Food Not Bombs: “I need people to volunteer to come pick 20,000-30,000 carrots in Chilliwack in the near future. It’s going to go to waste if no one comes to pick this. There’s broccoli and cabbage, if you don’t like carrots. Come to the Food Tent tonight and come talk to us!”

“Just a quick bit I’d like to share. Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world. Thank you.”

“Can we also acknowledge that media has not been trustworthy and does not have integrity. They may put a biased spin on the story. We should acknowledge that the media taints things.”

“We need a new cell phone for the Information Tent, the last one was stolen.”

“MC to be honest I have no idea what to do next. Right now we are not even talking about issues. The issue is from what I understand that I am white and male and am trying to talk about committee updates. I don’t know what to do.”

GA Vote: “Those in favour of a moritorum of white males?”
More than 10% opposed. postpone decision until next GA

Proposal:
No weapons shall be used against anyone within the community of Occupy Vancouver, this does not include the Police.

Proposal:
As a camp, whoever we see on the grounds, we love them, whether it’s a fellow neighbour or policeman.

“If you want to be involved this weekend, rather than locking arms, it’s been suggested that you zip tie your arms or wrists together. That way you can not be violent at all.”

2:19 Request for something to do with audibility and mic usage, inaudible.

-Proposal stating that First Nations representatives want us to fund the sacred fire by paying $300 a week towards buying .alderwood to be used as firewood (the only kind of wood that is acceptable to use for this purpose).
CONSENSUS NOT REACHED, QUORUM WAS NOT ATTAINED (from the crowd that was gathered, a small number voted “yes”, and a small number (including myself, the minute-taker) voted “no”)

“I feel like at this point of transition we need to have other ways of getting to know each other other than the GA. I propose we rent a hall for one night, find a free DJ, maybe a free band, get a liquor license, party like crazy, dance, and have some fun. Talk to each other, have some group hugs. Thank you.”

Proposal:
Respect Committee – For funding our Elders here. We acknowledge we are on unceded Coast Salish territory and appreciate their guidance here. We suggest $50 for each of the Elders to help with the car troubles recently. The alternative will be to establish a separate donation box to subsidize transportation costs for First Nation Elders which will be run through the Indigenous Outreach Committee. Tomorrow at 5:30pm we will be discussing this at the black tent.

Finance Committee:  ”I know we have just over $11,000 in our bank plus $4,000 in PayPal.”

“The finances might not be a problem we need to solve. I have heard of a person in Mexico that has built an island out of recyclable things. He has a farm on this island. Apparently it’s big and it’s built out of garbage. I believe we can do the same thing here so long as we are not infringing on any boating bylaws. Thank you.”

 [Editor's note: Amazing.]

To peruse the minutes yourself head on over to the Occupy Vancouver website. Minutes prior to November 9 can be found on the Old Occupy Vancouver website.
Banner Image: Jesse Winter

I was at Boneta on Friday for an Old Fashioned or three on my birthday. Then, to the Alibi Room, where I drank cask ale as a party behind me also celebrated a birthday. Saturday, it was the Irish Heather for a friend’s party, and finally a family dinner on Sunday, where my glorious entrance into the world was overshadowed by that of my aunt.

All this bouncing from bar to bar and dinner to dinner got me wondering: what the hell is going on in April that’s got so many people having babies?

The clever and infant-obsessed girlfriend pointed out to me that August is actually the month of stork and diaper, but I had already consumed two glasses of wine and so I disagreed, loudly, and to the point that my elderly aunt asked me not to make a scene.

I obliged, but made a mental note to look it up, so that if I was right, I could throw it back in their faces, and if I was wrong, I could ensure it was never brought up again.

% of births in B.C. by month, averaged over the last 10 years (Statistics Canada)

Looking at the graph, I realized how foolish it was to be arguing over such trifling matters, especially considering that the original question was so backwards and upside-down.

Some quick math applied to births by month in B.C. in 2007 and we arrive at the heart of the matter:

Cases of confirmed unprotected vaginal sex in B.C. by month, 2006 - 2007 (Statistics Canada)

]]> http://thedependent.ca/life-and-culture/blahg/holy-birthday-blur-batman/feed/ 1 http://thedependent.ca/life-and-culture/blahg/my-favourite-pic-of-the-2010-olympics/ http://thedependent.ca/life-and-culture/blahg/my-favourite-pic-of-the-2010-olympics/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:29:07 +0000 Jesse Donaldson http://thedependent.ca/?p=243

For those of you with big screens, I highly recommend clicking through the thumbnails for hi-res, uncropped images.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

The Street Party

Olympic Ground Zero, aka, Granville and Robson erupted in celebration with Canada’s 3-2 overtime win over the U.S. in Olympic Men’s Hockey:

The Nervous Police

The police presence was thick, with a lone officer stationed on the rooftop below us as we snapped photos and video. He watched the surging crowd nervously as drunken revelers piled onto lampposts to wave their flags. When an international film crew joined Liam and I he came up the stairs and asked us to leave. The reaction to my camera was a little more aggressive than I had anticipated. Apparently he was expecting the festivities to get out of hand:

The city feels… Alive.

And I wonder, will it all just walk out the door come February 28th? Is it the throngs of international visitors we were promised making all that noise? A wave of Yankee invaders, perhaps?

Yesterday I set out, notebook in hand, and asked over 1,000 people in the thick crowds around Granville and Robson: “Where are you from?”

Their answers pleased me.

Visitors by City

Cities with more than 5 recorded visitors

Visitors by Province / State

Visitors by Country

Visitors by Continent

Incredible to see the city so alive. This wintry weather certainly has more people out and about than on days past.

Street performers drew crowds of hundreds as wide-eyed tourists and locals looked on.

Even Batman made an appearance!