December 15, 2015 carnegie newsletter

DECEMBER 15, 2015 website carnegienewsletter.org

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Carnegle \...., FREE. Do not pay for this paper.

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NEWSLETTER 401 Main Street, Van 6A 2T7

604-665-2289

February 28, 1951 to

November 27, 2015

Sam I Was / Am / Will Ever Be

friend member volunteer I'm really going to miss him.

There's going to be a big hole in Carnegie's heart for a while, with the passing of Sam Snobelen. I've know Sam for about 30 years. In 1986 and 87 he was part of a group of Carnegie members, with Paul Taylor, Sheila Baxter and Muggs Sigurrgeirson, who took over a Carnegie Board that wanted to report kids who used free food at Oppenheimer Park to Welfare, and had questionable financial practices. He worked ~t DERA for years and he was president of End Legislated Poverty in the 1990s. Sam was on the Carnegie Board this year too. He came to Carnegie almost every day and had toast and peanut butter for breakfast. Sometimes he came to the Carnegie Action Project meetings and helped with the work to get better housing and higher welfare rates.

About a year ago I was writing a story about good places to live and Sam took me to Pendera where he lives. He knew all the people there and said hello to everyone.

Sam was smart, caring and really sweet. Whenever he said hello there was a musical tone in his voice.

Although he had a paralyzing stroke when he was 29, he never complained about that or anything else except right-wing governments.

I'm really going to missl him. !

By Jean Swanson

ani had been part of the Downtown Eastside for almost 50 years. He left home when he was 17, came to Vancouver and started making his way with music.

This may be ancient history - the days of the Smiling Buddha & distributing the Georgia Straight by hand on street corners, back when it was actually a street paper. Sam liked people and people liked him. nd First time I saw him was, you guesse di It, on t h e 2 floor ofCarnegie lurching along to get coffee. This struck me as odd, someone in his 20's affecting the hard reality of having had a major stroke. Maybe that is how many place Sarn: almost his whole left side didn't work .. sporting a long beard .. coffee close ..

Sarn kept involved in community affairs, working at DERA, being ever in the background at functions or events that put social justice front & center. Exploitation of people by malignant forces angered him.

Sam was always easy to get along with, unless you tried to play him for a fool. He was very sharp, keeping tabs on who was involved in what & for whose benefit. He never came out with self-pity or even feeling sorry for himself and what life had dealt him. The most basic part of his nature was "Crying over spilt路 milk is for babies!" And he'd avoid practicing on you, quite aware when he was part of what was gomg on s: when it was just time to go.

A celebration of the life of Sa m Snobelen will be held in January, after all the pressure & scattered energy of the season has passed. Relatives of his from Ontario will also come; a niece & nephew were here recently & really amazed at how so many people had personal stories to tell about their uncle. .

If you knew him & want to share a story, drop It off or ernail it to carnnews@shaw.ca for publication in the January 15 issue or reading at the celebration.

By Paul Taylor

Raise the Rates www.raisetherates.org

Poor People Urge the CBe to Talk about Ending Poverty on Food Bank Day "The CBC should ha e the politicians on the air & ask why they aren't raising welfare rates." That's what Joanne Shaw told the crowd at Raise the Rates' fifth annual 'Poor People's Radio' show outside the CBC building in th Vancouver on December 4 , the day that the CBC raises money for food banks. "Over 100,000 people use food banks because welfare rates are inadequate and we're hungry," said Shaw, a woman who is on disability. Shaw urged everyone to sign the Raise the Rates petition at raisetherates.org.

The 'Poor People's Radio' show came at the end of an energetic and loud march of about 80 people from the Carnegie Centre along Hastings and Hamilton Streets. "Justice, not Charity," they shouted. "What, do we want?

Tax the rich to feed the poor."

"The CBC has been doing this for 29 years," said Phoenix Winter of the Carnegie Community Action Project, "yet hunger is getting worse. Why won't the CBC talk about why food banks are still needed?"

"It's appalling that every year the CBC doesn't listen to us," said Tracey Morrison, president of Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society (WAHRS). "CBC, get the politicians in here to talk about raising the rates."

"The poor have been abandoned except for once a year," added Karen Ward, an artist who relies on a disability pension. "Go back to your SROs and deal with it, they seem to be saying. 177,000 people on welfare are living in enforced poverty. They can't buy food, can't pay rent and stop making plans for the future. The social safety net

has become a trap," said Ward.

"Rates should be increased and tied to the cost of living," said Fraser Doke, a man on disability.

"The way to care for people is to give them enough money to buy their own food;' added Nadine Anderson.

"There's a need for food banks now, but after 33 years of what was supposed to be a 'temporary' measure? Its PR to make it look like something is being done."

"When there's so much wealth in BC, people shouldn't have to engage in survival work," said Harold Lavender.

"We have to continue to organize."

After songs from the Solidarity Notes choir, and drumming by the Harmony of Nations drum group, the rally ended with Raise the Rates organizer Bill Hopwood. "The amount of money the CBe raises will feed each person who uses Food Banks in BC for 2 days. What do they do for the other 363 days of the year?" asked Hopwood.

"We need the CBC to start talking about the causes of hunger. Hunger is created by government policy.

Government policy is to starve the poor and workers to feed the rich," said Hopwood, noting that the Liberal government cut taxes for the richest I % in BC by an average of $41,000 a year, more than the average worker makes in a year. "We'll keep organizing until they raise welfare and end poverty in BC"

Free photos available at: https:l/www.facebook.com/RaiseTheRatesBc/photos_stream

Contact Raise the Rates: •

Bill Hopwood: 604738-1653,778686-5293

(cell) biI150@vcn.bc.ca;

http://raisetherates.org/

Can you Live on $610 a month?

Justice not Charity

Breaking and Entering on Christmas The nite before T'was da night before welfare and all through da land everybody was starving both woman and man da minister of welfare was in bed but awake he was getting some there so da checks they could wait Then all of a sudden there arose such a clatter "que pasa?" he yelled! "say what? Waz da matter?" he jumped outta bed and through da kitchen he ran tripped over da cat and knocked over da fan He looked down da halfway and what did appear?

A binner, a native and a few 0' their peers a tired old woman her face full of woe gave out a yell "hey cough up da doe!"

The minister pouted "j'm sorry i'm wrong" but alas of course we've all heard that song he gave out the cheques and he passed out stale beer then he said with a sneer "see ya same time next year!"

Carl MacDonald MERRY CHRISTMAS

The snow is falling A!1d Covering up my tracks As I go from house to house Sneaking in chimneys Covered in soot I steal cookies and milk And leave lumps f coal In socks hung by the tree My vehicle is stalled Up on the roof And I hope it is strong For the weight of all That reindeer power.

I've been pulling these B&E's for years And I've never been caught No APBs, no Canada's Most Wanted, Just the NORAD Tracking System Keeping tabs on my every move As 1 cross the country Leaving havoc in my wake.

Phoenix

Life is full of challenges. The monsters within us can be conquered. This struggle can make us strong and thus we can help others with their battles.

Maria Teixeira

NEWS

PLEASE WELCOME KARLA KLOEPPER! We'd like to introduce Karla Kloepper, our new Community Program Coordinator. Please swing by the Park and say hi to Karla!

NEW! WINTER HOURS Tuesday to Saturday, 9: 15am - 5 :OOpm The Park will be closed from Dec 25 - 31.

PROGRAM

UPDATES

OPPEN ARTS STUDIO

WORKSHOP

THURSDAYS,10:30AM-IPM

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In December, we are exploring printmaking. Learn techniques and make some cards or gift bags for the holiday season.

COMM ART PROJECT: WALL HANGING THURSDAYS, 2PM -4PM Come out and be part of the Community Art Project and express yourself on a square. Everyone welcome!

BOARD GAMES TUESDAYS, 2PM - 4PM Chess, monopoly, crib ... Join us to play different kinds of board games in our cozy activity room with a cup of hot chocolate.

.i-> Two Things to Remember in Life: Take care of your thoughts when you are alone; take care of your words when you are with people.

Submitted by Videha

From the librarY Thank you to everyone who took time to fill-in our recent library survey. We were encouraged by the response. Filling the demand for DVDs was the most prominent request, and we continue to receive movies from other library branches, which have overflow.

Some of you might be interested in two new services through the VPL website. We now offer movie streaming of the Criterion collection and "Indieflix" which includes many classics, documentaries and film festival highlights at www.vp1.ca. If you have no internet connection, I'm available to request your favourites on DVD. You can stream or request films like these: A Hard Day's Night (1964) - The Beatles have been unleashed upon America, and this film is full of antics, comedy, pop hits, interviews and more.

MOll Oncle (1958) - a French classic featuring slapstick comedian Jacques Tati. One patron described the character M. Hulot as a kinder, gentler Mr. Bean who reveals the conflict between modern & traditional life.

Quadrophenia (1979) - A rock opera and coming-ofage British classic, this film features The Who and reveals a defiant subculture of the 1960s based on scooters and motorcycles. The main character Jimmy is considered a teenaged antihero.

Walkabout (1971) - Set in the Australian outback, a brother & sister have been abandoned & must learn the ways of nature to survive. A young Aborigine comes upon them during his walkabout - or rite of passage and they form a friendship. Described as hauntingly beautiful.

And for a little holiday magic ... lrving Berlin's Holiday 11111 (1942) featuring Bing Crosbie, Fred Astaire and Marjorie Reynolds! You can't go wrong with song, dance and romance.

We are open 365 days a year, so consider dropping by the library for some Christmas cheer!

Your librarian, Natalie

Community resources are just a click away.

www.linkvan.ca

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The Downtown Eastside Literacy Roundtable in collaboration with UBC Learning Exchange and a graduate student from UBC Computer Science has created an on-line app for DTES community members and agencies.

Linkvan.ca is a web app that connects community members with nearby resources based on their needs. The app will help people navigate the system in a way that's meaningful and relevant to them in their day to day lives. Jt will also assist service providers to identify appropriate and timely resources for their clients.

Focusing on basic services such as access to shelter, food, medical care, hygiene services, advocacy and technology access, LinkYan.ca was designed with two user groups in mind: I) a growing population of lowincome Downtown Eastsiders who rely on mobile technology to meet their basic needs; 2) Service providers who can use the most real-time data to direct clients in need.

The app is based on a successful open-source model created in San Francisco for the street people called Zendesk.

This app is designed for all literacy level as navigation is icon-based rather than text-based. Want to find a shelter that will allow pets or shopping carts? Simply click on the shelter button and look for the pet friendly icon or the shopping cart icon. Data for LinkVan.ca was primarily compiled using the DTES Learning and Training Services Quick Reference Guide produced by The DTES Literacy Roundtable and many other printed guides used extensively throughout the community.

This app uses geo-Iocation services to let users know which services are close by, open and available to men, women and or transgender, as well as provide contact information and directions.

This app has been built on information gathered from an early conversation with Ken Lyotier and from community members. Based on two consultations, one for community members and one for service providers, we made adjustments based on this input and field tested our early draft on the street by our colleagues and community members Wilson Liang and Dianne Campbell. This thus provided us with information making this something community members find useful and easy to use.

The logo for the app was designed by two local artists, Ron Flatman and W. Brd1t Roberts and was chosen among other submissions by community members. ' The project has been made possible through an UBC Chap man and Innovation Grant awarded to Kevin Tanyag who designed the technical components of the app. LinkVan.ca is composed of community partners including William Booth, Literacy Outreach Coordinator for DTES Literacy Roundtable, the UBC Learning Exchange Computer and drop-in program including Dionne Pelan, Melissa Kuipers and Roohi Sahajpal, who gathered and verified the data, and Haydn Mellowship who volunteered his time and talent to support the team in structuring and implementing the many tasks required.

How to use App - please add

>

Choose a category

It is our hope that this app will not only give community members more independence, but will serve as a tool for service providers to access info in a simple, stream-lined way.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Vancouver sex workers and their allies have released Know Your Rights cards for sex workers in Canada ahead of the one-year anniversary of the federal laws and are urging the new federal government to make repealing the sex work laws a priority. The Downtown Eastside Sex Workers United Against Violence (SWUA V) and Pivot Legal Society have launched a series of Know Your Rights cards to inform sex workers which of the activities related to their work are illegal. The cards will be distributed to sex workers in Vancouver and across Canada, with the hope that can help sex vorkers stay safe until the laws are changed.

"There remains a great deal of confusion among sex workers in Canada about how, where, and with whom they can safely do their work," says Brenda Belak, lawyer and sex workers rights campaigner at Pivot Legal Society. "We're confident that the new federal government recognizes the urgent need to end the criminalization of the sex trade that endangers sex workers. Until the current laws are repealed, h.owever, sex workers need to know what aspects of their work . are considered illegal and make them potential targets of police enforcement."

The Conservative government's "Protection of Corn-

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munities and Exploited Persons Act" (Bill C-36) became law on December 6,2014. Under the new sex work laws most aspects of the sex trade have been criminalized, replicating the impacts of the harmful laws struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada in its landmark Bedford ruling in 2013.

The Know Your Rights cards describe the restrictions on sex work under the new laws, which criminalize the purchase of sex by clients, advertising, and communication in specific public places, including at or next to schools, playgrounds, and daycares. Sex workers are prohibited from working together and with third parties, which could help keep them safer.

The laws also prohibit working indoors in commercial enterprises, such as massage parlours.

"Women working indoors appreciate the safety these spaces provide, however, ongoing police crackdowns of these venues across Canada continue to create fear of police," says Alison Clancey, executive director of Supporting Women's Alternatives Network (SWAN), which supports migrant and immigrant sex workers.

"As a result, when violence actually does occur, sex workers are disinclined to report it to police. We need the laws to stop putting sex workers in danger, and also allow sex workers to build relationships with the police who should be protecting them." • The Vancouver Police Department created Guidelines together with community groups that require officers to prioritize sex workers' safety over law enforcement. The rights card for sex workers about these Guidelines advises sex workers that the "POLICE SHOULD NOT harass, target, arrest or intimidate you for doing sex work" and encourages sex workers to report police misconduct. Pivot and SWUA V have asked other municipal police departments and the RCMP to adopt similar policies.

"We are really happy that this policy is in place, but regardless of how police mayor may not enforce laws, it doesn't change the fact that our work is illegal," says DJ Joe, eo-founder of SWUA V. "SWUA V members are worried that the laws force sex workers to continue to hide from police, work alone, and do their work under dangerous conditions."

Canada's Sex Worker Laws PIVOT Legal Society has come out with cards for all sex workers which provide an overview of such laws.

The information therein does not constitute legal advice, but will let those involved in the sex trade know what the boundaries are.

ADVERTISING Advertising of sexual services is now illegal in most cases. Advertising is only legasl if a person is advertising their own services. It is illegal to advertise someone else's services. A newspaper, website or web host can be charged for carrying advertisements for sexual services, particularly if they relate to a "commercial enterprise."

COMMUNICA nONS For sex workers, communicating for the purpose of selling sexual services is illegal in a "public place" (or a place open to public view) that is or is "next to" a school, playground, or daycare .• In this part of the law, a car is considered a public place .• This law does not specify how far you have to be from a daycare, school or playground, in order to communicate legally > For clients, communicating for the purpose of buying sexual services is illegal at any time and in any place, including over the Internet.

PURCHASE OF SEXUAL SERVICES Selling your own "sexual services" is legal. The law does not define what "sexual services" are .• It is legal for an individual to sell their own sexual services at a fixed indoor location. However, it is very difficult to legally operate a fixed indoor location for sex work, because of the restrictions on clients, third patties, and advertising .• Buying "sexual services" is illegal, at any time and in any place.

WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHERS It is illegal for anyone to "procure" another person that is, to encourage or make arrangements for another person to offer sexual services for sale .• It is illegal for a third patty (for example, an employer or eo-worker) to receive a "material benefit" (money or anything else of value) from the sale of someone else's sexual services .• The law presumes that if a person lives with a sex worker, they are receiving a material benefit. • There are situations under the law where a person will not be prosecuted for "materially benefitting," for example. if a person is a family member or in a "legitimate living arrangement" with a sex worker, but "legitimate living arrangement" is not defined .• Regardless of exceptions, it's always illegal for a third patty to profit from sexual services offered in a "commercialenterprise'' or in circumstances of exploitation. .

Behind the Carnegie Behind the Carnegie, beside a bin On dark crumpled eardbcard she lay Folded up so tightly, oh so tightly Her pain demanding its say While behind a bin on dark cardboard She lay, she lay.

"PLEASE Daddy, PLEASE Daddy It hurts so much, please Daddy" That's what I heard that day Father G-d, Father G-d, Father G-d.

Behind a bin on dark cardboard that's all; that's all I could say She lay, she lay.

While behind the Carnegie beside "Daddy it's too big! a bin on pure white cardboard Daddy it hurts too much Oh Sister, my sister, she had begun Please Daddy, please Daddy to pray please Daddy please!"

Michael ] Mclntyre

-dedicated 10 Sam Snobelen Today and Tomorrow and Today Is all we have forget day after tomorrow live in the here & now try to be happy & how today is the air we breathe tomorrow a gift 0' wealth do these things & you will fly far beyond heartbreak, worry & why? let the present be your christmas present & golden sunrise crescent!

John A lan Douglas

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It's freezing and four in the morning It feels like it's 20 below I'm lying here waiting here for dawning Because 1 have no place to go I'd a man and a son and a daughter A car and a house with nice views He left us though he didn't oughter The kids cried and I took to booze.

CHORUS Please sir, please sir, 1just need a bed for the night, Tonight.

Please sir, please sir, I just need a bed for the night.

1 soon lost my job and my housing So we stayed in a shelter all day We constantly needed delousing Then they took my poor babies away.

My stay at the shelter was over I'd nothing but anguish and woe SO I upped and came out to Vancouver I didn't know where else to go.

CHORUS You shouldn't sleep out in Toronto It's too cold to sleep out in Moose Jaw It's unwise to sleep out in Prince Albert Tuktoyuktuk or Chibougamau.

So Vancouver's ie place we all comes to At least you can sleep in the day .

Folks think we're all druggies and bums, too But most of us just lost our way CHORUS

I found me a young handsome lover With two rooms and cash to his name It didn't take long to discover He wanted me out on the game So I went to a place on Cordova With a black eye, all tearful and meek.

They said, 'We're full up, supper's over.

Go elsewhere, and come back next week.

CHORUS

r rented a room in a hell-hole $400 a month and quite small My neighbours were noisy and violent And the bathroom was way down the hall As housing, it just wasn't funny With crack-heads and bedbugs all day But what else can you get for the money That welfare allows you to pay?

CHORUS

The shelters are full or they're useless And if you get a foot in the door Some watery soup and a sandwich And a mattress from midnight to four.

You might think this song is depressing You might think it's all rather strange But instead of just sitting there stressing Let's all work together for change Gian Ward

Rescue - A True Story

BlOWBACK Chaotic construction, crackdowns, teardowns, dismantled destroyed discarded, overwhelmed & immersed in white noise; drillinghammering bangingcrashing ad nauseum; roaringpouring clangingdecapitating-at-the-knees; blockading barricading fenced-off detours to wherever: dis way dat way just get away Amscray! It's out of control gentrification with no end in sight. Not fair: we care where we want to live exist thrive both before & now. But we got lotsa clout - no doubt - 'cause we refuse to leave or be kicked out as they dream of expanding their dream - more condos more schemes more nightmares.

Reams of blueprints cookie-cutter skyscrapers rising to monolithic heights steelglassconcrete boxes erected quickly, "fast-tracked" to ware-house the stressed out/maxed out/already in-debted & shrinking yuppie middle-class & on & on these house of . cards go until the bubble bursts, collapsing into a scrapheap of derision. The developers will be unaccountable, getting out with profit-by-collusion leaving confusion delusion as their finance buddies doubledown with repossession & foreclosure & taxfree capital gains. The losers are the latest snafued in } thought 'n deed, welcomed to the ever-exp-anding club. The one-percenters reign in their cloistered cob-webbed hierarchy of affluence, decadence & decaying leaden hearts & vacant cold unholy souls.

No matter how much it's never ever enough. Obscene wealth rots right through any gold-plated chains of command; the sun sets. That's just the way its got to be. They will run out of inhumane options as this covetous world turns to stare them down with the mirror image shattering into shards of glass they can't take that to the bank. Eventually, inevitably they'll scream plead beg for taxpayer-funded bailouts. They will be met by a terrific boisterous collective voice - our shouting right back at them. The cupboards are not yours to ransack! You've bankrupted too many times before!! Payback is a new paradigm where community matters, where speculation is not a sacred right. Getjised t seeing how our ninety-nine percent live; get used to being real.

ROBYN LlVINGSTONE

Many years ago I met this other young person. One day he told me he didn't want to live anymore. Soon after he went to Lions Gate Bridge and jumped off.

When you hit the water from that height it's like cement. There were two kayakers beneath the bridge that day. They saved the young man,. who was lucky enough not to have broken any bones.

Well, weeks went by and the young man jumped off the Lions Gate Bridge again. Like before there were two kayakers beneath the bridge who pulled him out of the water. They were not the same kayakers as the first time.

Saved a second time! This was a miracle!! Enjoy life!

All the best, Marlene Wuttunee

Soul back Recently I wrote a piece published in the Sept 1, 2015 issue of this Newsletter. It was about an item I found & how the a~t of giving it to someone who'd appreciate it more than me gave me a piece of my soul back. At the end of the piece 1thanked Gloria and the universe.

My thanks still go out to Gloria but for me to thank the universe is a slap in the face of who truly deserves my true thanks & gratitude - my Creator. Y OLl see it is my Creator who created the universe & everything in it. Isn't it all glorious?'

At the time I wrote it I was mistakenly under the impression it was the universe that was revealing its true nature to me. It was God. When I said I got a piece of my soul back 1was wrong. It seems I was usually wrong at first & nothing could be more right. [ think I got my entire soul back that day. In fact it was never gone in the first place. Because it's eternal and in harmony with my Creator, God. Why, you may ask? Because God dwells within every particle of my being. Science, in an attempt to prove the non-existence of God, has inadvertently proved God's existence.

By TREVOR CLERIHUE

ORIGINALAIRDATE

v

RECALLING

THE NUMBERS Incident: Gastown Lodge caretakers' suite being run

by Kevin Slime & Mary a pillow fight turns into a falling thru the wall destroying wood/masonry/glass fight when I woke with BenGay squirted in the hair, a very becoming sight; Incident: eat & run at a Chinatown cafe ordering 6 beer with fries 4 times the bill is left behind we run in all directions, I end up under the viaduct a car stops a man walks up to me & gives me $11 for my phone number having no place to live let alone a phone I gladly make one up for him - money spent quickly; Incident: I join a beer run (breaking into Molson Breweries) 21 cases of beer for 20 minutes work we bring ill-gotten gains back to Wank Manor where beer is drunk in less than 90 minutes (good to the last drop); Incident: Billy Barker housewrecking party in Burnaby I get there same time as the Riot Squad house destroyed many arrested some beaten with batons & fists our simmering feud with police escalates; Incident: same house another party Parryscope Cathy is beaten by grease balls who try to drive away S.Snotface 'Raden'K.Steele 'Crimson' Slutty & more attack car throwing haymakers fistwise in the open window of driver others inside beaten while car in motion car lives long enough to drive bloody thug scum away this is true (so very true); Incident: No Exit interviewed on Co-op Radio someone vomits down from the top of a spiral staircase hitting each floor while locked room with Van Independence Album with 2 No Exit tracks has to be hammered & kicked & run through with mops & other 'openers' never got a call back for another chat Incident: After getting first place to live Ambulance bills are as common as junk mail with cop cars & neighbours as friendly as cigarette smoke to an infant then when skinheads come over to destroy ewe Call The Cops they arrive about an hour later then we're told there's nothing they can do while Jeff outside yells 'As soon as you leave I'm gonna to be killed!'

After 30 seconds of contemplation one cop says, good luck, they leave, house dies as I make my way thru beer & spit-covered floor also with a coating of broken glass & of course I have no slippers lock what's left of front door & call it a night; Incident: 2 of us spell our neighbour's name in paint on the street Biff Fuck Off for some reason we are confronted by 2 dozen angry people cops come & take us to jail it wa

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such a joyful neighbourhood; Incident: At Hardcore 81 a baggie of human waste is thrown from above & hits guitarist in left leg, next night same band same pair of pants except large section from thigh to knee removed by scissors or knife & they say we aren't civilized; Incident: Years after No Exit's last gig run into a patron who mentions "not being able to remember that evening without a small case of nausea" thanks for your memories; Incident: We left no turn unstoned trying to scale the sky with any & every drug back when drugs were relatively safe at least compared to today's evils it was safety-in-numbers that turned into embers as we age I don't know who said it - "It's a shame youth must be wasted on the young." These were the days of future past; In Conclusion: I'm one of the younger Vancouver punks. Dementia & pre-Alzheimer's disease scare the bell out of me the 'no re I write down the more will never be lost it'never should today's despair & loneliness bore its way into every day & every soul we fell down to our knees & watched as a taste for the low life has me grasping for answers at an age I never imagined nor asked for yet here I am a correspondent from another culture beyond colony way. This is in no way a conclusion like the Arctic Circle we are at the dark days offorever. Never count something or 'one out when numbers are their best & never-ending solution it's like 35 years have been lived in a single moment like when the Arctic began demanding room for its eventual grave we will be the caretakers of its promising scale for it's forever & a day.

By ROBERT McGILLIVRA "The vilest deeds like prison prison air - it is only what is and withers there."

-Oscar PS: How stupid of me not to the best photographer

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weeds bloom well in good in man that wastes Wilde mention a dear friend &

in the world: Bev Davies!

I will be back maybe goodnite.

So it's Xmas Tyme Again Festival of Light Over the planet third from the sun our sun small star sparkling twinkling in this the Dark Tyme foretold every 365 revolutions or so Now it came to pass that a virgin of 14 or so gave birth in Bethlehem of Judea close by Palestine or Nazareth so we heard 50 years after this event some grandchildren were Told.

And they went forth telling a wondrous story Of magic Of miracle Of social unrest of pain & suffering but, hear this of ReWard apres le Vie After le mort much discussion Believers non-believers Caspar, Balthazar, some other guys came bearing gifts: gold, frankincense & myrrh (go figure Pilgrims & Questers)

Ttil: t7()L()I:~131~ Spiral Staircases I PRAY THIS YEAR THAT I WILL WIN THE CHANCE TO DIVE THA T GOLNEN BIN THE GOLDEN BIN IT HOLDS NO TIN HAS COFFEE BRASS AND MAYBE GIN IT JUST MIGHT HOLD A DREAM OR TWO A LOTTO TICKET TRIPS TO THE ZOO TVS RADIOS COMPUTERS OLD THERE'S NO TELLING WHA T IT MA Y HOLD YOU'LL KNOW J'VE FOUND THE GOLDEN BIN FOR ON MY FACE WILL BE A GRIN A VCR MA YBE J'VE FOUND A BRICK OF GOLD MA YBE A CROWN ONE THING I KNOW I'LL FIND NO DOPE THE GOLDEN BIN HAS LOVE AND HOPE IT MAYBE THICK IT MA YBE THIN BUT STILL WILL BE THE GOLDEN BIN THE GOLDEN BIN IS FULL OF GRACE IT'S FULL OF LOVE FOR EVERY RACE THE GOLDEN BIN IS NEVER LOCKED THE GOLDEN BlN IS FULLY STOCKED MA YBE I'LL FIND SOME BOOTS OR SOCKS THE GOLDEN BIN IT HOLDS NO ROCKS FROM THE EAST NORTH SOUTH OR WEST THAT GOLDEN BIN WILL BE THE BEST UNLIKE THE UNCARING CITY TART THE GOLDEN BIN GIVES FROM THE I!EART IN SUN SNOW SLEET OR RAIN IT GIVES AND GIVES WITH NO PAIN THE GOOSE THAT LAID THAT GOLDEN EGG KNOWS THAT I WON'T NEED TO BEG NO NEEDLES IN THAT GOLDEN BIN THE GOLDEN BIN SOMEDAYI'LL WIN Carl MacDonald

Approximately 20 centuries of Stoney Sleep Be rockin' that Cradle That crucible Scary stuff Wilhelmina

Solstice Healing Taken from us The light returns Slowly, steadily Over the solstice The light returning To bless our lives.

We are broken, battered Over Christmas A 11the expectations Shattered A 11the expectations Stressed out "Will they like it?"

Does it really matter?

Isn't friendship a gift That really matters?

Doesn't shared time and shared meals create a feeling from year to year?

My gin is truly Having a place to stay Christmas Day. Phoenix

Carnegie Theatre Workshop

We're back for the Christmas season!

Here's an opportunity to perform!

We'll present a show for the Carnegie Christmas Eve Celebration; want to join in?

We have an original play written by Jim Dewar and Adrienne Macallum -

"Who Stole the Spirit of the Carnegie with a Christmas Twist" â&#x20AC;˘

There are many characters in the play and there is still an opportunity to perform.

Show thou Carnegie players!

Cartoon by Jim Dewar

Schedule Dec 19 Saturday, 12:30pm-4:30pm *in the Theatre Dec 23 Wednesday, 12:30pm-4:30pm *in the Theatre Performancll_Dec 24 Thursday, evel!!!J.g*in the Theatre in the Carnegie Theatre No experience necessary Everyone welcome!

For more in/a: Teresa 604-255-940 I thirteenofheartstdihoimail.com

Carnegiet -iaRfEWSLETTER 401 Main Street, Vancouver

V6A

217 604-665.2289

\ THIS NEWSLETIER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association.

WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter • e

• • • • • •

Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry.

Cover art- Max size: 17cm(6 %')wide x 1Scm(6')high.

Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the Downtown Eastside, but all work considered.

Black & White printing only._ Size restrictions apply (Le. if your piece is ioo large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to fil).

All artists will receive credit for their work.

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

Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer Tickets Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

The editor can edit for clarity, format & brevity, but not at the expense of the writer's message.

Next issue: SUBMISSION

4

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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -MargaretMeade 1h

Note: This issue marks the end of the 29 year - of my being editor. A sad thing was the theft, 2 weeks ago, of the memory stick left supposedly safely in the nd wall monitor above the 2 floor volunteer reception desk. Sean had loaded it with a slide show of the front covers of every newsletter since its inception on August 15, 1986. On a bright note a couple of Foundations based in New York have said good things about the paper, the Help in the Downtown Eastside guides, and are proceeding with some material support, Told that respect is earned; learned that wilful ignorance is perpetuated in self-interested deception. Iam That. PRT

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTIOI' • AIDS • •

DEADLINE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12TH

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We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory.

•

POVERTY HOMELESSNESS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN .

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ABORIGINAl GENOCIDE ·TOTAlITARlAN CAPITALISM IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR.

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