Much to the detriment of tech startup founders and out-of-town tourists, the Canada Revenue Agency has ruled Segways do not, in fact, constitute a medical expense. While some may use it as a standing wheelchair, the gyroscoped two-wheeler doesn’t cut it for the 15% federal medical expense tax credit. I know at least one Bluth family member from Arrested Development who will be happy to remain south of the border.
And word just broke of the sale of the Seattle building that’s home to the Post-Intelligencer newspaper’s giant rooftop globe.
The P-I now only exists in digital form but ownership of the globe is still in the hands of the Hearst Corp., so the building’s new owner won’t get to inherit the icon.
Now there’s a special place in my heart for the fate of the P-I globe, which continues to serve as a brand for the digital news agency.
The P-I was the daily paper delivered to my home in the Seattle suburbs where I grew up in the 1990s. In fact, I even delivered those newspapers when the regular delivery boy was away — my first foray into the news business.
Meanwhile, families of American victims killed by Mexican drug cartels are taking their grievances to court and suing HSBC Holdings Plc for facilitating money laundering.
The bank paid US$1.9 billion to resolve a criminal money laundering investigation in 2012, owing to help it provided to drug gangs.
HSBC says it’ll fight the claims in court.
It might be poor form to link to a story I wrote but Vancouverites are sure to recognize more than a few familiar sights in Deadpool, opening this weekend in North America.
Producers behind the racy superhero flick, which stars Vancouver actor Ryan Reynolds in the title role, spent $40 million in B.C. making the movie. We’ve seen the Canadian dollar sway back and forth quite dramatically the past decade.
While consumers may not be doing much cross-border shopping, the low loonie has been helping entice big productions like Deadpool and Star Trek Beyond to set up shop and film in Vancouver.
I’m not sure a violent and flashy action movie like this will be a Best Picture contender at next year’s Academy Awards — forget that, I’m positive it won’t be. But Mad Max: Fury Road is competing for the big prize at the end of the month.
If you have any question marks about the artistic merits of such a pulse-pounding flick, this video essay sums up what is in fact worthy of the Oscar for Best Picture.
But even if it doesn’t get the much-deserved win, I’m going to be just as psyched if Spotlight walks away with the Oscar for its depiction of the Boston Globe’s investigative unit that was tasked with looking into sexual abuse cover-ups at Catholic Churches. But then, again, I do have a soft spot for anything dealing with journalism and the word globe.
