Comments for AndrewKurjata.ca

Comment on Why the “Sinking Ship” of Community Journalism Is Worth Saving by Tclarke

Tclarke — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:08:00 +0000

Well said. As for wages, if one goes into journalism expecting high wages, they’ve deluded themselves. When I worked in a town of 3500 people I made $27000. Considering living expenses are lower in small towns than cities, this was a decent wage. In one year I saved the $7000 I needed to start Cutbanks magazine in PG. I now work at a daily paper in Prince Albert and make $31000 – less than the small town paper when factoring in city living expenses. 12 hour work days are common, but I’m driven by the importance of the stories- people need to know these things, and someone has to tell them. With cities’ multiple news sources, small town papers are even more important than city papers. The larger papers read the smaller papers, snagging the important stories.

Brain spewing rambles, here…

I think the Main reason reporters treat small town papers as starter jobs is because of the stories. 90 per cent of small town paper stories wouldn’t make it into a city paper. If you’re a good reporter you’ll find plenty of stories anywhere, but in cities it’s easier. If you want to advance in your career you have to move to a city.

There may not always be newspapers – advertising revenue and such- but there will always be reporters. Newspapers would be best, though, as they provide a filter of quality. Judging from the local online news source, the quality in the newspaper with regard to accuracy is far superior.

Comment on Life in the Bike Lane by Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:10:00 +0000

That’s a shame. I don’t know that PG drivers are any worse than anywhere else, but there are definitely parts of the city that seem to be deliberately designed to create problems between bikers and drivers (5th ave at the highways, for example
http://www.andrewkurjata.ca/blog/2011/06/22/this-is-what-a-bike-lane-looks-like-redux/ ).

But I’ve definitely spoken to more than one person who would like to bike but wouldn’t feel safe doing so. The irony being that biking is much safer than driving, assuming you don’t encounter terrible drivers in big cars. In a letter to the editor responding to the same column I am, the president of the PG Cycling Club points out that there are only 65 cycling deaths/year in Canada, and 650,000 deaths by heart disease. The health benefits can far outweigh the risks of biking, especially if reasonable infrastructure is in place.

Comment on Life in the Bike Lane by Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:04:00 +0000

I’m relatively new to the whole cycling thing, so I’m not yet worn out by the cycle, if you’ll pardon the pun. Hopefully some progress is made. I look at places like Portland and it seems like it’s possible. Probably won’t be able to publish responses to every anti-cycling thing I see, though– just those in my own city.

Comment on Life in the Bike Lane by Mike

Mike — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:36:00 +0000

Great post. I don’t bike, but my wife has actually STOPPED biking in the city because of inconsiderate PG drivers. She’s almost died or been seriously injured numerous times. And she’s one of the most cautious drivers (of bikes AND cars) that I know. She’s been honked at and even bumped from behind at intersections deliberately. She keeps her cycling to trails and things now.

I don’t think anyone has ever said The Free Press was a source of outstanding journalism.

Comment on Did You #TweetTheResults? by Go Ahead, #TweettheResults | AndrewKurjata.ca

Go Ahead, #TweettheResults | AndrewKurjata.ca — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:06:22 +0000

[...] Did You #TweettheResults? [...]

Comment on The Election That Wouldn't Change Anything… by Did You #TweetTheResults? | AndrewKurjata.ca

Did You #TweetTheResults? | AndrewKurjata.ca — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:05:51 +0000

[...] am not going to opine on the election results beyond what I said last night. But, after the fact, I would like to comment on the #TweetTheResults hashtag that was a secondary [...]

Comment on Life in the Bike Lane by “Column shows poor attitude to cyclists” | AndrewKurjata.ca

“Column shows poor attitude to cyclists” | AndrewKurjata.ca — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:43:52 +0000

[...] recent post on biking struck a chord, attracting over 100 pageviews in 24 hours and about 30 social media shares (for [...]

Comment on If This Then That by Josh Platzky Miller

Josh Platzky Miller — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:49:00 +0000

Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

Comment on Life in the Bike Lane by Patrick Cormier

Patrick Cormier — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:23:00 +0000

After years of reading and writing about cycling, I just can’t seem to get my anger up any more. Published rants about cyclists (particularly winter ones) are as predictable as gravity. I am not a cycling activist or political cyclist either. Sadly, I have learned to just tune these kinds of articles out rather than try to change anyone’s mind. Good on you for making the effort.

Comment on Bus Service: Keep It Simple, Increase Ridership by Kreanurn

Kreanurn — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:02:00 +0000

Say “No” to the fare hikes on Jan. 2013.

Comment on Life in the Bike Lane by Anwen Roberts

Anwen Roberts — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:57:00 +0000

Well said. I also don’t think she should speak for cranky blondes, because as a yellow-haired individual, nothing gives me more road rage than seeing drivers abusing their road privileges. If you’re slipping and sliding through yellow lights, get winter tires, drive more slowly, and leave your house earlier. If you’re in control of a dangerous weapon, it’s your responsibility to be careful with it, not the responsibility of others to get out of your way.

Comment on Meet the Mehtas by Vancouver to create database of negligent landlords | AndrewKurjata.ca

Vancouver to create database of negligent landlords | AndrewKurjata.ca — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:17:58 +0000

[...] on Prince George having its own problems, I’m wondering if this is a model being [...]

Comment on No Important Albums by Almost Mainstream: My Top 11 Albums of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca

Almost Mainstream: My Top 11 Albums of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:14:56 +0000

[...] I wrote about the concept of 2011 having “No Important Albums”, citing a lack of anything groundbreaking– sonically or otherwise. At the time I wrote that I [...]

Comment on My Favourite Music of 2010 by Almost Mainstream: My Top 11 Albums of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca

Almost Mainstream: My Top 11 Albums of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:12:05 +0000

[...] was because that was basically what I listened to– songs, and very few actual albums. As I wrote at the time: “If there’s one thing I can peg 2010 too, it’s the year I officially transitioned out of [...]

Comment on How much do you cost the government? by My Five Most Popular Posts of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca

My Five Most Popular Posts of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:30:20 +0000

[...] Stereotypes is tied with a later entry, also about Aboriginal issues, but this one more tangible. How Much Do You Cost the Government also has 152 visitors, and is simply asking in the midst of the Attawapiskat controversey over [...]

Comment on How (And Why) To Start A Music Blog With Tumblr by My Five Most Popular Posts of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca

My Five Most Popular Posts of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:30:04 +0000

[...] Four: Tumblr/ex.fm was the most popular post I wrote this year, with 318 unique visitors, while How (And Why) To Start A Music Blog With Tumblr is fourth with 166 unique [...]

Comment on Stereotypes by My Five Most Popular Posts of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca

My Five Most Popular Posts of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:28:45 +0000

[...] with number five. When I wrote it, it was the post I was most proud of, and it stays that way. Stereotypes was about my take on the negative views held of Aboriginal Canadians in the modern world. At the [...]

Comment on How Do You Music, Part Four: Tumblr/ex.fm (Music Discovery and the Web) by My Five Most Popular Posts of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca

My Five Most Popular Posts of 2011 | AndrewKurjata.ca — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:28:30 +0000

[...] guides I wrote this year that were the most useful were the two on Tumblr and ex.fm integration. How Do You Music Part Four: Tumblr/ex.fm was the most popular post I wrote this year, with 318 unique visitors, while How (And Why) To [...]

Comment on Meet the Mehtas by Fact Check: Victoria Towers | AndrewKurjata.ca

Fact Check: Victoria Towers | AndrewKurjata.ca — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:59:26 +0000

[...] I’ve done quite a bit of work on the Victoria Towers story for CBC, I was interested in this development, especially since as of [...]

Comment on Fact Check: Victoria Towers by Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:39:00 +0000

No official cause of the fire has been released by the fire department or police.

Comment on Fact Check: Victoria Towers by Pub_lord

Pub_lord — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Has anything happened to the tennant who started the fire? Have they been charged?

Comment on Fact Check: Victoria Towers by Awesome Reality

Awesome Reality — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:49:00 +0000

You shouldn’t worry about blaming the Citizen. It was a lazy bit of journalism. The information they based their story on was third hand at best and didn’t actually tell us why this story matters right now. But hey, to each their own.

Comment on Fact Check: Victoria Towers by Awesome Reality

Awesome Reality — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:46:00 +0000

What the hell???

Comment on No Magic Bullet: Tenant Rights in B.C. by Meet the Mehtas | AndrewKurjata.ca

Meet the Mehtas | AndrewKurjata.ca — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:12:47 +0000

[...] See also: No Magic Bullet: Tenant Rights in B.C. [...]

Comment on Who Speaks for First Nations? by Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:12:00 +0000

I should have included this, too: http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/episodes/2010/02/22/white-paper-red-paper-cd/

Comment on Who Speaks for First Nations? by Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:44:00 +0000

However, it is important to remember that there are hereditary chiefs who have aligned with the band councils on both these issues (abolition of the Indian Act in favour of the Gitxsan Alternative Governance Model) and the Enbridge agreement. So it’s not cut and dry.

And in terms of the reserve system, that’s very much tied to the Indian Act, which has a lot of back and forth in recent history. On the one hand, many people take the same viewpoint you do. On the other, it is where most Aboriginal rights in Canada are derived from, and there is a big concern surrounding the what abolishing the Act in part or in whole would do in terms or land rights, title, consultation, benefits, governance… pretty much everything. In some ways it as seen as just another attempt to get rid of the “Indian Problem” by getting rid of the existence of “Indians” as a legal entity. That came up under Trudeau with the so-called “White Paper” and was quite controversial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Act

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_White_Paper

http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/aps/article/view/11690/8926

Comment on Who Speaks for First Nations? by Melanie

Melanie — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:07:00 +0000

You have cleared up one point for me- hereditary chiefs versus band council- is the reason why the Gitxsan appear not to have their act together on the Enbridge issue. It makes more sense to me now. I doubt any consensus will be reached soon, as trying to get everyone to agree on a plan of action should and will take a long time. It’s what’s expected in a democracy. And, If we are to live in harmony with Canadian aboriginal people the reserve system has to go.

Comment on Defending the Stanley Cup riots as B.C.’s top news story by Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:05:00 +0000

Thank you Eric, I appreciate the feedback.

Comment on What were northern B.C.'s top news stories of 2011? by Tom_Fletcher

Tom_Fletcher — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:56:00 +0000

The blowout of Highway 97 in the Pine Pass.

Comment on Kin 4 Background and Reaction by What were northern B.C.’s top news stories of 2011? | AndrewKurjata.ca

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:39:40 +0000

[...] the Prince George ice rink debate [...]