn – you’re not here for the story, you’re here for the explosions, car chases, gunfights, BASE jumping,surfingontopofjets and other over-the-top mayhem.Anditdoesthatverywell indeed. As super-spy Rico Rodriguez, your ultimate goal is to topple the regime of military dictator “Baby” Panay in the fictional island nation of Panau. Possibly the largest single-playergameworldever created,Panauhasmorethan 350 towns, cities, military installations and other unique locations, over 100 different types of vehicles to drive, sail andpilot,dozensupondozens of missions and challenges to tackle and thousands of enemies to battle. From sprawling cities to thick jungles to snowy mountaintops, half the fun in Just Cause 2 is simply exploring and causing trouble in the visuallylushgameworld.Chaos is currency in Panau; unlocking new missions is accomplishedbybuildingupachaos meter that tracks how much damage you’re doing to Panau’s military. Sowhetheryou’reblowing upfueltanksataseaport,skyjacking a helicopter in midflight or demolishing statues of Baby Panay, the more stuff you wreck, the better. Though he can arm himselfwitheverythingfromsubmachine guns to rocket launchers, Rico’s signature tools are his grappling hook and parachute, which can be used in tandem for a ludicrously fun variety of aerial stunts. The learning curve on thehookand’chutecontrolsis abitsteepatfirst,butonceyou getahandleonthem,you’llbe zipping and gliding with fluid ease. Although you can spend hours creating your own random mayhem, the scores of pre-setmissionsinJustCause 2 offer a solid amount of variety. How you approach each objective is limited only by howcreativelyyouemploythe dizzying array of vehicles, weapons and tactics at your disposal. JustCause2isoneofthose ambitious games that could easily have been sunk by sloppy controls or a haphazard structure, but it’s excellently put together, very polished and absolutely jammed with stuff to do. Just Cause ****1/2 The DSi XL also comes with two styli, a slim one thatfitsinthebottomofthe unit, and a longer, thicker one shaped like a pen that might prove more comfortable for older gamers to hold and handle. Like Apple with their annual new versions of the iPod, Nintendo has made a lucrative business out of sellingtheirfaithfulfanboys slightlyupdatedversionsof devices they already own, and the DSi XL will be no A large-screen version of the Nintendo DS , right, alongside the currentexception. Heck, Nintendo sized DS. just announced a fifth verAnd although the DSi XL hitwithtraditionalnon-gam- sion of the unit, called the is larger and 100 grams heav- ing demographics like mid- Nintendo 3DS, that will hit ier than the DSi, it’s not bulky dle-aged women and seniors, storesbynextMarchandfeaor difficult to hold. If any- the DSi XL makes a certain ture 3D visuals that don’t rething, it seems to fit more kind of sense. The larger quire glasses. Two new DS comfortably in the hands. screensareeasiertoread,and modelswithinoneyear?Milk With the various versions the slightly larger on-screen that cash cow much, Ninof the Nintendo DS proving a iconseasiertoaccuratelytap. tendo? >Living Well 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA 22 FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS Before you buy, think it through QMI AGENCY — There’s some- thing about walking through a crisp, clean model home on a beautiful spring day that brings out the buyer in most of us. But no matter how enticing the prospect of a brand new home may seem, there’s a lot to think about before signing on the dotted line, especially for first-time owners. Forstarters,it’simportant to know what you can afford. Experts recommend that total housing costs, including mortgage, taxes, insurance and condo fees, should be no more than 25 to 30% of your total income. It’s also important to set aside a small fund for the extras that don’t always come with a new home such as window treatments, landscaping, appliances, decks or patios. Once you have a price in mind, the next step is to create a list of likes and dislikes. This list will help you to rank thevariousdevelopmentsyou visit and will keep your emotions in check when you find yourself overwhelmed by models designed to show everypossiblefeatureandupgrade combination. Eventhoughbuildersprovide their own real estate agents, it’s a good idea to hire your own. The agents on-site at the model home are being paid to represent the builder andaren’tlikelytoopenlydiscuss drawbacks. In fact, they often do just the opposite, stagingfurnitureinawaythat hides small flaws and highlights best features. Try to select a realtor who has already completed a number of new hometransactionsandhasan establishedrelationshipwith your homebuilder. Oneofthemostimportant steps when buying a new home is to do your research, not only about the reputation ofyourbuilder,butalsoabout the city plans for your neighbourhood. You can start by checking public records for lawsuits against your builder, talking to other homeowners about the construction quality of their homes, and investigating whether or not your builder sells to investors – if homes aren’t required to be owneroccupiedyoumayfind yourself surrounded by rentals.Innewdevelopments, you should look at future city plans for roads, greenspace, schools, amenities, zoning One of the most important steps when buying a new home is to do your research, not only about the reputation of your builder, but also about the city plans for your neighbourhood. and transportation. Before signing a purchase contract you will need to hire a real estate lawyer to walk you through the wording. It’s importanttounderstandyour liability and obligations, as well as those of your builder. Sometimes builders will express the need for urgency in order to secure a specific location or unit, so you may need to rely solely on the expertiseofyourrealtor.Nevertheless, it’s usually better to walk away than to sign something you’re not sure about. When it comes time to arrange financing for your new home, most builders encourageone-stopshoppingby providing incentives tied directly to the use of their own lender. However, if you’re not careful,youcouldenduppaying higher interest rates and higher closing costs. Before agreeing to anything, you should check with your own financialinstitutionaswellas alternative lenders recommended by your realtor. Finally, no matter how qualified they are, construction workers can make mistakes. Regardless of the warranty that comes with your new home, you will need to hire a licensed home inspec- tor to go over everything with afine-toothedcombtoensure everything is up to standard. Buying your first home doesn’t have to be a dream come true, but it shouldn’t be anightmareeither.Byfollowing these simple steps, you can avoid the common mistakes of many first-time buyersandincreasetheoddsthat your first experience will be a positive one. >Living Well >> Spring into inspired colours During the spring, summer and fall, Canada is alive with colour. The greens and golds of summer prairies, the rich reds of fall leaves, the pale pastels of spring tulips — these are all inspiring colours that translate well to our homes. And a hit of season-inspired colour is just what many homeowners need after a long and dreary winter of grey on grey. “Canada is a beautiful and majestic country, but our natural landscape does not provide a great deal of colour in the wintertime,” says Bev Bell, creative director, Beauti-Tone paint and home products division, Home Hardware Stores Limited. “Most people attribute the winter blahs to longer periods of darkness, but the greater factor is likely the lack of colour — and the best way to brighten our spirits is to brighten our homes.” 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL5 2010 WWW.24HRS.CA 24 Strengthen your den FOR QMI AGENCY — Textured wallpaper, dark wood cabinets and clean-lined furnishings give this basement den a strong, masculine feel. Against this solid backdrop, carefully chosen accessories add exotic interest. Family room ideas for all size of homes can be seen at www.getdecorating.com/ho me_office.cfm. A ceiling fan circles slowly overhead, efficiently circulating the air in both summer and winter. Potted tropical plants fill the room's empty corners. And a large primitive painting of a deer makes a dramatic focal point suspended on the wall behind the desk. The desk has a richly grained wood top and bamboo-shaped metal legs. Its open base creates an airy am- Dark woods and clean lines create a masculine feel. bience in the room and makes it a versatile piece of furniture that could easily be used in another room setting. An upholstered office chair provides comfortable seating while at work. Two wood-framed club chairs with seagrass accents and tan leather cushion seats face the desk. The arms of these cleverly designed chairs contain three small shelves, perfectly sized for storing pocket books. Behind this perfectly bal- anced seating arrangement, three black-and-white ink sketches hang at equal height on the wall. A low-pile off-white carpet completes the picture, providing an effective contrast to the room’s dark woodwork. For more design and decorating ideas, visit www.getdecorating.com. >Sports 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APR 1 - MONDAY APR 5 2010 VANCOUVER..24HRS.CA puck talk » Second round WHL Eastern Conference Semi-Final CALGARY vs. MEDICINE HAT Game 1 - Fri Apr 2 Medicine Hat at Calgary (7 p.m.) Game 2 - Sun Apr 4 Medicine Hat at Calgary (5 p.m.) Game 3 - Tue Apr 6 Calgary at Medicine Hat (7 p.m.) Game 4 - Wed Apr 7 Calgary at Medicine Hat (7 p.m.) Game 5 - Fri Apr 9 Medicine Hat at Calgary (7 p.m.)* WHL Eastern Conference Semi-Final BRANDON vs. SASKATOON Game 1 - Fri Apr 2 Brandon at Saskatoon (7:05 p.m.) Game 2 - Sat Apr 3 Brandon at Saskatoon (7:05 p.m.) Game 3 - Wed Apr 7 Saskatoon at Brandon (7 p.m.) Game 4 - Fri Apr 9 Saskatoon at Brandon (7:30 p.m.) Game 5 - Sat Apr 10 Saskatoon at Brandon (7:30 p.m.)* WHL Western Conference Semi-Final TRI-CITY vs. KELOWNA Game 1 - Fri Apr 2 Kelowna at Tri-City (7:05 p.m.) Game 2 - Sat Apr 3 Kelowna at Tri-City (7:05 p.m.) Game 3 - Tue Apr 6 Tri-City at Kelowna (7 p.m.) Game 4 - Wed Apr 7 Tri-City at Kelowna (7 p.m.) Game 5 - Fri Apr 9 Kelowna at Tri-City (7:05 p.m.)* Game 6 - Sun Apr 11 Tri-City at Kelowna (5:00 p.m.)* Game 7 - Tue Apr 13 Kelowna at Tri-City (7:05 p.m.)* *if necessary nhl ontap HOCKEY Rested Giants waiting HOSEA CHEUNG - Waiting a week to find out who their next opponent is has been good opportunity for the Vancouver Giants to rest, but it doesn’t mean any of their players are about to slack off. Not even if he’s one of the team’s top scorers, and especially not when Don Hay is coach. “With him, we’re definitely not going to take the foot off the gas pedal,” said Brendan Gallagher, who along with teammate Craig Cunningham registered a team-leading 10 points in the Giant’s opening-round sweep of the Kamloops Blazers. “He’s going to have us ready for sure.” After dispatching the Blazers last week during the first round of the WHL playoffs, the Giants have been waiting to find out who they’ll play next. Their second-round opponent was to be decided Wednesday night, prior to 24 hours’ deadline, in a game-7 showdown between the Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs. While the Giants are 0-2 against Spokane and 2-2 against Portland this season, it doesn’t matter to Gallagher who they face in the WHL Western Conference semi-finals. “Both teams can give us challenges if we take them lightly,” the Delta native said Wednesday. “For us basically, we’re going to prepare for them the right way. Every series is going to get tougher, and I’ve got to mentally prepare myself for that.” The 17-year-old forward, who registered 41 goals and 81 points in the regular season, has his own way to go about doing that. “You don’t want to have that knock on you that you can play in the regular season and not in the playoffs,” he said. “I basically take it as a new season and start all over.” Whether the philosophy works or not, the 5-foot-8, 163-pound right winger found a way to produce on a consistent basis during his breakout season and in the playoffs. With his dad Ian Gallagher working as the strength and conditioning coach for the organization, the younger Gallagher has been around the team since age 12 and understands the Giants’ tradition. Seeing the likes of current NHLers Gilbert Brule and Evander Kane pass through the franchise, he knows what it takes to be successful. “I think last year, I wasn’t really relied upon to be an offensive leader so that burden was put on me this year,” he said. “I was put in a bigger role and I’ve proved to myself that I can do it.” PHOTO SUBMITTED Brendan Gallagher is tied for first in team playoff scoring. THE BUZZ: The Canucks go on their final multi-game road trip of the regular season Thursday and Friday when they head down to the Golden State to face the L.A. Kings, who are four points behind Vancouver in the standings, and the Anaheim Ducks, who will need a miracle in order to reach the playoffs. PRACTICE: Daniel Sedin had a maintenance day Wednesday but will not miss any games. Both Mikael Samuelsson and Steve Bernier skated with the team and will travel to California but are unlikely to play. As for Pavol Demitra, the forward returned to the ice for the first time since leaving for personal reasons, skating with Shane O'Brien prior to the Canucks practice. LAST MEETING: The Canucks can go for the season sweep against the Kings with a win Thursday. They are 3-0 this season versus L.A. with their last win coming in December. - HOSEA CHEUNG read us online at Vancouver.24hrs.ca 25 >Sports 55 on 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APR 1 - MONDAY APR 5 2010 VANCOUVER.24HRS.CA GUTS MCTAVISH 24 hours’ columnist ALEX WRIGHT Blogger Canucks hockey blog.com Body check hockey dummies dressed like Todd Bertuzzi & Patrick Kane. AA has been hitting the Russian Box uber hard. Rufie Shane O’Brien's water bottle. Sabotage Shane O'Brien's alarm clock. KAREN K CFOX DJ DEAN BROUGHTON 24 hours’ Editor-inchief HOSEA CHEUNG 24 hours’ sports reporter What did Andrew Alberts do to stay ready while scratched? Had Dana Murzyn work with him on his foot speed. Which Canuck should have his own reality show and what should it be called? Shane O'Brien... My Life On The S#!t list. O’Brien. It would be called Roxy of my heart and it would have blondes. Shane O'Brien with more of a talk/variety show called Late Night with Shane O'Brien. Alex Burrows goes Gs to Gents. Alain Vigneault can host "Whose Line Are You On Anyway?" What's a more creative punishment for Shane O'Brien after being late to practice? Tie him down Clockwork Orange-style, force him to watch a local news banter. Burrows’ Crawford impression as Shane's wake-up call early every morning. No Roxy for 30 days. Stick boy for the Moose for a week. That would help him prioritize. He has to make Mike Gillis laugh. Good luck. What would convince the UFC to stay in Vancouver? By offering up The Dell Hotel parking lot as a venue. If everyone got GSP's face tattooed on their biceps. Everyone must return all Ed Hardy & Affliction clothing to City Hall to be burned. Offer Gregor Robertson in a cage match with Tito Ortiz. Get lululemon to give Joe Rogan an even tighter shirt. Abbotsford Heat head coach Jim Playfair is to hockey sticks as... Justin Bieber is to my ears! Lady GaGa is to pants. Rod Blagojevich is to Celebrity Apprentice. My two-year-old is to toy cars. Jesse James is to wedding vows. >Classifiedsextra.ca 26 Moar’s revenge MATT KIELTYKA - Canadian light heavyweight boxing champion Junior Moar’s last bout left a bitter taste in his mouth. Sure he won the title at the RiverRock Casino last June, but only because his opponent Abdullah Ramadan was more interested in low blows. “I was discouraged by the way it ended, I wish I could have knocked him out,” said Moar. “I fight for the fans and felt bad for them.” Since, the Vancouver resident has become a first-time fighter and has set his sights on a Top 20 North American ranking. All that stands in his way is California’s Billy Bailey, Moar’s opponent at Rumble at the Rock VII’s main event Saturday at Richmond’s RiverRock Casino. 27 >Diversions 24H VANCOUVER >THURSDAY APRIL1-MONDAY APRIL 52010 WWW.24HRS.CA Q& A with Miki have been struggling QIwith my sexual identity for years, and I refer to myself as bisexual,but in my heart I know that I am totally gay. My family doesn’t know nor do my friends, and every relationship I’ve had with someone else has been long distance. I’m trying to decide whether to get my life out on the table, or just play straight for the rest of my life for the sake of not hurting my family. Do I drop the bomb or run for shelter? —Tormented A It’s amazing that you make it through the week with all this burden on your mind, it must be difficult. Your family already knows that something is different, but they’re as afraid to ask as you are to tell, so an announcement wouldn’t surprise them. Your friends love you for who you are, so it’s time for you to leave the closet.I don’t see a terrible outcome, so forget playing straight and lets get your life on track. Daily Affirmation If there is no peace within you, the outside world becomes a hard place to live. — MIKI IS A PROFESSIONAL PSYCHIC. CONTACT MIKI AT 416-537-5955 OR ASKMIKI.CA. EMAIL QUESTIONS, WITH PHOTOS AND BIRTHDATES TO [email protected]. Make Your Day Ralph Hamelmann/Jesse Stong ARIES Today you start a journey towards inner strength. TAURUS Family will be the centre of this month, and this weekend you will get hints of why. GEMINI Identify where that negative energy came from, it isn’t yours but you’re wearing it. CANCER Try not to have any business decision set in stone until mid-month. LEO Taking risk is always your strong suit, but for today stick to what you know. VIRGO Your career will be spinning in several directions this month, enjoy the change. LIBRA This month you will be playing parent again to a lot of your friends. Teach what you know. SCORPIO The key word this month is acceptance. You’ve waited a long time for these changes. SAGITTARIUS Your aim is a bit off this month, don’t get frustrated, try out new things. CAPRICORN Cap some time off this month to take a trip or get out of the workplace. AQUARIUS A lot of big decisions that have been coming for a long time arrive this month. PISCES Whether you are thinking about romance or in a good one, your heart rules this month. — RALPH HAMELMANN PRODUCES THE PSYCHIC BRUNCH. FOR $40, GUESTS RECEIVE A PSYCHIC READING, A DELICIOUS BRUNCH AND A COMPLIMENTARY GIFT. PARTIAL PROCEEDS BENEFIT LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS. VISIT PSYCHICBRUNCH.CA FOR MORE DETAILS. ACROSS 1 Addition sign 5 Slight colorings 10 Look gazingly 14 Misplaced 15 Arm joint 16 Erie or Tahoe 17 __ so; very 18 Jet or Cessna 19 Not brand new 20 In addition to 22 Melancholy 24 Female deer 25 Canned 26 Frequently 29 “__ Abner” 30 Stop 34 Red planet 35 Late Bernie __ 36 Chestnut horse 37 High card 38 Quicker 40 Sheep’s cry 41 Empty-__; dumb 43 “__ Got You Under My Skin” 44 Young horse 45 Fall flower 46 Today, in Spain 47 Scandinavian 48 Stupid person 50 __ soup 51 Reaction to a long, dull speech 54 Lower in rank Yesterday’s answers 58 Finished 59 Biblical tower city 61 Comfortable 62 Usually dry ravine 63 Wading bird 64 Mount __ 65 Narrow opening 66 Stitched joinings 67 Requirement DOWN 1 Commoner, in old Rome 2 Strong affection 32 Closes tightly 3 Employs 33 Thrill 4 Walks with long steps 35 Furious 5 Conical tent 36 Behold 6 Misfortunes 38 King who ordered John 7 Org. for ‘76ers and Lakers the Baptist’s beheading 8 1 of 2 lymph tissue 39 Climbing plant masses in the throat 42 Bad mark 9 Take an oath 44 Make rough 10 Pillage; loot 46 Tribute; honor 11 Relaxation 47 Opposite of positive: 12 __ out a living; gets by abbr. 13 Cincinnati team 49 Regal wraps 21 __ Ameche 50 Hits with rocks 23 Style & layout of furnish- 51 Curtsies ings 52 Ellipse’s shape 25 Library section 53 Make over 26 Nebraska city 54 Consider 27 Looks toward 55 Feed the kitty 28 Give first aid to 56 Sand mound 29 __ Vegas 57 “Yikes!” 31 Shelter of latticework 60 Undergarment
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