New Year's Meditation: Allan Watts

I found this to be helpful in my own meditation on life. Thought you might like it too!

Produced by the makers of South Park. Happy New Year to Everyone and stay tuned for my special "Tuesday Edition" of the "Sunday Muse", tomorrow.

Picture of the Day by Steven R. Duncan

Marcello's Restaurant

Visual Art: Britannia Art Gallery

Music: Rock out on New Years Eve at Chapel Arts

Wyckham Porteous
and the Skedaddlers
(band will go on around 10pm)
Warm up to Dj Absent (...cause he is)
Dj sounds of GEO at midnight
December 31, 2007 8pm - late $15 donation at the door at Chapel Arts 304 Dunlevy Ave. (and E. Cordova)

Email us to get your name on the list at the door so you can slide right in.

For more info contact: Chapel Arts 304 Dunlevy Ave. (and E. Cordova)
O: 778.371.9210
info@chapelarts.com
www.chapelarts.com
High Tea is at Chapel Arts every Sunday from 1-4pm open to the community.

Calendars on Sale @ People's Co-op Bookstore

Just a quick note to let you know:

Calendars are on sale right now-
up to 50% off.

And make note of our Annual January Sale -
January 24-31st:
All Books 20% off!
Your chance to pick up that expensive hardcover that you couldn't afford, or load up on reading for the long dark winter. Sale includes already deeply discounted items.That is Jan 24-31st inclusive.


People's Co-op Bookstore (est 1945)
1391 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
V5L 3X5
Tel/Fax 604-253-6442
Toll Free 1-888-511-5556
www.peoplescoopbookstore.com

Denizen of the Day: Watermelon

Watermelon isn't only a fruit related to the herb family of plants; She's also a comedienne, baker, entrepreneur, model, tango dancer, health nut, activist...and acquitted three times on drug charges. Many moons ago, she woke up dehydrated on a nude beach and conceived the idea to sell fruit to other sunbathers in the buff. Her watermelon was such a smash success that she decided to branch out and bake up some "gingersnap crackle and pot" cookies for sale. It didn't take long for the authorities to catch up with her, and one day on the famous (and nude) Wreck Beach, the men in blue arrested her amidst crying children and rioting nudists. Turns out her cookies not only contained a secret ingredient, but also a little loophole, leading the judges to concede reasonable doubt about her guilt. She has said her pot cookies taste good, but victory tastes sweeter. She's graced the cover of High Times Magazine and hosted Amsterdam's Cannabis Cup. She believes the prohibition of marijuana is the epitome of a million social injustices. If you follow the link below, she will tell you why (Includes a nice documentary done on her for "Passengers".

http://www.orato.com/lifestyles/2007/04/05/watermelon-039-s-bust

For more Commercial Drive Denizens, go here...

Live On The Drive: Aaron Cadwaladr

This video was shot earlier last month at the EMBERS Christmas Craft Fair.
EMBERS is a great organization based in the downtown Eastside, that specializes in helping a variety of small businesses (and artists!) get off the ground.

If Aaron's sound stylings seem a little reminiscent of Neil Young, that might not be a coincidence. As well as being a music teacher, Aaron plays in a Neil Young tribute band called Live Rust.



For Commercial Drive videos, check out my playlist on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=478EF0B433DBB8C3

Merry Christmas!!!

To everyone, a very happy holiday and the best of the New Year to you.










Thanks to everyone from all over the world who have made Commercial Drive - Live! successful and a joy to work on. Keep visiting for more exciting developments as we continue to grow.

I'm including a little video I shot at the Britannia Christmas Craft Fair featuring the Voices Rising Ensemble led by Colleen Savage, to help get you into the Christmas spirit.

Live on the Drive: Sudanda

Denizen of the Day: Mike Carr

Mike Carr is a widely respected academic, a visionary community activist and a concerned citizen. Mike Carr (seen here with Federal Green Party Leader Elizabeth May) is a Sessional Instructor at SFU and an Adjunct Professor at UBC’s School of Community & Regional Planning (SCARP).over the past 8 years Mike has taught a wide range of courses in several departments at SFU, including First Nations Studies, Urban Studies, Geography, Sociology/Anthropology and the Department of Humanities. Carr has also taught Urban Geography and the Geography of Colonial British Columbia at UBC and Bioregional Mapping at SCARP, UBC.

Carr is also a long time community activist. Currently he is a Director of the Grandview Woodlands Area Council in East Van. For over 30 years Mike has worked with many different groups in civil society, including; the Aurora Institute (which he helped found), the Native Education Society, the Eco-City Network, the Barefoot Cartographers, the Labour Environmental Alliance, the Northwest Ecosystem Alliance, SPEC, the Wilderness Committee, the Peoples Food Commission, Vancouver Cooperative Radio, the first Vancouver Walk for Peace in 1982 and many more.

A leading bioregional author and planner, Mike is now standing for election with the Green Party to challenge the status quo parties and to engage the electorate on our ecological and social crisis.

For more information check out his website, www.vaneastgreens.org or call 604-689-9200 or email vaneast@greenparty.ca.

Live on the Drive: Queso Blanco at the Libra Room

Queso Blanco
A band that must be seen to be heard! This Vancouver quartet of Noah Walker, guitar; Michael Paterson, double bass; Tyson Naylor, Hammond B3; and Michael Simpson, drums and percussion, bring aspects of their many eclectic influences and a wild stage performance to combine into a wholly new and fresh sound. Strains of surf rock, jazz, Cuban tumbao, reggae, 60’s space age, and Hawaiian music all come together in the band’s strange stew of energetic compositions and arrangements.
Hear them every Saturday night at the Libra Room.

www.libraroom.com

Music Video: Doris Lavoie on Wax Poetic

Music: Reggae Soiree

Date: Saturday, January 5th, 2008

Time:

Doors at 6:15 pm

Show at 7:00 pm

Address: 1190 Semlin Dr.

Tickets:

$15/adults

$10/kids + members

Tickets are available on the website at www.inthehousefestival.com. Or to make reservations you can also email info@inthehousefestival.com or phone 604-874-9325. Seating is limited and will go fast!

Dubfreque: Celebrating old school + new school + future school reggae, ska, rocksteady & soul. This Vancouver group has combined 6 unique, experienced and diverse musicians who all share one goal: to bring songs, rhythms, harmony, positive energy and the love of reggae music in all its forms to as many bouncing souls as possible.

Elaine Shepherd: Elaine "Lil'Bit" Shepherd’s singing career began in 1994 when the then-7-year-old performer joined The Big Bang (Batibot) Gang. This youth variety group toured extensively in her native Bahrain. In 2004, Shepherd won the Richmond District Idol Singing Competition and recorded her first single, “Let me know, or let me go”. The former Richmond Idol has performed all over the Vancouver area, and recently traveled to other places around BC with her music. She has opened for Ibo & Kindred and Culture Brown, and has worked with Hedley, Jahranimo, Zukie Joseph, Ras Indio and more. Shepherd sang in the gospel ensemble Joy, managed by Ray Carroll, formerly of The Platters. She performs regularly in Vancouver with reggae bands Ten Souljers, Natural Flavas, Selassie iPower, and Fredlocks Asher and the Ultra Flex Crew. Elaine Shepherd is committed to recording her first original Reggae and R&B album with producer Fredlocks Asher in the coming year.


ALSO: In the House now also has gift certificates available for shows! It’s the perfect gift for the Holidays, weddings, birthdays, for people who have everything, and for people who are interested in the arts and culture scene in Vancouver. Gift certificates come in increments of 15$. You can make them out to one person or to many. Gift certificates can be redeemed for any Performance Series show. Please contact me for more information on how to obtain a gift certificate. 604-874-9325 or info@inthehousefestival.com.
For more info on In the House and upcoming shows, please visit the website at www.inthehousefestival.com.

Special Event: Slam In the New Year

COME CELEBRATE NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM

"poetry that doesn't suck unless you say it does…"

MONDAY DECEMBER 31ST THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM PRESENTS

CR AVERY AND THE BOOMCHASERS

PLUS AN OPEN CASH SLAM WITH $150 IN PRIZES UP FOR GRABS.

DOORS WILL BE AT 7PM.

SIGN UP AT 7:30

OPEN MIC AT 8:15

WITH AN EARLY START TIME OF 8:30 FOR THE SLAM

TICKETS ARE $10 IN ADVANCE AND AVAILABLE AT ALL SLAMS BEFORE NEW YEAR'S EVE

TICKETS WILL BE $10-$15 AT THE DOOR.

ALSO

TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE SPILLIOUS SPEAK N SING DECEMBER 19TH

WHICH TAKES PLACE AT THE COTTAGE BISTRO (MAIN AND 29TH: 9PM)

SOME TICKETS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE DURING CR'S RUN OF SHOWS AT LIME THIS WEEK

OR ELSE GET ON THE WILL CALL LIST BY EMAILING RC WESLOWSKI AT

rcarcee@yahoo.ca

IT'LL BE A GREAT WAY TO ROCK IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A GROUP OF TRUE ORIGINALS

CR AVERY AND THE BOOMCHASERS

Theatre: Give the Gift of CULTCH-ure for Christmas

Only four days left to give the gift of a subscription and get a free ticket for yourself!

CREATIVE HOLIDAY GIFTS

Phone us at 604-251-1363 to book your gift subscritpion and receive a free ticket to any show from The Cultch's 07/08 Season (subject to availability).
All gift subscriptions must be ordered by Thursday, December 20, 2007 by 5 p.m. to ensure processing.

$27/$38
Kids Series Subscription
(3 shows for family audiences, ages 4 - 10)
Kids - $27/package
Adult - $38/package
Experience the satisfaction of providing treasured memories at an affordable price. This package includes tickets to 3 shows, including: The General, Rough House, and Airplay (with pizza parties to boot!).

$42/$95
Family Series Subscription
(5 shows for family audiences, agest 10 and up)
Kids - $42/package
Adult - $95/package
New this season! Quality time and interaction with your family is guaranteed with this subscription package. See 5 great shows and save: Frankenstein, The General, Rough House, Elastic Perspective and Luminous Edge.

$23/TICKET
Build Your Own Subscription
(BYO): $23/show (min of 3 shows)
BYO offers the most freedom - choose any 3 or more shows from our season and save $6 on your ticket price!

$85
5 Wednesdays Subscription
$85/5 show package
Our most popular package is back again! Come on a Wednesday night and save even more. This package includes tickets to Frankenstein, Instructions for Modern Living, The Satchmo' Suite, Rough House, and Elastic Perspective.

Vancouver East Cultural Centre | 1895 Venables Street | Vancouver, BC | V5L 2H6
Phone: 604-251-1363 | Fax: 604-251-1730 | info@vecc.bc.ca | www.thecultch.com
Looking for great theatre over the holidays?

Blackbird Theatre presents Euripede's Hecuba, adapted by George McWhirter... a compelling new production from the team that broughtyou the Jessie Award-winning staging of Ibsen's Peer Gynt...

December 28, 2007 - January 12, 2008 at The Cultch
Tickets through Ticketmaster - 604-280-3311 or www.ticketmaster.ca
www.blackbirdtheatre.ca

Special Event: 14th Annual Winter Solstice

14th Annual Winter Solstice
Friday Dec 21, 6-9:30pm
Free
Produced by the Secret Lantern Society and in partnership with Britannia Community Centre. Come to the Britannia Courtyard and warm yourself in the amazing Swedish Fire and listen to songs from M'Girl, Quatro, Voices Rising and Lola and The Randy Bluegrass Boys. Please bring your friends, families and lanterns to celebrate the return of light in your neighbourhood.

Looking Back: Some History of the Legion on Commercial Drive

by Lyle Neff

An extremely abridged version of this story ran in '05 in the Vancouver Courier, one of your better neighbourhood papers ya know.
__________________________

The Royal Canadian Legion was bracing itself, 60 years ago this month, for the return of our surviving boys from the just-closed Pacific theatre of war. Already some of the demobilized had begun trickling in from Europe. Veterans of (mostly) 20th-century battles themselves, the officers of the Legion knew how it worked: occupation and other duties would delay the return of the vast bulk of overseas soldiers, many for years. Best to begin planning right away, then.
Commander RA Bowcott and the other founding members of what's now called the Grandview Branch, or just #179, may have felt a special responsibility, since the Legion was essentially born in British Columbia. (A small group of Imperial veterans over on the Island was calling itself the Canadian Legion by 1917; the Legion proper, which came to unify almost all ex-servicemen's groups in the Dominion, gained its charter in July of 1926.)
Bowcott and his East End comrades swiftly built an organization to prepare for the influx of new veterans. They began by gaining their charter from Pacific Command in August of 1945, at which time meetings were held in the YMCA at Napier and Commercial. Branch 179 bounced around the Drive a bit in the following decades. It grew with each move, until landing in its present, surprisingly sumptuous, hall on the corner of 6th Avenue.
That was where Peter and Barbie Salmon, the married couple who are President and Secretary respectively on the 179 Executive, sat for a talk with the *Courier* on a sunny Saturday recently. Well, Barbie Salmon, an energetic 56-year-old, didn't sit much. She kept jumping up to fetch documents or take care of some bit of business. Peter Salmon, the 59-year-old son of a Royal Canadian Navy soldier, observed that his wife had first caught his eye at the Legion in the late '80s. "She was running around," he laughed, "causing dissension." Mrs Salmon came back and reported an interesting fact, that a former Legion president had owned the old *Highland Echo* newspaper -- predecessor of the *Courier.*
The Grandview Legion on a Saturday afternoon confirmed, in some ways, the stereotype many younger Canadians have of the Legion as a whole. None of those present could've been much under 40; there was a blue haze in the smoking room; war stories were definitely being told. But against the cliché, the barroom was enormous, well-lit and sparklingly clean. Today's Legion is crammed with electronic games, a superb darts area, pool tables and all the other mod cons of a good pub. There's an enormous concert hall upstairs, where straight-edge and underage rock bands play Friday nights, on top of a spring-loaded dance floor. #179 also has an absorbing collection of historical artifacts and signage, some of the pieces being unexpectedly beautiful. Best of all at the Legion, the drinks are cheap and the company is excellent.
For example, talk of the branch's 60th anniversary brought a relevant comment from Dick Storie, a survivor of the bloody conflict in Korea. Alert and determined at 72, Storie reminded us that "the Princess Pats are still out there on the Afghan Whale. And they're shooting." It was a sombre reminder that the Royal Canadian Legion was born in war, that future wars are likelier than not, and that freedom's institutions may be the essential thing that gets us through desperate times. Aside from its many good works for charity (which are legion, as the Salmons will tell you) and its freewheeling social aspect, the Grandview Legion is probably the most serious and necessary of the East End's community establishments. #179 deserves a very good 61st year.

http://www.pacificlegion.org/images/bbrady.jpg

Picture of the Day

A Vancouver Women's Chorus serenading shoppers on the drive yesterday.

News: Fire Crew Put To Work Close To Home

Firemen at the Victoria Drive station, didn't have far to go to respond to a head-on collision which took place around 11pm last night just South of the 1st Ave and Victoria Drive intersection.

An older model sedan clipped front bumpers coming from opposite directions along Victoria.
The sedan (seen here) sustained the most damage.
No report on injuries.

News: Still so many questions about Lillian O'Dare

Skeleton found after a decade, not identified for nearly two more

TOM HAWTHORN

Special to The Globe and Mail

December 12, 2007

She was found because tenants were looking for more storage space.

It was spring, 1989. Sheila Adams, a graphic artist, was renting a rambling, three-bedroom house in Vancouver's eastside. She shared the space with a boyfriend and a tree-planting buddy.

"It was big and cheap," she said. "Great location. A short block off the Drive."

Artists and musicians had flocked to the streets surrounding Commercial Drive, taking advantage of low rents near a lively stretch of cafés and restaurants.

At 941 Salsbury Dr., between Parker and Venables, Ms. Adams's gearhead boyfriend looked for a place to store car parts. In the basement, he found a small opening in the wall. The original porch upstairs had been closed in and added to a bedroom, part of which extended beyond the foundation.

The opening was sealed by a door on which four letters were crudely painted. The door had no hinge and had been nailed shut. It was pried open.

"There was a bunch of stuff in there," Ms. Adams said. "Suitcases. Garbage bags. Not thinking anything of it, we took it all to a dumpster."

After the junk was removed, they decided to level the dirt floor. Ms. Adams remembers hearing her boyfriend cry, "Uh, oh!"

His shovel had unearthed a skull. A bit of skin and hair was visible, but the remains had been there for some time. Police were called. The skeletal remains were removed, and the dirt sifted for evidence.

Police estimated the body had been there for about a decade. They were off by just one year.

Another 18 years passed before science could identify it.

This year, Forensics Magazine highlighted a new technology for DNA testing known as mini-STR (which stands for short tandem repeat), in which even small fragments of biological material can yield helpful information. The development will "make it possible for law enforcement to re-examine unsolved murder and sexual assault cases that have not been addressed for years," the magazine reported.

On July 9, the remains were identified, and five weeks later, the Missing Women Task Force revealed the victim was Lillian Jean O'Dare.

She had been reported missing on Sept. 12, 1978.

Read the full story here...

Literary: New Books at People's Coop

New books in this week at People's Coop Books include:

Fidel Castro's own autobiography "My Life". $39.00 hardcover.

For years people have tried to persuade the leader of the Cuban Revolution to tell his own life story. Here, finally, Ignacio Ramonet, well-known activist and editor of Le Monde Diplomatique,has succeeded.

For the first time, in a series of probing interviews, Fidel Castro describes his life, from the 1950s all the way up to the present day. He discusses his parents, his earliest influences, the beginnings of the revolution, his relationship with Che Guevara, the Bay of Pigs, the Carter years, Cuban migration to the US. And along the way, Ramonet challenges Castro to discuss his views on a number of controversial questions, from human rights and freedom of the press to the repression of homosexuality and the survival of the death penalty, and he gives his opinion of other leaders, alive and dead, including George Bush and Tony Blair.

For those who can't afford the $39.00...or who are looking for a stocking stuffer:

"Che Handbook" by Hilda Bario and Gareth Jenkins. Hardcover originally $25.00 now $9.99

This is the most comprehensive and accessible photographic and iconic record of Che Guevara, including never-before-seen photographs and exclusive first-time interviews.

Hardcover |431 pp | ISBN:1840725028
5x7 |Color

Plus our usual selection of fine fiction, poetry, chidlren's books, humour, and current affairs. We are running low on some of the calendar favourites...so if you don't want to miss out on yours - better stop on by.

People's Co-op Bookstore (est 1945) - For the reader with a social conscience.

1391 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC 604-253-6442

www.peoplescoopbookstore.com

Live On The Drive: Latin Quarter

The swinging band Sumaloo are on stage every Friday and Saturday night!


The Latin Quarter's Jose gives bartender Monica a peck on the cheek!


Me with artist and Yaletown Gallery curator, Jabbar Al Janabi.


Sumaloo's lead singer Oliver at work!


Monica does far more than serve great drinks! Here she is sitting in on with the band.


For more info on live events on the Drive, check out our sister site: www.liveonthedrive.ca

Literary: Alvin Lau at Vancouver Poetry Slam

THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM

"poetry that doesn't suck unless you say it does…"

CONTINUES

@

CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS: 2096 COMMERCIAL DRIVE

(5TH AND COMMERCIAL)

THE 1ST, 3RD AND 5TH MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH

THE NEXT SLAM IS MONDAY DECEMBER 17TH

FEATURING

CHICAGO'S, ALVIN LAU

http://www.myspace.com/alvinlau

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNlJpTzh5CE

He has ranked among the top seven poets in the country four times in as many years, a feat no other competitor has accomplished, and he is youngest poet to ever make individual finals in national competition. His work has featured in numerous literary journals including Red River Review and Rattle Magazine's Tribute to Slam, as well as multiple newspapers including the Chicago Tribune, Santa Cruz Sentinel, and Georgetown Voice. Recently, he was also featured on NPR, the Poetry Foundation online, and HBO's Def Poetry Jam. In 2007 he was named Amnesty International's Poet on Conscience and nominated for the Pushcart Prize in poetry. In addition to performing on three nationwide tours, he regularly hosts lectures and creative writing workshops at dozens of universities across the country including Sarah Lawrence College, Grinnell, the University of Chicago, and Yale. Favorites include redheads, tequila, and Kanye West.

THIS WILL ALSO BE ANOTHER QUALIFYING SLAM FOR FEMALE POETS TO MAKE

THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD POETRY SLAM PLAYOFFS, JANUARY 7TH, 2008

AND A CHANCE TO TRAVEL TO DETROIT NEXT MARCH.

PLUS:PLUS:PLUS

YOU CAN ALSO PICK UP YOUR VAN SLAM NEW YEAR'S EVE ADVANCE TICKETS AT THIS SHOW

THEY ARE ONLY $10

AND YOU GET TO BE BLOWN AWAY BY CR AVERY AND THE BOOMCHASERS

AS THEY FEATURE AT OUR NEW YEAR'S EVE POETRY SLAM

COME CHECK IT OUT.

Live on the Drive: Libra Room

A girls night out with Jenny, Andrea Crouch and CD-L travel writer Ruth Kozak.

Music: Gross Misconduct Added to the Amon Amarth/Sonic Syndicate Show

Vancouver-based death/thrash band GROSS MISCONDUCT has been added to the AMON AMARTH, SONIC SYNDICATE show slated for Dec. 14 in Vancouver, B.C.

GROSS MISCONDUCT will be slotted first for Friday’s all-ages show, which will be held at the Croatian Cultural Centre (3250 Commercial Drive).

According to Live Nation Canada, doors for the show are slated for 6 p.m. and the show is scheduled to begin at 6:30.

The recent show announcement comes on the heels of an extremely eventful last six months for the band since releasing its independent debut, "The Process of Indoctrination," in May 2007.

Since releasing their debut, GROSS MISCONDUCT has briefly toured the Canadian West Coast with GALY RECORDS artists MARTYR and NEURAXIS and played shows with the likes of INFERNAL MAJESTY and THINE EYES BLEED, on top of playing the Vancouver stop of the VANS WARPED TOUR in July.

"The Process of Indoctrination" has garnered an overwhelmingly positive amount of album reviews, and the band is now shopping its debut to labels and distributors.

You can check out some of the band's material on their MySpace page.

Live on the Drive: Scenes from the 2nd Annual RC Weslowski Christmas Special

Quickly becoming a holiday tradition, the wacky RC Weslowski Christmas Special attracted a full house last night at Cafe Deux Soliel and raised about $500 for Vancouverès Covenant House.


The stylish Ivan Penaluna, sharing the Christmas spirit.


Shameless Lea was a hard girl to get a bead on, but i think you get the idea...



Trevor Spillchen, Sean McGarragle, "Max" the Reindeer, Jill Binder



The Svelte Ms. Spelt, waxing poetic.

Rowan Lipkovits and some of his Creaking Planks.


RC Weslowski, the man of the hour.

A "real" Santa crashed the party. Angus "the Svelte Ms Spelt" Adair is a happy little boy!


"Saint" Bill McNamara, host of the resurrected Thundering Word Heard at Cafe Montmartre on Sunday nights.

Bling Crosby


Curator of the Yaletown Gallery, Jabbar Al Janabi.

Poetess Sue Cormier.

Rock and Roll RC Weslowski.

Picture of the Day

944 Commercial Drive

News: Probation Office Locks Glued on Night of John Graham's Extradition

On the night of December 6, 2007, the locks of the probation office on commercial drive were glued shut and ‘FREE JOHN GRAHAM!’ was spray painted on the roof. This morning, John Graham, of the Tuchone nation, was extradited from Vancouver, Canada to South Dakota to be tried for the 30 year old murder of his friend and fellow warrior, Mi'kmaq Anna Mae Aquash.

Vancouver: Probation Office Locks Glued on Night of John Graham's Extradition - Graffiti - Dec 6
“Jails are not a solution to problems” Anna Mae Aquash, 1975

On the night of December 6, 2007, the locks of the probation office on commercial drive were glued shut and ‘FREE JOHN GRAHAM!’ was spray painted on the roof. This morning, John Graham, of the Tuchone nation, was extradited from Vancouver, Canada to South Dakota to be tried for the 30 year old murder of his friend and fellow warrior, Mi'kmaq Anna Mae Aquash.

“I am a warrior. I was a warrior when I went to south Dakota the first time and I’ll be a warrior this time if I have to go to south Dakota"- John Graham, June 26, 2007, before going into custody.

John reported to the probation office every week under house arrest for the last few years .
John took part in resistance to land exploitation, specifically to uranium mining and exploration. In the 70’s John went to South Dakota to learn about the survival schools, teaching Indian people about Indian ways in a modern context. This is where he met Anna Mae. In 1980 John helped set up a survival camp named after Anna Mae on the Key Lake mine road in northern Saskatchewan to build resistance to uranium interest in the area. The Key Lake mine later became the worlds largest uranium mine.

On June 26th, 1975, an eighth of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota was signed over to the US government, so it could pursue it's valuable uranium interests. The same day Joe Stuntz, a Lakota, and two FBI agents died in a shoot out at an American Indian Movement elders protection camp on Pine Ridge, for what Leonard Peltier has served over 32 years of hard time for.

John is facing life in prison as a hostage of the US government. Anna Mae once said, “I am not a citizen of the United States, nor a ward of the Canadian government.” Neither is John.
The imprisonment of John Graham is part of hundreds of years of colonization and ongoing warfare against indigenous people and against others who engage in an ongoing struggle for autonomy and resistance to the interests of capital. “The FBI today is yesterdays cavalry, is yesterdays Custer...no different.”- John Graham

Carry on the struggle for the land and for freedom!

FREE JOHN GRAHAM! HONOUR THE SPIRIT OF ANNA MAE!
info about John at:

http://ourfreedom.wordpress.com/
www.grahamdefense.org/

More info on Uranium:

Cash Minerals drilling 100's of holes in John’s territory, just outside of Champagne, Yukon.

Testing for uranium, and exposing the radioactive radon gases. After exploration comes mining, refinement, tailings (the radioactive waste leftover), coal fires reactors, and nuclear 'accidents' like Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania; mass irradiation.

Nuclear energy is anything but clean. The irreversible effects of uranium mining contaminate water, air, animals and plants. The radiation travels on the wind and in ground water. The uranium market is heating up again.

The moratorium of the 80's is long over. Uranium exploration is happening right now in BC. There has never before been a uranium mine in BC.

Some info on www.uraniumfreebc.org

News: 2010 ON THE DRIVE? Britannia ice rink a possibility

Olympic hockey may be coming to The Drive.

VANOC wants to use Britannia Ice Rink, near Commercial Drive, as a practice venue during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The Olympic-approved, NHL-size ice surface is closer to the False Creek athletes' village than the University of B.C. Winter Sports Centre. The proposal needs approval from Britannia's board of directors and city council.

"We see this as a potential opportunity to have some investment in the facility by VANOC," said city hall's Olympic operations manager Dave Rudberg. "From our perspective we don't see any cost."

Tammie Tupechka, co-publisher of the Torch anti-Olympics 'zine, fears heavy security will disrupt community centre regulars and the neighbourhood.

"This development makes a lot of us in the community fundamentally upset that there would even be a consideration that apparatus would be attached to what is an interesting community centre," said Tupechka, co-ordinator of a 7 p.m. Sunday public meeting at Britannia Centre's learning resources centre.

"There is no indication that the centre will be closed," said Britannia executive director Enzo Guerriro. "The ice rink is a stand-alone building on site and it can be secured because of that."

Earlier this year, VANOC scrapped plans to use the Agrodome and will instead hold figure skating practices at Killarney. Trout Lake will host short-track speedskating workouts. Both rinks are costing a combined $32.4 million, which is almost $8 million over budget.

News: City Hall Discusses York Theatre

Found this on the Georgia Straight website (.ed)

The new owner of the York Theatre on Commercial Drive is set for a face-to-face meeting with advocates of the venue’s preservation on Thursday morning (December 3) at Vancouver City Hall, under the auspices of the city’s planning department.

According to Tom Durrie, former general manager of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and leader of a campaign to save the York Theatre from demolition, the new owner of the property is Paul Phillips of EDG Homes Inc. Durrie said he has rounded up a group for the meeting, including the Vancouver East Cultural Centre’s executive director, Heather Redfern; architect David Galpin of Downs/Archambault & Partners; and Philip Boname, president of development planning firm Urbanics Consultants Ltd. “I think we have at least accomplished getting the whole thing on the city’s agenda,” Durrie told the Straight.

James Boldt, heritage planner with the city, explained to the Straight that the theatre appears to meet the requirements for heritage status. “Our feeling is that it would be eligible for the register, but it hasn’t been fully reviewed yet,” he said. “At this stage we’re just trying to bring some parties together and start looking at options involving retention of the theatre.”

Durrie said he was optimistic about the meeting, but that “if the developer is determined to go ahead and going to plan for demolition, then I say ‘Look out,’ because there are an awful lot of people who are interested in seeing this theatre survive and be redeveloped as it should be.”

The issue of live theatre venues in this city is very serious. We have very few operating theatres with the capacity to hold 500-600 people and the ones we do have are too expensive for most small performing arts companies to consider. The city really needs to get on board and help preserve these cultural landmarks. Just recently, the old Imperial theatre (known to most of us as the Venus) on Main St., fell under the wrecking ball. Although it had spent it's later years as a porn venue, it began it's career as a vaudeville house - near the beginning of the 20th century - and had a fly tower which would have allowed it to be used as a live venue, if necessary.
(.ed)

Denizen of the Day

Name: Queen
Occupation: On a mission from God
Queen believes that God has told her to take up the cause of children who are used and abused. If something isn't done to rescue and protect them a major earthquake will take the lives of many, many people.
This was taken today at about 1pm on the Northbound Victoria bus.
Click the picture for a larger version.

For more denizens, click the label "denizen" below.

Live on the Drive: Sudanda @ The End Cafe

Last night I checked out the Sudanese-influenced Sudanda at The End Cafe. What a bunch of talented musicians! You can hear their stuff at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=133111147



Collin Burke (electric guitar), Jane Kalmakoff (keyboards), Scott Archibald (bass), Todd Biffard (drums), Alaaeldin Abdalla (oud), Earle Peach (acoustic guitar, whistles).


Multi-talented composer, director, musician Earle Peach.


Front man and oud player, Alaaeldin Abdalla.

Special Event: TNT Sample Sale

This weekend marks the first of three chances to save big on brand name apparel at the base of Vancouver’s trendy Commercial Drive district. The TNT/Boardroom Sample Sale will be held December 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 & 22 at 1747 East Hasting Street (corner of Commercial and East Hastings). Times vary; on December 7th the sale is open from 10am - 8:30pm and on December 8th it is open 9am - 6pm. You’ll find prices as low as $5 and discounts up to 85% off Eco Apparel, Gleice, Boardroom and more. Cash or credit will be accepted. Most items will be sustainably sourced and made from eco-sensitive or organic fabrics.

The other times are as follows: December 14 10am - 7pm, December 15 9am - 6pm, December 21 10am - 8:30pm, December 22 9am - 6pm. For more product information, check out the Boardroom website here.

Live on the Drive: Libra Room Grand Opening Party

A great time was had by all last night as the Libra Room had its grand Renovation & Expansion party. The night was also a celebration of the restaurant's new menu, and website! www.thelibraroom.com.

Musician and teacher Judy Lea!



Libra Room owner Rico Bondi giving thanks where thanks is due.






As Monica Lee sings: "Momma, don't let your babies grow up to be MC's"


John Korsrud and the gang.


The ever-smooth Goby Catt, front man for the Catt Pack.


The remarkably talented Bruno Herbert. Taking a break to enjoy the night.



Dan Lunn, from Swarm and CR Avery & the Boomchasers with Jesse Waldman of the Monica Lee Band


Just one of many of the night's lovely hostesses.


Where do bartenders hang out on their days off? Other bars, of course!
Bruce, barkeep at Falconetti's with Miriam Reid, who helped create the new decor!



Libra Room promoter, Joée Brassard-Desjardins.