Make Poverty History

Let politicians know that poverty is an issue that needs to be addressed. Join over 250,000 Canadians who already support the campaign.

1.2 billion people around the world live in abject poverty. An estimated 50,000 people die EVERY DAY from poverty-related causes. Every week more people die as a result of poverty than died in the tsunami of 2004.

Canadians have shown time and again that they care deeply about those less fortunate than themselves, both at home and around the world. And it costs us surprisingly little to make significant improvements in people’s lives. It is time for our government to take action.

We have the resources to end poverty.



When millions of Canadians join together and speak with one voice, governments will have no choice but to listen.

------------ WHAT WE WANT -------------

MORE AND BETTER AID
More and better aid is needed to help end extreme poverty and hunger... to enable every child to attend elementary school... to reduce child mortality rates... to improve maternal health... to create decent jobs... and to begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS.

TRADE JUSTICE
Currently, international trade is neither free nor fair. Trade rules allow rich countries to pay large subsidies to a small number of companies to export food. We need trade justice so poor countries can protect small farmers and staple crops... so governments can access affordable medicine and maintain public services

CANCEL THE DEBT
The world’s poorest countries are sending billions of dollars to the world’s richest countries. They have now paid $298 billion, more than they borrowed, yet they still owe over $200 billion, due to interest charges.

END CHILD POVERTY IN CANADA.
Today, one million Canadian children, or nearly one in six, are still poor. Aboriginal people are disproportionately affected. We must end child poverty in Canada.


------------- WHAT YOU CAN DO -------------


1. Tell a friend about the campaign.
2. Wear a white band.
3. Take action.
4. Check out the BLOG

Cupid

Our landlord just loves her cupids. We have them all over our garden..

The Fringe

The Vancouver Fringe Festival is an annual alternative theater festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada since 1985. This event is organized and sponsored by the First Vancouver Theatrespace Society, a volunteer, not-for-profit society. The festival is usually staged in September at a number of venues around the city. Like other fringe festivals, the Vancouver Fringe has instituted a "bring your own venue", in which performers can stage performances at places other than those provided by the festival organizers.

The Vancouver Fringe Festival adheres to the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals model. The most important tennants of this model are that productions are selected on a "first-come, first served" basis, with all box office proceeds retained by each production. In addition to donations, the festival society raises funds for itself by requiring attendees to pay a membership fee in addition to purchasing tickets for each show.

Go see The Crackwalker!

The power of expression

Persistence and determination = Salmon

Can you see it?

Caribbean Days Festival

This event draws a crowd of exuberant fun-lovers to North Vancouver's Waterfront Park for a weekend of parading, dining and dancing in the sunshine.

This is a weekend of tropical rhythm, cuisine, carnival and culture as only the Caribbean can offer. Over the years, the Festival has grown into the largest Caribbean event on the local calendar -- and with tens of thousands of attendees, possibly the largest cultural event of its type in BC, period.

See you Saturday!

David Blaine

David Blaine began his career by bringing street magic to the public, performing card tricks and illusions such as levitation or bringing dead flies back to life. His first television appearance was on Conan O'Brien, where he also performed card tricks, and promoted his Street Magic special. He used a small camera crew to record his act live in front of everyday people providing the basis for his television specials, David Blaine: Street Magic and David Blaine: Magic Man.

His first television special, David Blaine: Street Magic influenced the way magic is performed and portrayed on television. With its strong focus on spectators' reactions and showmanship, Blaine entertained unsuspecting pedestrians without the use of the typical magic props used by other magicians.

I think he is a god.

GOOSE

Power?

No Power

Green Power

Woman Power

Family Power

Man Power

Sister Power

Flower Power

What the?

I can't believe people like this have their own shows but it's the artists watching them that have little chance to speak out.

Corey Haim was my crush.

Remember that song from that soap opera actor and Corey did a cameo in it?

Those were the days.

ADBUSTERS

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Adbusters
While two-thirds of Adbusters' readers reside in the United States, the magazine has subscribers in 60 other countries, with one of the most diverse readerships of any publication. Our readers are professors and students; activists and politicians; environmentalists and media professionals; corporate watch dogs and industry insiders; kids who love their slick ad parodies and parents who worry about their children logging too many hours a day in the electronic environment.

Adbusters offers incisive philosophical articles as well as activist commentary from around the world addressing issues ranging from genetically modified foods to media concentration. In addition, their annual social marketing campaigns like Buy Nothing Day and TV Turnoff Week have made them an important activist networking group.

Ultimately, though, Adbusters is an ecological magazine, dedicated to examining the relationship between human beings and their physical and mental environment. They want a world in which the economy and ecology resonate in balance. They try to coax people from spectator to participant in this quest. They want folks to get mad about corporate disinformation, injustices in the global economy, and any industry that pollutes our physical or mental commons.

They rule.

Fresh Air

Chris and I rented bikes and rode around the seawall. What an amazing date that was.

My Love

Black Snake Moan

In Black Snake Moan a God-fearing bluesman takes to a wild young woman who, as a victim of childhood sexual abuse, looks everywhere for love, never quite finding it.

Tattoo

When I was 21 I travelled to South East Asia for 8 months. I travelled to Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia. It was the most incredible experience a 21 year old would ever endure. I went with a friend at the beginning and at the end I was traveling on my own and meeting the most amazing people ever. This trip was a complete eye opener for me. I learned a lot about myself and how to sustain my journey for such a long period of time.

When I returned from Asia I was actually stuck coming back as I was totally out of money and was waiting on stand by for 2 weeks. I prayed every day in the temples for a ride back home and money in my pocket. The gods listen to me as I met some people that took me under their wings in time for my cash to run out. It was actually the night of my flight I was on my last dime when a friend I met bought my last dinner. I was incredibly grateful for the gesture. We actually have remain friends since then.

When I came back I was totally inspired which brought me to get a tattoo. The 2 Chinese symbols represent Drum and Dance and combine to create the symbol for INSPIRATION.

About 5 months later I was in a ESL class learning to teach English. I had an interview at a school in Vancouver to teach in Japan. The man who interviewed my was actually my best friends boss funny enough and hired me on the spot.

6 months of living in Japan I was excited for a Christmas back home. I made my next appointment to the tattoo parlor where I managed to get an appointment with a guy that was on Degrassi Junior High. Wicked. He did the hands holding the symbols. I did manage to go back a spend the next 6 month saving money to travel back to Asia and conquer Thailand again but hit up Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Australia.

I came back after another 9 months and decided to live in Australia. That is another story but the point is that tattoo express journeys and they are the best art expression.

My next tattoo is to create a tree growing from the symbols, basically represent my growth stage.

Willy Wonka

I have seen this movie more then 10,000 times and still when I watch it I get so excited!

The other night I was watching the newer version with Johnny Depp. Wasn't very keen on the way it was done. The make-up was the best part.

This time Willy has such emotional baggage not like good ol' Willy back in the day. The Umpa Loopas where the same - they spent more money on special effect rather then audition 45 small peeps. The music was super cheesy and not catchy at all either. Was a bit disappointed cuz I know all the words off my heart.

Why couldn't they make a sequel back then - wasn't something about the Glass Elevator? Man that would have been super cool...

Anyway.

Shopping, Fashion, Music and Yoga…

5th annual Moomba Yogathon and Blissfest
Saturday July 21

2:00pm –Blissfest Market, a showcase of local consumer products, services and delicacies with over 67 vendors
3:00pm – Children's Music and Yoga by Maalaa
4:00pm –"On the Mat Walk" fashion show, an exciting, ethical, eco-fashion show set to the funky,
down tempo beats of musician Rara Avis
4:30pm – Yogathon, beginners to experienced yogis convene to perform 108 minutes of yoga to benefit Camp Moomba.
6:30pm – Ghost Brothers Concert
7:45pm –Camp Moomba Yogathon and Blissfest closes

Thunderbird Stadium at UBC

The quintessential celebration of the west coast lifestyle raises funds to send children impacted by AIDS/HIV to Camp Moomba .

$20 admission will be donated to Camp Moomba .

Wet Back

This movie will make you realize how lucky we are to live in a decent place.


The film was funded by the Canada Council for the Arts and written and directed by Arturo Perez Torres.

It was released by the independent studio Open City Works and distributed by the Ironweed film club.

The filmmakers follow Nayo and Milton (whose surnames are not given), migrants from Chinandega, Nicaragua as they cross through Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States in their attempt to reach Canada. Along the way, other migrants are interviewed as they are detained by Mexican authorities. Catholic human rights workers in Chiapas also offer their perpectives, particularly on the abuse of migrants by gangs such as the Mara Salvatrucha.

It also features interviews with United States Border Patrol agents and Arizona Minuteman Project organizer Chris Simcox.

A cool personality test

A cool personality test

Here are my results:

You are a Creator

Your imagination, confidence, willingness to explore, and appreciation of beauty make you a CREATOR.

You are independent, and you enjoy your self-sufficiency.

Defying convention, you are very innovative, and you have a vivid imagination.

The look of things is important to you, and you have a keen eye for aesthetic beauty in multiple arenas.

You have a strong interest in what is new and exciting—and that includes forging ahead with new ideas, not simply discovering what is already out there.

Your eagerness to seek new and varied experiences leads you into many different situations.

You're not set on one way of doing things, and you are creative when it comes to finding novel solutions to complex problems.

You trust yourself to be innovative and resourceful.

Your confidence allows you to take your general awareness and channel it into creativity.

If you want to be different:

Appreciate the earthly, practical elements of things—there is beauty in form as well.

While you are good at thinking abstractly, focusing on details a bit more may help you discover things about the world.

how you relate to others

You are Benevolent

You are a great person to interact with—understanding, giving, and trusting—in a word, BENEVOLENT

You don't mind being in social situations, as you feel comfortable enough with people to be yourself.

Your caring nature goes beyond a basic concern: you take the time to understand the nuances of people's situations before passing any sort of judgment.

You're a good listener, and even better at offering advice.

You're concerned with others at both an individual and societal level—you sympathize with the plights of troubled groups, and you can care about people you've never met.

Considering many different perspectives is something at which you excel, and you appreciate that quality in others.

Other people's feelings are important to you, and you're good at mediating disputes.

Because of your understanding and patience, you tend to bring out the best in people.

If you want to be different:

You spend a lot of time taking care of others, but don't forget to take care of yourself!

Sometimes you can get overcommitted, and when you sacrifice spending time with those close to you, it can make them feel unimportant.

Paisley

I bet you this will be in style soon.

Archie Digest

I was having a night to myself and decided to pick up a few things at London Drugs. While I was waiting in line I managed to take a look at the Archie Comic next to me.

Nostalgia overcame me. I thought about the times after school on a Friday night when my mom and I would hit up Safeway for a fun night in. I would grab as many Archie Comics I could get my hands on. $2.95 was the digest and $1 something was other format you could get. I had boxes upon boxes of them. I decided to purchase the digest and sink back to when I was a kid.

5 bucks! Wow things have sure changed and now they have a website - they got to keep up with the times hey? They even blog now - ha ha!

Salt Tasting Room

This place is the best ever in the city!

Great service, great food, great atmosphere, and great times!

Salt is a tasting room specializing in artisinal cheese, small-batch cured meats, and great wines.

The menu is simple. Guests assemble a Tasting Plate from their selection of 10 cheeses, 10 meats, and 10 condiments. The selections change constantly -- so often, in fact, that the menu is a giant chalkboard which is re-written daily.

Salt's goal is to source out small suppliers and do business with them directly. They like to know the first names of the people whose products we serve.

Feature a rotating selection of cured meats from producers like Oyama Sausage Co., J,N, & Z Deli, and Salumi (in Seattle). They offer a diverse selection of local and imported cheeses, from cheesemongers like Neal's Yard in London, and producers like Moonstruck Organic Cheeses on Salt Spring Island and Farmhouse Cheeses in Agassiz (among many others).

Condiments like Guinness grainy mustard, spiced peach chutney, honeycomb from Similkameen Apiary, rosemary-marinated olives, and Spanish Marcona almonds create great pairings with your cheese and meat selections.

To the Dogs at Presentation House Gallery

This presentation of photographs of dogs looks at the relationship between humans and canines. The exhibition includes historic photographs from the late 1800s by Eadweard Muybridge, classic images by the famous French photographer Jacques-Henri Lartigue from the early 20th century, well-known contemporary photographers Elliott Erwitt and William Wegman, and many others. “To the Dogs” will reveal the diverse ways that dogs as domestic pets and wilder animals are part of society – as companions, helpers, labourers, even performers. A film series of classic dog movies will also be presented.

Gonna go check it out today. Should be fun.

My next purchase if not a mini..

Nissan S Cargo Van

Sunset in San Juanico

The last spot in the Baja to surf - a hidden spot - opps!

Scorpion Bay is a primitive recreation destination 650 to 889 road miles south of Tijuana depending on the route. Look on the west coast of Baja California Sur, north of Magdalena Bay, South of San Ignacio Lagoon. San Juanico can be found near Punta Pequeña, a south facing point with a lighthouse. La Purísima is the closest town inland. San Juanico is a Mexican fishing village in transition. In addition to the flow of visitors, some Americans have built palapas, set-up trailers and built cottages or houses in the town. Just to the west along the coast is the Scorpion Bay campgrounds, restaurant and cantina. Travelers from around the world camp along the cliff edge and make the cantina and restaurant their center of activity.

Tequila

Surfing Cabo style

Check this site out:

Road an amazing wave that day!

Characterized by year-round surf, long-ride waves and barely-there line-ups, Southern Baja is the fairy tale surf destination of which little surfer boys and girls dream.

Rarely a cloud in the sky, enchanting natural landforms, a wide range of waves for every kind of surfer, moderate marine temperatures and shark-free waters are just a few of the things that make Los Cabos a surfers’ paradise.

“Growing up in San Jose del Cabo, I always knew this place was special,” said Alejandro Olea, owner of the Costa Azul Surf Shop. “I’ve surfed all over the world and Los Cabos has my favorite waves. According on your mood and skill level, you can find a little bit of everything here.”

For surfers for whom one coast is not enough, and for visitors who want to learn to surf on their own schedule, Los Cabos is the place to go. Baja California Sur offers two bodies of water on either side of the peninsula, so when the seasons change, the surf doesn’t disappear. Instead, it drifts between the Pacific Ocean in the winter and the Sea of Cortez in the summer.

Depending on the season, the hottest surf spots span from just north of Todos Santos on the Pacific to the East Cape on the Sea of Cortez. From big right breaks at the Pacific’s La Pastora to fast reef breaks at Shipwrecks on the East Cape, and from Punta Palmilla’s 20-feet swells to The Rock’s fun reef breaks in between, Los Cabos has a wave for every kind of surfer.

Pets and Friends

Did you know that people living in long-term care facilities can go months without meaningful social contact? Even with the best care, they may struggle with powerful feelings of loneliness and frustration.

Pets and Friends is working to ensure that people in facility care don’t have to live without the comfort of companionship. Our long-running and highly successful pet visitation program touches thousands of lives each year—but there are still many elderly, sick and disabled residents who need our help.

Sekoya made the cut and will start bringing joy in a persons life next week.

China

China was reincarnated into a dog. Her spirit is of a lost little girl. I have never met a more human dog in my life.

China and Sekoya

Goose

We found Goose in a small cage full of 10 puppies at our local vet in Loreto, Mexico.

She was the only tan looking of the bunch. I wanted a puppy so bad. There were so many street dogs where we lived that it just torn me apart. So when I saw Goose I fell in love. We already had 2 dogs we brought down with us but having the extra addition has brought so much joy into my life. She is a true trooper and an inspiration.

This was the group I was volunteering at in Loreto. There is a very big story to this group but I will get into it another time. It was the reason why we left Mexico. But Animalandia was a true inspiration. They are doing a very good job at keeping the pet population down in Loreto.

Check out Animalandia's fundraiser, I helped promote and organize it.

Black Gold

Multinational coffee companies now rule our shopping malls and supermarkets and dominate the industry worth over $80 billion, making coffee the most valuable trading commodity in the world after oil.

But while we continue to pay for our lattes and cappuccinos, the price paid to coffee farmers remains so low that many have been forced to abandon their coffee fields.

Nowhere is this paradox more evident than in Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. Tadesse Meskela is one man on a mission to save his 74,000 struggling coffee farmers from bankruptcy. As his farmers strive to harvest some of the highest quality coffee beans on the international market, Tadesse travels the world in an attempt to find buyers willing to pay a fair price.

Against the backdrop of Tadesse's journey to London and Seattle, the enormous power of the multinational players that dominate the world's coffee trade becomes apparent. New York commodity traders, the international coffee exchanges, and the double dealings of trade ministers at the World Trade Organisation reveal the many challenges Tadesse faces in his quest for a long term solution for his farmers.

Manufactured Landscapes

Edward Burtynsky is internationally acclaimed for his large-scale photographs of nature transformed by industry. Manufactured Landscapes is a stunning documentary by award winning director Jennifer Baichwal – follows Burtynsky to China, as he captures the effects of the country’s massive industrial revolution. This remarkable film leads us to meditate on human endeavour and its impact on the planet.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga represents the symbol of equality and power. The masculine power is known to be Siva and the female power is Sakti. When they are united they become the elemental source of power and energy.

The union of Siva and Sakti occurs in the brain. This union of Siva and Sakti favors sense of feeling and affection, energy and love.Kundalini Yoga is best suited for you if you do require eliminating sorrow, depression, anger and jealousy.

Kundalini Yoga is rewarded to the Yogis who maintain unity and spiritual transformation.Once you awakened the Kundalini, it will produce hissing sound. The hissing sound resembles the beaten serpent sound.

The sound goes from Muladhara Chakra to the Brahma Nadi and to the Sahasrara Chakra.Yogi Bhajan introduced the Kundalini Yoga in the year 1969.Kundalini yoga includes practicing common mantra, meditation, chanting, breathing and the classic poses.You ought to know the nervous system and the spinal cord before going to learn Kundalini Yoga.

The largest target of Kundalini Yoga is spinal cord and nervous system. Nervous system is the main control of our body. The nervous system maintains the imaginations, thoughts, intelligence and memory of an individual.

The Nervous System composes of the brain, the nerves and most especially the Spinal Cord.The spinal cord is responsible for giving us posture and stand. The spinal Cord consists of delicate nerves and tissues.

Kundalini Yoga will be the most appropriate practice for taking care of the spinal cord.One should aware that awakening the Kundalini is not an easy task.

Although there are so many books are available for awakening your Kundalini, you may get perplexed or confused while learning to practice Kundalini awakening.You can master the Kundalini only by means of experience. Kundalini may get awakened only afer series of trials and sessions.

Start working on your Nervous System and Spinal Cord. Kundalini Yoga is just waiting for you to practice it. Grab that amazing concentration!!!

Sat Nam Yoga Studio, Suite 203-106 West 1st Street, North Vancouver, Tel: (604) 983-2300

Some 'slow' things to do

The Slow movement advises some ways of slowing down:

1. Get a Slow hobby, a leisurely pursuit like reading, writing, knitting, yoga, painting or gardening.
2. Spread out your chores; do one load each day instead of all your laundry at once, or dust one day and vacuum the next.
3. Stop watching the clock; on weekends try waking up to your body's natural rhythms rather than an alarm, and leave your watch at home
4. Shop at a farmers' market
5. Prepare a sit-down meal and savour it without watching TV, or reading. Enjoy the conversation if you're dining with others, or peaceful solitude if eating alone.
6. On vacation slow down; don't try to cram every sight into your must-see list. Visit "slow cities" with local restaurants where you can eat slow
7. Prune your to-do list; make time for the people and activities that you enjoy

These ideas could create a better balance at work, school and play which will make you remain productive and creative.

Law of Attraction and the Slow Movement

Check this site out:



The Law of Attraction is commonly associated with New Age and New Thought theories. It states people experience the corresponding manifestations of their predominant thoughts, feelings, words, and actions and that people therefore have direct control over reality and their lives through thought alone. A person's thoughts (conscious and unconscious), emotions, beliefs and actions are said to attract corresponding positive and negative experiences "through the resonance of their energetic vibration." The "law of attraction" states "you get what you think about; your thoughts determine your destiny." Many proponents of the idea claim that with practice a person can use the law of attraction to change their lives. However, the idea has received intense criticism from multiple circles in the media, the scientific community, and even other areas of the New Age Movement.

I watched The Secret last night and was totally immersed..

Brought me back to my creative process at the beginning 4 months ago to now and how much I developed and took over my destiny.

I am also interested in the 'Slow Movement'

The Slow movement is a cultural shift toward slowing down life's pace. The Slow movement proposes consciously seizing control of time rather than being dictated by it and finding a balance between using time-saving technology and taking the time to enjoy a walk or a meal with others. Proponents believe that while technology can speed up working, eating, dating, etc. the most important things in life should not be rushed.

Flower on a big rock

Screw

Sea Sign

Underpants

Chris is such an inspiration. Esp. his backside.

Tree Series 2

This was the second part to my series on trees.

Tree Series 1

This was the first part of my tree series.

The Barn Owl

This is the beginning of my series..

Red Bear

This is on canvas with specs of hair..

Red Bear Construction

This is the official Red Bear Construction T-Shirt..

Created by yours truely..

The Barn Owl

This is a series that I am working on - text and silkscreen

THE FIRE SNAKE 1917 AND 1977

Fire Snakes can be a bit loud, speaking their minds and smothering you with their opinions. This does add a twist to his dynamic and vibrant character, as he is quite the extrovert. These Snakes have a great wisdom. They are intriguing communicators who leave you breathless after a conversation. Fire Snakes can change even the most obstinate mind with their powers of persuasion, convincing you their opinions or ideas are better than yours. This does make them a little self-centered, but you can’t say they aren’t driven for success.