from the "peeling back the curtain" dept.

If you know anything about Vancouver, you just had to know that the stories of the city's dark side would start appearing in the global media. I don't mean the idiot "hate everything" protesters. I mean the drugs, the poverty and the violence. It's true. Vancouver is amazing on the surface, but struggles with some very serious social problems.

This morning I watched a report on BBC World about Vancouver's dark side.

As Vancouver prepares to host the Winter Olympics, the city continues to struggle with a vicious drugs war. Dozens have been killed in escalating turf battles that have spread far beyond the city limits. But it is a war that has its roots even further away, in Mexico.

The rest of the story is HERE. What do you think?

from the "how others see you" dept.

As the Winter Olympics are coming to the city I refer to as home (Vancouver) and I currently work in broadcast marketing and promotion, I'm interested in seeing Olympic graphics and openings from different world broadcasters. Today: The BBC. I love it!

from the "Charley! Why?" dept.

The BBC World Service has produced a series of radio docs focused on West Africa. Episode #1 is an eye-opener. It tells the story of Spirit Children.

Programme one begins in Northern Ghana, with the story of one man and his efforts to stop the widespread killing of babies and children in northern Ghana. Cletus Anaaya has made it his life's work to bring an end to the phenomenon known as Spirit Children. [BBC SITE]

Important listening.