MARCH 1, 2011

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elebrate the 100 Anniversary of International WoOlen's Day

March 8. 2011

THE WOMAN CAME FROM A MAN'S RIB, NOT FROM HIS FEET TO BE

WALKED ON, NOT FROM HIS HEAD TO BE SUPERIOR, BUT FROM THE

SIDE TO BE EQUAL, UNDER THE ARM TO BE PROTECTED, AND NEXT

TO THE HEART TO BE LOVED.

Motion on notice Ensuring Women's Safety in Va""'"".r<>r'~

Housing Shelters MOVER: Councillor Ellen Woodsworth

WHEREAS There are many homeless women in the City of Van­couver;

Many of these women seek shelter on couches or spend nights with strangers and are therefore not listed in the statistics of the homeless; There arc no 24 hour emergency homeless shelters exclusively for women;

At least four sexual assaults on women have been reported at just one of the emergency shelter over the past year; 24 hour emergency homeless shelters currently do not provide full security for women in separate facilit ies; The Wa lk4Justice aboriginal women's group and

other groups have been raising these issues and have called upon the City of Vancouver to provide a 24 hour women's only shelter.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED A. THAT Council make its highest priority the creation of24 hour women's only shelters to provide safe and secure emergency housing options for vul­nerable women.

B. THAT Council direct staff to ensure optional separation between women and men in all of Vancou ver's existing housing shelters and ensure safety and securit)' for all its users.

"Calling all not-for-profit organizations" . Does your team have big ideas, but not enough hands on deck? Do you need smart. enthusiastic,

motivated individuals to help with summer projects?

The UBC Arts Internship Program connects UBC undergrad students in the Faculty of Arts with com-munity organizations for part-time unpaid internships. Each internship lasts between 4 and 8 months, and interns are available to work between 8 and 12 hours per week. Students are studying fine arts. languages, and social sciences (socioloro. economics, political science, etc).

ample internship positions include helping with community relations/outreach, marketing and com­munications, social media, business de,elopment. event planning and research projects.

To become an Arts Internship employer, your or­ganization must be able to provide supervision and training for the student. and ensure that the position includes significant aspects of experiential learning­so that the student gains new skills and experiences to help them in their future career.

For more details, see: http://www.arts.ubc.ca/students/careers/arts­internship-program.html

Interested organizations should contact karly.pinch@ubc.ca to apply."

Endless Colour All the Same

Other day someone of Mulatto extraction Calls me a spook, makes me wonder Wat would've happened if I'd said 'hey my nigga', ballistics I imagine race is such a touchy deal these days what's cool with this ain't cool with that can't say shit without someone get1ing dO\\ nright pi sst at ya .. but we are all the same underneath the skin the accessories our various costumes always somebod) ready to be offended and conversely offensive makes me wish for the day '' e are all just golden-skinned and we looJ.. at the contents and not the package we come in

AI

3

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APRIL 29, 2011 AT THE CARNEGIE CENTRE

MINI-MANUSCRIPT CONSULTATIONS. ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS. PROFESSIONAL SKILLS WORKSHOPS. GUEST AUTHOR READINGS.

For details, visit www.thewritersstudio.ca.

~ The People's Co-op Bookslore G.E.I.SI

DEFININ6 600

When humans inched out of the world of instinctual behavior and began to mentally reason in dull thought they unproved their advancement toward what we are now.

Somewhere along the way they looked at the earth they li ved on and decided it was quite beautiful. They probably wondered how such a place came to be? They watched babies being born and decided this was a miraculous process. "There must be a higher power somewhere," they reasoned.

Thus, began the search for what we now call God. 'God made the world, so it must be a happy God. God made the thunder so it must be angry about something today. Why are we here?'

They reasoned and rationa lized over thousands of years. lf'"they'' had all been of one tri be perhaps there would be a clear definition of God this day, with a clear set of rules and regulations, rewards and pun­ishments.

But there were many tribes, many Gods. and much friction concerning who had the right definition.

Wouldn't it have been nice if our ancestors just left it as There Must Be A Higher Power ... So, what has this got to do with the Downtown East­

side and the Carnegie Newsletter? Well, there are higher powers in the heavens and

higher powers on Earth. (Gods of the heavens vs. the political gods of Earth, get it?) When I phoned Paul Taylor at the Carnegie Newslet­

ter o ffice to find out why DERA 's phone was '·Tem­porarily disconnected." he told me they had lost fund­ing from the government...

The Earth gods must be angry. Why did they crucify DERA, the Messiah of the Downtown Eastside, who has saved many a soul from under-the-viaduct-bed­rooms and money grubbing landlords?

Why, oh, gods of Earth, do you do this now, when 1 want to move back to the Downtown Eastside to con­tinue my education at the University of Carnegie. 1 can't even put my name on a waiting list for one of DERA 's apartments, because the process has van­ished like millions of tax revenue dollars into ex­MLA's pensions. The Gods smile on us and they dump on us. It is due

time to change the higher powers

By Garry Gust

Repertoire will include a wide variety of music: Broadway, the classics, marches, ballads, jazz and movie themes ...

Come ami enjoy the big band sound!

Wednesday, March 911., 7:30PM

in Carnegie Theatre

ENVIRONMENTAL BILL OF RIGHTS ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEING LAW: NDP

Ottawa -New Democrat Environment Critic Linda Duncan (Edmonton-Strathcona) was pleased to see her ground-breaking Environmental Rights Bill clear another hurdle today, as it was reported back to the House of Commons following study and amendment by the Standing Commiuee on Environment and Sus­tainable Development.

Duncan's private members' bill, C-469, An Act to establish a Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights, wi ll enshrine environmental fights in Canadian law ..

"I am delighted the bi ll has survived Comminee and is now headed for 3rd reading and a final vote in the House," said Duncan. "This marks an important step forward towards extending to Canadians the environ­mental rights enacted by over 140 countries. It is high time Canadians had the same rights & opportunities."

The bill gives Canadians the right and opportunit ies to hold the federa l government accountable to enact and enforce measures to a clean, healthy environment The bill would a lso protect whistle-blowers.

For more information, please contact: Jesse Brady, press secretary. 613-720-6400

BC H ousing ministe r acknowled ges mistakes at Steeves Manor [mirrored by same at Sunset Towers]

Potential tenants applying to move into Steeves Manor, a subsidized independent living complex lo­cated next to Jericho Park, wil l face increased screen­ing, says the executive regional director for B.C. I lousing. " We've been working jointly with Vancouver Coastal Health and in retrospect we wouldn't have housed those particular tenants at Steeves," Dale McMann said about several recent residents to the complex who have been identified by longtime residents as causing trouble.

In an interview last week between the Courier and several B.C. Housing staff, McMann acknowledged there have been some problems at Steeves and B.C. Housing is commined to fixing them. McMann said besides more vigorous screening for potential tenants, the property portfolio manager has been replaced by a staff person he calls a ·'veteran," full-time tenant sup­port and health workers have been assigned to the building and a fu ll-time building manager has moved into Steeves. He added rumours that the fo rmer resi­dential building manager took an early retirement due to stress are unfounded; the man retired as scheduled. McMann added B.C. Housing plans to increase social activities at Steeves and improve the bulletin boards so information is more easily accessed. "'The upside of all this is it's caused us to revisit the situation and look at how we can do a bener job when mistakes were made," McMann said. The Courier has published a series of stories outlining complaints from present and former Steeves residents about their living conditions when B.C. Housing al­lowed residents with drug and alcohol addictions, some also with mental illness, to move into the hous­ing complex. The seniors told the Courier they're afraid for their safety and are reluctant to leave their suites or walk the hallways alone. Steeves Manor was originally a housing complex fo r seniors and adults with disabi lities.

In the interview last week with B.C. Housing staff, the Courier outlined a number of complaints by sev­eral seniors. They included an allegation that on Dec.

26,2010 a mentally ill tenant had a psychotic episoc9 in the middle of the night, threatened suicide and was taken away by ambulance. In another incident a men­tally ill woman trashed her room and screamed for more than a day before police took down her door and she was taken to hospital, the seniors say. The resi­dents also described a tenant dealing drugs within the complex, the physical assault of a visitor to the build­ing and the regular harassment of a female tenant. Janet McAllister. regional operations manager, said most of the allegations made by the seniors aren' t true, including accusations of drug dealing. though she confirmed the assault, the mentally ill \\Oman being transported to hospital and the harassment alle­gation. At the same time the Courier was meeting with B.C. I lousing, the Residential Tenancy Board agreed the tenant charged in the assault could be evicted. B.C. Housing also wanted to clarify that a woman who died in the hallway at Steeves recently was moved there by paramedics so they would have room to at­tempt to resuscitate her.

McAll ister also said a report in the Courier of a strong smell of marijuana smoke in one of the bui ld­ings wasn 'ttrue. She acknowledged, however, that one disabled tenant has a medical marijuana licence and is legally al lowed to smoke pot in his suite. In d ismissing the complaints by residents, McAllister said she is convinced the housing complex is safe and secure. She said only a small number of seniors have complained about their security among the more than 230 residents living in the complex. McA ll ister said she regularly vis its Steeves and hopes tenants with concerns will approach her for private

conversations. She noted some tenants might believe she doesn't respond quickly enough to their com­plaints, but because of privacy regulations she's un­able to discuss most cases with them. " If we're going for an eviction, we can ' t announce that," she said. "But if people are living in fear, I'd like to have a one-on-one with them." Some Steeves residents told the Courier they' re too afraid to complain for fear they'll be evicted. Both McMann and McA ll ister said evicting a tenant for complaining is uneth ical and illegal

NDP housing critic and Vancouver-Hastings MLA Shane Simpson agreed. "They would never be evicted for complai ning," said

Simpson. " But I understand their fear. They feell_ike they"ve been abandoned so why wouldn't they thmk they'd be put out for complaining."' S impson calls B.C. Housing Minister Rich Coleman "s ing le-minded" when it comes to finding homes for the hard to house. " It seems to have been done at the expense of every­one else with no thought for seniors or families and thars a problem."'

sthomas@vancourier.com •

Winter Death in Springtime Down With Season's Greetings

J) .Do not waste your time --do not wait for death But do consider him He comes when you least expect

2).When hurrying to meet your lo~er . At that charming hotel- the wme already chilled the pate on the si lver tray sweats gently the lilies pale and lovely spread their heady aroma in the room. The bed turned down white & inviting

3). When your son g raduates summa cum laude in La~ the chalet's mortgage paid off, high in Appalachia, Pinetrees close, brook bubbling icily over stones

4).1-le comes when all appears calm and settled Cat curled on hearth rug Sun shining on sil ver cups and spoons on the shelf Glinting off the tin bucket on the porch . Moon ris ing, clouds scudding, breeze blowmg Band playing a stately waltz

S).Death comes frequently/force fully/a thief in th nile Invading/crashing the party/a quiet break 'n enter, filling his pockets with your contentment, grabbing all your dreams of a better life .. Trailing havoc and chaos, embarrassing as the im­pertinent questions of innocent bystanders

6). Yet- ending bondage Ending pain and the long boredom of sameness too much knowing, too much bearing the burden o f responsibility Light of life that pierces to the quick Blinds us to the essence of goodness

?).Darkness -oblivion a salve to burning brightness Relief a blessing as cool water at the Oasis ­Lights out

Wilhelmina Miles

Hi Paul the Steeves Manor mentioned in the paper is not my be housing. I live at Sunset Towers Be I lous­ing where similar problems existed and were in the Wes/ Ender and Courier.

1 had a crack house across the hall from me. The At Home project furnished suites and placed addicts not in recovery under very littl e supervision with us sen­iors and handicapped tenants. Within a month. there were so many people staying there. dealing drugs .. it developed into a crack house.

We have had other good projects for addicts where they were given an apartment and had frequent testing for drugs; if they stayed clean for a year they could stay. Some of these folk have become real great neighbors.

1 believe everyone needs a home but we can't all be thrown in together. But thi s happens, instead of build­ing the right kind of social housing for all .

We all have different needs. The crack house has gone (thank god) but unfortu­

nately it was one more failure for the addict. If the right testing and real supervision had been available maybe he wou ld have made it to sobriety. He was a nice guy, a little slow, and his so-called friends took over his appt. Sadly, having drugs available was not fair for other add icts who \\ere in recovery and being tested .. it wasn' t fair. Catherine ll ume is the executive director of At Home

Her project places addicts not,in recovery or being tested in newly furnished suites with a weekly visit.. here they just met in the lob b), 1 met with Catherine showed her how close the crack­house had been. I asked her, ··would you like this for your mother?" She said, "No, and I wouldn't like it for me either."

She said her program works and this was an excep­tion. She said she would continue the same, but would have home supervision.

As an activist for Homes For All, I just feel guilty that I couldn't cope. I am tired, so tired of this gov­ernment bullshit!

Excuse my ramblings dear friends ... hugs to all!

Sheila

PS You can go on line and see the At Home project. PPS Use anything you need but please protect my address in case someone gets pissed off with me ...

Look everyone it's our friend, the Ho - up & down she goes into her hole of sorrow and pain wave at the beautiful victim isn' t she fun picking through the garbage bag of rags

Look everyone is she dead? is she okay after her tweakfest? you can do her for as little as five dollars

Look everyone her persecutors of God spitting fire and waving

their fists for decadent purity and kapitalist rage isn't she popular, exploited in ways that would

make any other human crawl under a rock and hide Look everyone

once a Ho always a slut. How is she going to sur­vive this? We all see her; we know. She's playing with her twinky-winky- isn't she a pervert!

she's using again; watch her, she' s a threat. Look, everyone's perception of her is distorted,

twisted and bent out of shape. she's crying out for help while we laugh at her,

riding the so-called beast Look everyone

why does she smile and laugh and is preserved why is she full-blown demonized, running around

darkened alleyways in search of the money rod, of those men in need of drainage, exploiting her be­cause they can Look everyone

we made her a movie star without a contract or her permission and intruded on her with authority figures who use prohibition - this so-called "war on drugs" - as an excuse for public floggings

is she having fun yet? peek-a-boo!

TinkerHell

NEWSLETIER ADVERTISING RATES

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$ 10 $ 30 $ so $100

Payment is due within I month of publication. Make cheques payable to Carnegie Newsletter We reserve the right to edit and refuse content.

Sorry don't cut it this time , fool

Sometimes my mouth should be sown shut and my hands tied so there's no possible way I could say or convey some stupid thing This morning I could cut off my tongue for saying something downright offensive to the loveliest person I know, stupid me not realizing how stupid the words were not realizing the words weren't a joke but a slur a slap an insult

Once you' ve said something derisive even if you, in all your ignorance, think it's funny in an off-hand way, you can' t take it back you have revealed to the whole world what a jackass you really are

No amount of apology can change what you said The only thing left to do is shut up and go home beating yourself up about it doesn't change the fact you're an asshole and the whole world knows especially the one person you wanted so badly to care a little for you. Are you happy now? Burn down the house & cry about where to sleep. fools belong alone so the contamination stops

somewhere AI .,

Open Letter to Mayor Gregor Robertson and Council RE: Historic Area Height Review (HA I!R) and Rezoning plans for Higher Buildings

in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside

On January 20. 20 II, Vancouver Cit) Council recommended that proposed changes to building heights in Chinatown (pan of the II AHR area) proceed to public hearing. Council also recommended that proposed changes to building height allowances in the remainder of the HAIIR area be delayed in order to facilitate a public consultation process. The Chinatown and Downtown Eastside area has a long history in the City of Vancouver and is recognized worldwide as a key historic area with many unique features. There have been many reportS, reviews and studies in the area to different purposes, but it has been many years since the area has enjoyed a process through which these different review and study results could inform a cohesive communi!) plan for review, input and approval by area residents. The recent policy report "l listoric Area I Ieight Review: Policy Implementation" provides a list of Council policies that are related to the proposed implementation strategy. The report and recommendations also reference two reportS done in 1994 - The Chinato\\n I lA-I Guidelines for Designated Sites and The Chinatown HA- l Guidelines for Non-Designated Sites, along with 2002 Chinatown Vision Directions. These are important policies and work that provide some background to the future planning of Chinatown. However, in order for proper planning to proceed into the future, it is our view that the height rezoning should not be considered until the community engages in, completes and approves of a Local Area Council Planning process. The Downtown Eastside community has a rich history with some amazing achievements; however, the community also faces many challenges. We have been contacted by many area residents who feel very threatened by the ongoing effects of gentrification. even though Council has adopted the "revitali7.ation without displacement" policy. The reality is that the housing stock for low income individuals, such as SRO units that rent at rates close to the Income Assistance shelter rate, arc dwindling while the homeless population continues to grow - according to the most recent Homelessness Count, a 9"/o increase since 2008. Chinatown also offers a number of much needed affordable housing units in our community, many of which are occupied by Chinese seniors and immigrant community members. The potential for Joss of this housing stock is magnified whenever develop,ment pressures mount. A comprehensive strategy that addresses the issue of gentrification is a vital pan of the equation for future planning. The importance of citizen input to planning applies to small businesses as well as to tenants. Considered policy development is nccessar) to ensure that the existing small businesses, many of whom face a high triple net bottom line, are not faced with further increased cost pressures or a loss of the local residents that they serve. Treasures and assets of the Downtown Eastside communi!) include the Dr. Sun Vat Sen Gardens, the Chinese Cultural Centre and a concentration of art galleries and non-profit artist-run centres. There a number of clan associations and social service agencies in the neighbourhood. This diverse community will be well served into the 21" century if Council allows a full Local /\rea Planni ng committee process to take shape and to guide future development. We acknowledge Council's support for economic revital ization in Chinatown. We believe that to achieve the goal of a revitalized, healthy, sustainable community, it is essential that Council allows for a thoughtful and inclusive Local Area Pial) process. We also 'believe that it is essential that this include a full ana lysis oft he proposed changes to determine po!ential social, economic and environment impacts for the Chinatown and Downtown Eastside communities. Each neighbourhood does not operate in a vacuum. Changes made in the community will certainly have a fallout effect on the surrounding blocks. Chinatown is a vital part of our city, as is the Downtown Eastside Oppenheimer District ("DEOD"), a critical area for the lowest-income renters and for many service organizations. The decision to increase mid-rise building height allowances would be a major shifi to the historic character of the neighbourhood. There is also alarm amongst residents in adjacent neighbourhoods such as Strathcona about the encroachment of high-rise developments. As such, piecemeal, block-by-block rezoning achieved through a truncated process may well result in creating more problems than it proposes to solve and will undermine plans for a healthy, sustainable, inclusive future for the DTES. The City of Vancouver has had a long history of enabling and facilitating successful local Area Planning committees. This successful citizen-input model could be implemented for the area that includes Chinatown, the Downtown Eastside, Victory Square, Gastown and Hastings and Main. We ask that Council not approve those changes which have been sent to public hearing. which could pave the way for height and density increases in Chinatown, until the local Area Council has had the opportunity to complete its work, and we ask that the City expand the public consultation area to include Chinatown.

Jenny Kwan, MLA Vancouver Mt. Pleasant Libby Davies, MP Vancouver East

SPOILSPORTS Sometimes I feel as if I am co-authoring our world's demise, will there be any real difference who governs us while the rest of the world blows up 'corrupts' shoots people on sight let alone disrupts the very fab­ric of humanity right before our desensitised eyes, the price of gas goes up while the price of lives go down, so many dictators they're running out of crowns ... There is I believe a Turkish saying that tears wash the eyes so one can see, sometimes I think if I were com­pletely blind the world could be more kind then this last 2 thousand years of complete control with its complimentary insanity like an OJSLMPSON-SEARS Anger Outlet Centre Inventory Blowout buy 2 and get pissed off for free! Our ovm government like the ones before them keep those wages minimum because it' s always the right time for a world-wide shopping spree but always re­member parts of this world are Off Limits .. in other words '·off the record" because you didn't hear this from me: to the dismay of many orders have been given to shoot anyone on sight, call me crazy but who the hell gives anyone that right, in their dreams we're all in coffins instead of mountains of the dead at least the world can still be innicted with dread but to my dismay they are neatly packed away they sort of try to make it sound okay but the stench of rotting corpses really does take your breath away (possibly the most disturbing display onsight), li ke the ends justifying the means .. I think we are exiting a dimension we did not learn from yet we have a ll seen, these horrifying scenes like faction-fi lled movies on your mobile screens the power of cowards know what the ends add up to someone must have the courage to spit out "What It Adds Up To" and what all of this means, the rage that launched a million fists, the first million murdered were free the millions that follow will be impossible to resist, like all answers questioned Can the US of A be a party to all this they backed Egypt's and Tunisia's dictatorships until the people stood up and said enough of this, recent events remind me be­hind every cruel man lie a lot of scared or dead people

too frightened to even open their eyes and see which~ kind of reminded me, next year would have been Ca-/ ligula's 2 thousandth birthday (born 12 A.D. died 41 AD) have we grown up at all you couldn't get much lower if anything our spoilsportsmanship has taken another backwards fall, just imagine if they had the blu-ray high definition 40 foot long 3 dimensional TV - we could gently walk through yet another holocaust and just pretend that the aches that blind us are noth­ing but dead leaves from another springtime breeze, now I fear what we have here is a failure to control mass communication I think even Darwin the Apostle would agree.

By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY "What would life be without arithmetic but a scene of horrors" - Sydney Smith

Defending the DTES, by any legal and moral means necessary Part 3 CASfNO-GATE: Stopping the DTES-Chinatown

Neigltbourltood 5 Towers It is with heavy heart that I write the following. It is

increasingly looking like we are facing a stacked deck of cards, pertaining to the 5 condo Towers and the Mega-Casino complex. To see my opinion on the gentrification 5 Towers, please see the former issue of the Carnegie Newsletter.

The Mega-Casino Syndicate, has rolled out their "heavy hitters" and supporters, they include, B.C. Business Council, Vancouver Board of Trade, Chamber of Commerce, and the Teamsters, Iron­workers and Canadian Auto Workers unions. On the

other side according to the Vancouver Sun, Vancou­ver's llluminati has lined up against the Mega-Casino Syndicate, they include, political, academic, religious, social activists and thousands of Vancouverites.

There are those that think that the Organized Crime Syndicates Capital ofNorth America is New York City, Chicago or Montreal, guess again? Nicolo Riz­zoto 86, assassinated this past year, the Don of dons of Montreal, pioneered a new type of Globalized Or­ganized Crime Syndicates that partners with Triads, Yakuza, Russkaya(Russian) Mafiya, D company, Hell's Angels etc That model of world organized-crime syndicates is

being taken to the next level in the world's third most unaffordable city, Vancouver. Vancouver is pushing hard to become the world capital of organized crime syndicates. We have: A city with the lowest minimum wage in Canada; a province that for 8 years in a row leads the nation in Child Poverty. A Nation that is known to be a haven for global organized crime syn­dicates, (see Money laundering, casinos, money trans­fers, accounting and tax loopholes etc). I wi ll now delve into the "owner" of Paragon Gan1ing Syndicate, Diana Bennett, and expose it's nefarious and diabolical trai l of tears and brutality.

Diana Bennett, owner of Paragon Gaming etc, is the daughter of Las Vegas pioneer Bill Bennett, one of America's richest men at time of his death 2002. Paragon controls the Excalibur & Luxor casinos. Bill was the co-owner of Circus-Circus.

He's been linked with Tony "The Ant" Spi lotro (if you saw the hollywood movie Casino , the little mean character played by Joe Pesci was based on him.) Jay Sarno, as well, is linked with Bennett. Sarno is the character Robert De Niro plays in the same movie. Sarno was always believed to be Mob (by the FBI) an early pioneer of Las vegas and the "owner" of Circus-

circus (passed on to Bennett). Tony the ant had a " lit­tle shop" in there- Circus-circus.

Diana Bennett is owner of Paragon Gaming, a Las Vegas-based developer and operator of gaming prop-

erties. As an executive of Circus Circus Enterprises' leadership team, Bennett opened and operated gamin, operations at multiple landmark properties, including the Luxor and Excal ibur. She led the merger of the executive staffs of the Edgewater Hotel and Casino and the Colorado Belle Hotel and Casino. She also directed the purchase, takeover, and integration of new management into one of the timeless icons ofth( Las Vegas Strip, the Sahara Hotel and Casino, ac­quired by Gordon Gaming in 1995. Bennett has been personally responsible for management of multiple casino operations, and has been licensed in 45 juris­dictions.(According to her own Bio) (Also see Macau mob Kingpin Stanley Ho and daugli ter Pansy Ho.) Bill Bennett, literally learned on the lap of Las Vegru pioneer Benny Binion(l904-89), according to Diana Bennett in the book Vegas or Bust. Bennett was "as­sistant general manager" of the Mint casino next to Binion's ElDorado. Bennett was legally paid $50,001 a year in 1966(average american salary $13,000) his wife worked at "minimum wage" in the casino "cage", (cash in cash out chips credit etc.)

Binion was a pioneer casino owner, bigtime mob boss, and twice convicted for murder(given sus­pended sentence 2 years). In the 1940's he ran the Dallas mob, invented Texas holdem poker and be­came very rich with the help oflocal politicians, judges, lawmen etc. In 1946, Binion lost his Fix with the local government electiorr and the new boys elected were under the influence of the "Chicago Out fit" also known as the Chicago mob.

Binion cut a deal with them and left for Las Vegas. Some of Benny's most famous casino-hotels were the El Dorado, the Horseshoe, Las Vegas club, Glitter Gulch. Binion's two most famous protege's were Bennett an( soon to be multibillionaire Steve Wynn. Binion in­vented the World series of Poker and is in the Gamin Hall of Fame. He was forbidden by law to carry a gu: but he carried one his whole life and always had a sawed-off shot gun nearby. **The man who passed the "ownership" of the Cir­cus-Circus hotel, casino on to Bill Bennett is Jay Sarno, Las vegas pioneer. He got his start with dirty money expropriated from the TEAMSTERS pension fund by Union boss Jimmy Hoffa.

More to come Part 4 Love Anonymous Zero

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) Newsletter

Read CCAP reports at: ccapvancouver. word press.com Mar 1, 2011

I COULD LIVE

ABOVE THE

L IBRAR

Any day now. city council will decide on the fate of 58 W. Hastings, the gigantic empty lot across from Funky's and 1 1 7 E. Hastings, the garden near Insi te. Read our Jan 151

h article titled ··Will the ci ty take Concord's empty properties on Hastings for social housing?" for more background about the proposed "switcheroo." Jean Swanson from CCAP spoke at a city

Beth Malena stands with

Dave Murray outslda a

potential site for social

housing on Hastings.

Beth, Dave and Jean Swanson spoke at a city council

hearing recently

about another potential site

for social housing: "58

West Hastings."

council hearing about it. Beth Melena, a pastor who lives in Strathcona spoke to council on behalf ofthe DTES Neighbourhood Council. l I ere are Jean and Beth's speeches: "My name is Jean Swanson, and I 'm representing the Camegie Community Action Project. At CCAP we agree that the city should make developers include social housing for low income people on new undeveloped land. (CONT pg 2)

(CONT. from pg 1) But we don 't agree that you have

to put housing for richer people in the low income DTES community. For one thing, that kind of housing is going to be built an)llvay unless you do something to stop it. It 's the default housing.

If council decides to go for the land swap with Concord, we think the housing on the new sites in the DTES should be 100% social housing for the

#1. Low income people don 't really have any healthy options. People

2

with good jobs may not be able to fill their housing dreams in this ridiculous housing market but at least they have a few options.

#2. The site could be used to reduce homelessness by housing at least some homeless people. which would help these people live beller lives and save about $18, 000 a year each. But really, the CCAP vision says that any kind of low income housing would be welcome in the DTES: housing for couples, families. aboriginal people, seniors, Chinese seniors, co-ops, etc. The key for us is low income.

#3. Woodwards is close to 58 W Hastings and Woodwards is having a devastating impact o the low income community, with hotel rents rising fast and businesses serving low income residents being replaced by stores that sell dog clothes, bridal gowns, and soup for $9.50 a bowl. This is gentrification and it pushes poor people out of the place they call home and community. Now is the time for a development on Hastings St. that balances the gentrification impact ofWoodwards, at least a lillie bit.

#4. Pulling richer people into the DTES will not help the poor people who live there already. When CCAP was consulting with 1200 DTES residents about what they wanted for their community. not one person said they wanted more richer people in the area. Not one. (CONT. pg 3)

(CONT. f rom pg 2) In fact, at one meering we asked

people there ~{they could have a nice self contained apartment in Kitsilano or the DTES, which would they chose? They all said DTES except one woman who said Kits. Then she paused a minute and said, "l guess not. If anything went missing they 'd blame me. " Then another woman said, "we're treated like maggots in those other neighbourhoods. " Outsiders call the DTES a ghetto and say it should be destroyed. Residents call it home and wony that they '/I be forced to live amongst those who treat them as less than human.

#5. The DTES is a neighbourhood where lots of residents face discrimination based on income level, disability or illness, the type of addiction they have, race, gender and other factors. But the thing is, people don't feel marginalized in their own community because they are the majority. They told us over and over they feel comfortable and at home. And they said being accepted helps them heal.

#6. The DTES is already probably the most diverse community in Vancouver in so many ways: based on race, health status, type of addiction, income. We already have close to 2000 condo owners or more. To purposely put more richer people in to promote

3

diversity will take some of the uniqueness away from the DTES.

#7. There is a growing pile of

academic literature that says social mix theory, when applied to existing low income communities is an excuse to • Let developers make more profits

from land that low income people occupy;

• Focus on "diluting the poor" rather than reducing their poverty;

• Transfer neighbourhood political power from the poor to richer people.

These academic studies also say that social mixing in pre-existing low income

(CONT. pg4)

(CONT. from pg 3) neighbourhoods does not improve conditions for low income people who are pushed out; and does not promote actual social mixing between classes, I'd be happy to share these studies with you. Here is a sheet that has some abstracts on it with links to some of the studies.

To end on a positive note, I want to say that we were thrilled to see the Director of Planning say in his report that the city still needs to replace 5000 sro units with self contained social housing. This goal of the DTES liP has been put on the back burner for a while and is the basis of our campaign to gel you to by 10 lots in the DTES and designate them for social housing before the next city election.

1~~ ,,

4

"My name is Beth Malena, and I live and work as a pastor in the DTES. I'm also a member of the DNC, which has a membership of almost 700 residents ofthe DTES. We advocate for the needs, interests. and aspirations of our neighbours. f'm here representing them.

It has been hard to know how to respond to this rezoning proposal. which we've been calling "the switcheroo." 58 W Hastings has long been on our list of 10 sites we've been asking the City to buy. So in some ways, this Concord plan sounds great! The land is being handed to the City. We at the DNC could now join the City in lobbying the higher levels of government for funds to build social housing on that s ite.

But we have two issues with this plan - two glitches we can see.

First, the cost of the switcheroo - what Concord is asking for in return: a "buy out" from their social housing obligations on False Creek. As Jean Swanson said, we at the DNC agree that Concord can really afford to just give this land to the City, no strings auached. It's not like these sites are very valuable to them -one is beside lnsite, and they've already tried and failed to build on the other. if

(CONT.pg 5)

(CONT. from pg 4) they gave it to the City, they could see it as giving back to the DTES, offsetting the effects of the condos they've already built in our neighbourhood, on Powell Street.

The second issue we have is the rumblings we've heard about what some members of council want to build on these sites: "Housing for people with good-paying jobs." If this were to take place, this "switcheroo" would be a shady deal. Not only would low-income housing NOT be built on False Creek, but it also would not be built in the DTES.

I don't need to re-hash

100% social housing. I'm worried that much of my congregation will be bussing in from Surrey within a few years ((this doesn't happen.

So here is my challenge to you -the challenge of the DNC:

If the City is playing "Let's Make A Deal" with Concord ... fight .for a better deal.

Fight for the low-income citizens ofthe City you lead. Fight for low­income housing both in False Creek and at 58 W Hastings & 117 E Hastings.

And commit to reserving these DTES sites for 100% social housing.

the reasons why we are pushing for 100% social housing on these sites.

~J PlmK\iES fcrm~~~=!!!-U<...., 1: Libra!'4 on Hastings

And we call on Concord to step up to the plate. Show that it's not just about

2. Buddhtsf Temple co Ha-;,flfl~ 3. Pigeon Park 5avirxjS

58 W. Hast ings . ' legalities,

requirements for low-income housing, and "cash in lieu. "

Jean has already done an excellent job of this. In brief, we are deeply concerned about gentrification. *!*am deeply concerned about gentrification. City staff calls for "revitalization without displacement." 1 believe the "without displacement" part is impossible unless the City starts buying and using sites for

5

Show that you, as business people and citizens of Vancouver, care about *both* people who can afford condos *and* the low-income citizens of Vancouver­fi'iends of mine, whose very lives depend on housing. Thank you.

DNC named co-chair of local area planning process

The DTES Neighbourhood Council (DNC), a group of residents with about 600 members and 21 board members, got a surprise on Jan 201

h when city council declared the D C co­chair a comprehensive local area planning process (LAPP) for the DTES.

A LAPP is typically a city process, where a committee of reps, usually residents, come together to recommend plans and policies for their neighbourhood. CCAP and other DTES groups have been pushing for a LAPP for a few years as a way to get our Vision implemented. We signed a resolution in 2009 that said we wanted a LAPP to have mostly low-income people on the committee. We also want the goal of the LAPP to create a safe. healthy. affordable low-income neighbourhood.

Since this decision was made by city council. the DNC General Members met and passed a resolution to form a planning committee that would look into whether this is a good opportunity for DNC or not and draft up some terms and

6

goals for the LAPP. The members of the planning committee are: Harold, Stacey, Paul, Ivan, Wendy, Jean, Dave H, Oliver, Elmer and Anne Marie. This committee is open to all DNC members. The committee met a couple of times with the other group named as co-chair ''BCS" (Harcourt's group) and with the City Manager, Penny Ballem. If the DNC decides to go ahead with this, it w ill be challenging, to say the least.

DNC members will decide what to do about all this at the next General Meeting on Sat. March 51

h at the First United Church at 2 pm. - Wendy P.

Province challenged to build on 1 0 sites DTES groups want

Liberal and NDP leadership candidates to pledge to fund 1000 units of social housing in the DTES on I 0 sites they have picked out.

"Providing decent housing for low income people is the secret weapon for improving the DTES, " said Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) organizer Wendy Pedersen. "With housing people can get stable lives and start contributing to their community. And governments can save precious lives and money at the same time."

The DTES Neighbourhood Council (DNC), CCAP and other groups want the ci ty to buy 7 sites for social housing in addition to 3 sites the city already owns: the police station, the new library, and (soon) 58 W. Hastings before the next city election. These 7 si tes are valued at under $ 15 million. One of the sites is the former Pantages Theatre on Hastings near Main. " If the owner of the Pantages builds condos at this site, it will be like dropping a bomb on the 100 block of Hastings" said Tan1i Starlight of the DNC. "The property values will go up, rents will go up in

7

hotels nearby and residents will be pushed out and onto the street. Do the provincial leadership candidates care that we' re sinking here? We're asking them to throw us a life-jacket."

With an average of I 00 units on each site, and building costs of about $200,000 per unit on city-owned land, it would cost about $215 M to buy the land and build 1000 units of new self contained housing in the DTES.

"Christy Clark, would you live in a roach infested SRO?" asked Paul Martin from the Vancouver Network of Drug Users. "Would you want one of your relatives, maybe someone with an illness or disability. to have to live in an SRO?"

( Co~t. ~ P1) "Show us you're not afraid to do

the right thing, Mike housing our women and stop killing

them!" Farnworth," added Fraser Stuart, who was homeless last year and now lives in an SRO. "Promise to fund the housing our community needs so desperately."

Gladys Radek, cofounder of Walk4Justice, a Downtown Eastside group that advocates for the nearly 3,000 Missing and Murdered women nation-wide, said " the sad reality is that many of these women would be alive today had they had options for low income affordable

TOWERS IN CHINATOWN??

Sign up to speak at the Public Hearing at city hall

7:30PM- March 17, 2011

Info@ CCAP: (604) 839-0379

*1000 Low-income residents in Chinatown have not been

consulted

These groups are challenging all leadership candidates to agree to provide the funds for these 10 sites and for 2000 units of social housing for low income people in BC every year.

Funding housing for homeless people could actually save the government millions every year because it costs about $55,000 a year to maintain one homeless person for a year and only $37,000 to provide supportive housing.

housing ... Emergency shelters are few and far between and a simple band-ajd fix. Permanent housing offers stability to those in need. These Provincial leadership candidates need to show us their commitment to our women. Start

Money for the housing could come from the BC government's

$250 M Housing Endowment Fund. In addition, governments could increase taxes on people who earn more than half a million a year and bring in an inheritance tax for the richest 2% of people. - JS

Vancity

1

Support for this project does not necessarily imply Vancity's endorsement of the findings or contents of this

report.

8

Sally Ann Blues

Got the shelter blues today buddy below me talks all night over some trauma he replays endlessly, every night, on and on complains I keep Him Awake

Birds Crying

I whispered to the four winds- set me free! I hugged and kissed a withered tree twilight in darkness. fading, dying Crows, seagulls and pigeons -lost birds crying

then the Cocao Man sleeps, doors open then the Beluya Man sleeps like

I saw hunger in their pleading eyes

a big farting stone then there's me who don't say much ain ' t built that way, always cryin'

Tears of weeping willows made my bleeding heart cry Perched on its limbs were thousands of birds waiting For their habitats' destroyed -man's cares are fading

'bout this ' bout that everybody else always to blame we all need to stay dry and warm but these crackers don't hear what I'm sayin'

I heard a whimper in an empty box a creature? a bird? nah, 'twas a silver fox whose wisdom, knowledge, and mood swings collide awaken tear drops of birds crying on the other side

I'd be better off sleepin' outdoors in the rain

Self-teaching coyote and innocent mouse are saddened at their sudden fate thousands of birds falling dead, man's helpless cares come too late their spirits sing- seeds of life- tranquil and benign

AI all nature's Brothers 'n Sisters hear newborn birds crying

All my relations, William Arnold Combes RTB Rules Against Developer in 'Renoviction' Case '

Vancouver -An arbitrator at the Residential Ten- ...:::;.-------------- ------;ncy Branch- ruled in favour of tenants Monday when it decided that eviction notices issued to IS residents of the Seafield apartments, located in Vancouver's West End, were invalid due to 'bad faith' on the part of the Landlord, Gordon Nelson lnc.(GNI). The stated reason for the eviction notices, which came just I 0 days after Gordon Nelson Inc. lost their appli­cation for a 73% rent increase at the Seafield, was to allow the landlord to carry out renovations. The de­velopment company had been pursuing the rent in­crease since February of2009.

In making the decision, arbitrator D. Vaughn found that GNI had ulterior motives when issuing the no­tices to evict for renovations and that sole motivation ofGNl since taking over the building in July of2008 appeared to be to achieve significant rent increases. _Victory comes at a high price for residents_ The decision comes at a time when vacancy levels of rental units remain critically low in Vancouver. The tenants of Seafield are hopeful that the decision in their case will send a message to developers who may wish to empty buildings by way of'renovictions', but still feel further change is needed to prevent landlords from issuing the eviction notices in the first place. Melissa Mewdell, one of the tenants at the Seafield,

believes this is a clear sign that the laws around mass evictions and conversions to upmarket housing need to be toughened. "There are just no penalties for land­lords who abuse the law. Changes to the Residential Tenancy Act are clearly needed to close these loop­holes" she said. Douglas King, housing campaigner for Pivot Legal

Society, who acted as counsel for the Seafield tenants, stated: "It's time for all levels of government to work together to stop the rental crisis in Vancouver. Ten­ants shouldn't have to work this hard to save their homes, nor should they feel at any moment they could be kicked out to make way for someone richer". He also added: "The housing and homelessness crisis is not confined to Vancouver, and perhaps it is time we started looking at our housing problems from a national perspective". While residents are overjoyed with the decision, the

tenants of Sea field worked around the clock and around their full time jobs for two months to prepare the case before the Residential Tenancy Branch. Since GNI took control of the building the residents of Sea­field have had eight separate cases before the RTB, and have gone to Supreme Court once to fight the landlord's application to increase the rents.

News f\"Otn the Library + New books

Sam Harris believes that science should be able to tell us what we ought to do to live the best lives pos­sible. He claims that we already know enough about the human brain and its relationship to events in the world to say that there are right and wrong answers to the most pressing questions of human life. He also argues that, just as there is no such thing as Christian physics or Muslim algebra, there can be no Christian or Muslim morality. Read his arguments and see if you agree in The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values ( 171 ).

Portia de Rossi isn't sure when she went from being thin to being anorexic, when she went from focusing on a healthy diet to obsessively keeping her daily calorie intake below 300, and eating precisely meas­ured amounts of food out of specific bowls and only with certain utensils. Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain (921 DER) tells of de Rossi 's dscent into anorexia and bulimia, and her climb back up to health and honesty, emerging from the closet as an outspoken advocate for gay rights.

Downward Traj ectory 1 really want to disappear; I'm afraid I never will. Am 1 ever going to be erased, to vapour off and van­ish? Confounded I am. What in tarnation am I not doing right for me to run off and hide, towards the great escape?! Why am I always getting the deep downer blues? Besides being hard of hearing am I also missing the news? Oh what's the difference: no one can ever tell whether up is down or if it's a good or bad spell. I can take the mystery; to leave it another's guiding hands, that's the easy thing to do - pass off the honours which are truly meaningless in the ultimate end. I have a lot to be forgiven for so I apologise for all those days of yore. After all, I'm not so mortally wounded .. I can recover cover my head for a while, maybe in a fetal position, to wake in sackcloth and ashes, small pile. End-of-story?

ROBYN LIVINGSTONE

At the age of fifteen, Liz Murray was living on the streets, foraging for food and riding subways at night to have a warm place to s)eep. When her mother died of AIDS, Liz decided to go back to high school, often completing assignments in schoql hallways and sub­way stations. She graduated from Harvard University in 2009. Read her story in Breaking Night: A Mem­oir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey f rom Homeless to Harvard. In Justice Behind the Walls: Human Rights in Ca­nadian Prisons (365.97 1 ), lawyer Michael Jackson draws on hundreds of interviews with prisoners, war­dens and correctional staff. This is a big, dense book, that references lots of legal cases, statutes, and trea­ties. But it is the interviews with prisoners that are the most powerful parts of the book, and their stories that give the book its humanity.

When John Moffat was 20, he was a struggling artist who loved to read about math and science. After read­ing Einstein's paper on relativity, he was inspired to write to the famous scientist, and they continued their correspondence for a number of years. Eventually, Moffat was enrolled in the graduate physics program at Cambridge University, and in 1958, he became the fi rst student in more than 400 years to earn a physics PhD without a prior undergraduate degree. You can read his amazing story in. Einstein Wrote Back: My Life in Physics (530.92).

Sandy Cameron donation The Carnegie branch is also honoured to have re­

ceived books from the collection of the late Sandy Cameron. Sandy was a voracious and eclectic reader, and the breadth and scope of the books will greatly enhance the library' s collection. Each of the books contains a sticker, "Donated from the library of Sandy Cameron". When you read one of these books in the library, or check one of these books out, think of Sandy reading over your shoulder. These books were generously donated to us by Jean Swanson.

Beth, your librarian

Be Aware: ! turned a CFL light bulb in my bath­room on the other day and then smelled smoke after a few minutes. Four inch flames were spewing out of the side of the ballast like a blow torch! I immediately turned off the lights. But I'm sure it would have caused a fire if I was not right there. Imagine if the kids had left the lights on as usual when they were not in the room.

I took the bulb to the Fire Department to report the incident. The Fireman wasn't at all surprised and said that it was not an uncommon occurrence. Apparently, sometimes when the bulb burns out there is a chance that the ballast can start a fire. He told me that the Fire Marshall had issued reports about the dangers of these bulbs.

Upon doing some Internet research, it seems that bulbs made by "Globe" in China seem to have the lion's share of problems. Lots of fires have been blamed on misuse ofCFL bulbs, like using them in recessed lighting, pot lights, dimmers or in track light­ing. Mine was installed in a normal light socket.

COMPACT FLUORESCENT BULBS­RISKS

Are Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs Dangerous? Compact fluorescent lightbulbs contain a minuscule

amount of mercury, and you can't safely ignore poten­tial contact with it!

By John Matson <http://www.scientificamerican.com/author.cfm?id=1237> MERCURY WARNING: Compact fluorescent light­bulbs contain very small amounts of mercury and care must be taken in disposing of them or when they break. Compact fluorescents, like their tubular fluo­rescent precursors, contain a small amount of mer­cury-typically around five milligrams. Mercury is essential to a fluorescent bulb's ability to emit light; no other element has proved as efficient.

As effective as it is at enabling white light, however, mercury -sometimes called quicksilver-is also highly toxic. It is esp~cially harmful to the brains of

both foetuses and children. The problem comes when a bulb breaks. Mercury escapes as vapour that can be inhaled and as a fine powder that can settle into carpet and other textiles.

Federal government agencies say that breakages, though deserving of caution, can be cleaned up inex­pensively, usually with household goods. The director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste M inimizat ion and Management Division recommends starting by opening the win­dows and stepping outside. "Any problems at all fre­quently are handled for the most part by quickly ven­tilating the room," he says. "Get all the people and pets out of the room for 15 minutes and let the room air out. If you have a central heating system or an 1-I VAC [heating, ventilating and air-conditioning] system, you don't want it sucking the fumes around, so shut that down."

The important thing is not to touch the heavy metal. After airing out the room, the larger pieces of the bulb should be scooped off hard surfaces with stiff paper or cardboard or picked up off carpeted surfaces with gloves to avoid contact. Use sticky tape or duct tape to pick up smaller fragments; then, on hard surfaces, wipe down the area with a damp paper towel or a wet wipe. All materials should be placed in a sealable plastic bag or, better, in a glass jar with a metal lid. " I f it gets in the jar, that's pretty good containment." "We've found that the plastic bags actually don't con­tain any mercury fumes, so absolutely, if you've got the plastic bag, get it outside when you're done." Vac­uums or brooms should generally be avoided, as they can spread mercury to other parts of the house.

Intact bulbs can be a headache to dispose of, too. In many locales it is illegal to throw fluorescents out with regular garbage, but the closest recycling or take-back facility may be miles away. Many munici­pal waste facilities and some vendors accept tluores­cents; Earth 9 11 <http://earth9ll.org/> maintains online directories of collection sites. Among major retai lers of fluorescenls, IKEA-offers to take back compact fluorescent bulbs in its stores free of charge. James Dakin, senior consulting engineer at GE Light­ing in Cleveland, says that a mercury-free lighting rep lacement may be in the works: light-emitting di­odes (LEOs) are advancing rapidly. "LEOs are per­haps the most promising mercury-free alternative," he says, "but they currently fall far short in the overall efficiency/color/cost trade-off."

letter-to-the- editor; Sun & Province)

With the deinstitutionalisation of growing numbers of people with mental illnesses, the much-publicised police actions raise serious concerns . The fatal shooting of the man on Commerc­ial Drive, the one brandishing a steak knife - was the only choice open to the officer a lethal response? Is the dictum "Don't dralv your weapon unless you intend to shoot; shoot to kill" crucial to response in s uch a situa­tion? A f urther , now academic quest­ion : Does weapons' training include the possibility of shooting to stop (wound) someone or i s it kill or be killed?

An authoritarian mentality pervades government agencies . We see daily proofs of people falling through gap­ing holes in our social service net­works but we ' re learning to deal with it. We have to. The advent of people wi£~ v~rtua~ no_ support adequate to

ne is deinstitutionalisation; services in the Downtown Eastside are overflowing but, to save money and community back­lash more & more mental patient hous­ing is coming into this area .

People here are more tolerant of erratic behaviour, but the low cost of housing & access to services prompts other communities & municipalities to just send people to agencies/services here that are already unable to deal with increased clientele .

The result includes people requ~r~ng medication to function and not having the supervision to ensure that they will follow their regimen. If they ar one of the few who react violently when medication is lacking, we then have instances like the one on Commer­cial. Decentralising housing for people with mental illnesses just be-comes harder when an exception like the knife weilder hardens the stereo­type of "dangerous nuts".

A few individuals count t heir money lvhile the police don't appear to have received any additional training to deal with such incidents and the maj­ority of services are inundated with special needs clients for whom they have no adequate services. We've been running through the gauntlet with Liberal policies for too long and the above shows the coming danger. Actions and decisions made for years have giv­en us a death on Commercial Drive. The Liberal government seems oblivious to consequences.

PaulR Taxler

I used to make a humiliating freudian slip I' d say:

"when my father killed myself' but now l do know who killed who it took a long time a lot of trouble and suffering for myself and other people to figure it out so when people asked me what l was doing or if! had a job I really never knew what to say

Bud Osborn

f"f~ ~ -:\e,·er doubt that a small group ofd1oughtful

Ca r-n- eg •1 e committed citizens can change the world. Indeed. it is

the only thing that e,·er has." :--Iargar~ :--read~

NEWSLETTER ~,..,,..,_, :·. ··~'"' '--------------=----...J

THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUimY CE NTRE ASSOClATI OI~

Articles represent t he views of i nd ividual contributors and not of t he Association.

WANTED Artwori< for the Carnegie newsletter

• Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry • Cover art- Max s1ze. 17cm(6 Y. }w1de x 15cm(G')hlgh • Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the • Downtown Easts1de but all work considered • Black & Wh1te pnntmg only

• Size restrictions apply ~.e. if your piece is too large

• II will be reduced and/or cropped to fit) • All artists will receive credit for the1r work

• Originals will be returned to the artiSt after being copied for publication.

• Remuneration Carnegie Volunteer T1ckets Please make subm issions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

GET CLEAN! Shower up at the Lord's Rain

327 Carrall Street (just off Pigeon Park) HOT SHOWERS

(towels soap. shampoo the vvorks! & coffee) l.londay 11am-3pm Tuesday 7-8:30am

Tuesday 1-4pm and LADIES Only! Friday 11 am-3pm; Saturday 7-1 Oam

let on parle Francais Hablamos Espanol

"I han the audacity to belie,·e that people en:rywhere can have dlree meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for thc:ir minds, dignity, equality and jus­tice for their spirits. I belie,·e that what self-centred men haH tom down, other-centred men can build up.'

Reo.· Dr. :--1arrin Luther King Jr

Next Issue: SUBMISSION DEADLINE

.... FRIDAY, MARCH 111h

2011 DONATIONS: Libby D.-$50, Ma rgaret D.-$50 Rolf A-$50, Brian H-$ 100, CEEDS $ tOO, Bar ry M-$150 X -$52,, Savann ah wrrcrry 11.-$100 Va ncouver Moving T heatre -$15(1 B;:rbara M.-$100

Editor: PauiR Taylor DIAMONDS Cover photos, front & back, Sharon Bums

Real riches are in the quality, not quantity, of those we call friends, the people who give meaning to your life, decorating it with humour and sadness, furnish­ing it with love and reassurance.

When the axe just falls the treasured faces you know you' ll miss, even before they are even really gone ­the litany of faces that maybe you matter & add credit to your being a part ofthe kaleidoscope of all we love and can 't seem to live happily ~ithout... You all know who you are and to you I say peace.

cam news@ shaw .ca www.carnnM s.org http://carnegie.vcn.bc.ca/newsletter http:/lharvestors.sfuca/chodarr

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA WORKING FOR YOU

1070-1641 Commercial Dr. V5L 3Y3 Phone· 604-773-0790

AI

Solda--& Sea. 247M .. inStr...c

CoHee&T- t.:-1 ~ooks CutiowoAudioRecacliuas

THE ARCHEOLOGIST's REPORT:

j

The PPOGREss :vl UTILISATION THEORY- PROUT Political Concepts

Here the term political is used in the broadest sense. It does not mean mere­ly party politics or government administration but covers all the relationships in society which affect social progress. In this context, the fundamental prin­ciples comprise the essence of the political concepts in PROUT. The main ideas contained in each of these principles are as follows:

a) "No individual should be allowed to accumulate any physical wealth without the clear permission or approval of the Collective Body ."

1/ Social Formation-Society should be structured so as to ensure the allocation of the minimum necessities to everybody and to take car~ of the problems of individual survival.

2/ Cosmic inheritance - the universe is the common property of all . Property rights-should-be-based upon a system of cosmic inheritance and not upon private or state ownership.

3/ Freedom - individual welfare vs . collective welfare. There must be constr­aints-on accumulation to ensure that everybody has sufficient minimum re­quirements , but there is unlimited accumulation of available mental and spiritual resources.

4/ Accumulation - both the psychological urge and actual physical accumulation must-be-checked to prevent exploitation . The realisation of infinite happiness must always be encouraged .

5/ Social Ethics - the problems of law and morality arising from the accumula­tion- of-physical wealth, and both individual & collective responsibility.

6/ Government Responsibility- the duty of the bureaucracy, government and fioard-oi-sadvipras-Is-to- ensure proper allocation of minimum requirements and incentives.

b) "There should be maximum utilisation and rational distribution of all mundane , supramundane and spir itual potentialities of the universe ."

1/ Non-human Resource Allocation - problems relating to all forms of resource uti1Isation;-what~-for-whom-and how in all 3 realms.

2/ Maximum Utilisation - the use of resources to provide the maximum welfare to iiiaxiiiiuiii-number- orpeople for the maximum time period; also includes things like,• a progressive incentive system , the use of appropriate technology, etc .

3/ Rational Distribution - accomplished by guaranteeing purchasing power to en­able-people-to-acquire minimum necessities, by an incentive system and by social and economic planning .

4/ Planning - short and long-term projections in all vital areas of economic and-social life (e.g . the amount of production in a particular area of manufacturing, the development of decentralised cities, etc.) .

5/ Methods of Utilisation - how to best utilise resources: e . g . keep tqem in their-present-form-or-change their form ; use them now or save them for the f uture ; transport them from one place to another, etc .

c) "There should be maximum utilisation of all physical, metaphysical and spir­itual potentialities of unit & collective bodies of the human society."

1/ Human Resources Allocation - problems relating to the utilisation of human resources-In- aii-spheres-(phy . , metaphy.' spiritual).

2/ ~mximum Utilisation - the use of all human potentialities to provide the maximum-welfare-to-the maximum number of people for the maximum time period. This includes things like ideas, creative potential, spiritual realisation.

3/ Collective Development - the constant e ndeavor to expand both the individ­ual-and-collective- body/mind/spirit bearing, and the constant str~ggle by society to get established in universal humanism.

4/ Education - all forms of expanding awareness and pursuit of knowledge. This also-Implies p roper moral and spiritual education - education in all spheres of the unit and collective body.

d) "There should be a proper adjustment amongst the physical, metaphysical, mundane, supramundane and spiritual utilisations."

l/ Adjusting the allocation of human and non-human resources - in order to ensure-Individua1-and-co11ective-benevo1ence-tfiere-must-be a proper adjust­ment provided by guara~teeing purchasing powe r , rather than by direct dis­tribution. Also, subtler resources should generally be taken in greater measure when more than one kind of resource manifest together .

2/ Administration - the system of government and the dominant varna must en­d~avor-to-bring a proper adjustment in the allocation of all r esources for both the individual and collective welfare.

3/ Sadvipra Leadership - proper adjustment in the allocation of resources depends-much- on- sadvipra Leadership.

e) "The method in utilisation should vary in accordance with the changes in time, place and person, and the utilisations should be of a progressive nature."

1/ Social Dynamics - everything varies as pet time, place and person, and so must-the-method of utilisation in a p r ogr essive society. Society is con­stant ly chang i ng, and it must always strive to be flexible and progressive.

2/ Towards Spirituality - society mus t always endeavor to continually Increase-the-scope-for spiritual realisation.

These ideas form the basis of PROUT's political concepts and, together with PROUT ' s philosophy, theory of history and economi c theory, form the fundamentals of the ideology of PROUT- given "for the good and happiness of all ."

In fighting corrupt ion , there should be a constructive ideal. Different civic movements in the States & Canada failed t o give a benevolent service for 1vant of a const ructive ideal . They fought only for fight' s sake. It is necessary, there­fore, that ideal should be fi r st, ideal second and ideal always.

Capitalism makes humans beggars; communism makes the beggar a beast. Those who lack in construc tive ideal help the capitalists in their exploitation. Only c riticising capitalism would not · do any service to the people, rather it will help the anti-social elements in findin g out or inventing more tactics for ex­ploitation. This is our condition today. The leftist g roups are engaged in crit­icising "i:he capitalists, which is bringing no fruit f ul results, and the capital­ists have captured power by infiltrating the ruling party. Ours should be a constructive ideal and we should mount a ceaseless and practical struggle ' against all anti- human and anti- social factors. We are to fight capitalism and not the capitalists.

P.R. Sarkar

International Women's Day (IWD) was launched on March 19 (not 8'h), 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Gennany and Switzerland. On that day more than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained. hold public office and to protest the laws and customs that cemented women's unequal status. Meetings were organised everywhere - in small towns and villages no less than the urban centres that saw street demonstrations of up to 30.000 women. Today the holiday born out of industrialisation and socialism has lost much of its radical political character. But as contemporary women, like those who organised the Women's Memorial March held on Valentine's Day for the past 20 years, and other bonds of sisterhood to stand for justice, are powerful, bold & inspiring in their efforts to help lift their communities & improve the world around them.

March 8,1908 - Women workers in the needle trades march through New York City's Lower East Side to protest child labour, sweatshop working conditions, and demand votes for women. March 8, 1913 - On the eve of World War I, women across Europe hold peace rallies. International Women's Day is thereafter celebrated on March 8'h.