Eyes Upon Toronto Background Info

“Floating Toilets” courtesy of the absurdly talented Mattijn

UPDATE #1: Word has it that, due to procedural issues, the eviction notice will NOT be received on July 4th . I applaud the City of Toronto for not exploiting the American holiday slow down to to veil its actions.

UPDATE #2: Chris Gardiner eviction has been pushed back until late July or early August, 2006 (more)
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WORLDZIGHT – an improvisational experiment in global participatory democracy…
The premise behind WorldZight is to bring together trans-global constituencies bound together by race, religion, issues, convergence of interest, or any one of a number of “metonymic” (a part used for the whole) connections to a given “cause” in a peaceful, non-obstructive manner. The goal of WorldZight is to demonstrate to local, regional and national governments world-wide that citizen democracy can STILL work even in an increasingly globalized, yet micro-segmented, society that works to simultaneously concentrate means of communication in the hands of a few while dividing constituencies into ever smaller self-coalescing micro-constituencies… (more)
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(FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION :: July 3rd :: Eyes upon Toronto
Our goal is to let Toronto know that the eyes and the words of the world are upon it. Swiss-chees spin, nailed shut window “framing” and communication shutdown to leverage the natural discrimatory public stance against citizens falling outside standard behavioral norms are unacceptable methods of DIALOGUE between a city authority and its citizens. WE MUST FORCE THE CONVERSATION and DEMAND REASONABLE ANSWERS TO REASONABLE QUESTIONS and not allow the city to stonewall until there is no going back. (more)
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PLease!!!!!!!! Everyone from everywhere, HELP INVITE ALL CONTACTS TO THIS GROUP PLEASE!!
Ana Crisan’s Original Appeal
I knew him as “Chris the penny guy” because all day long he was picking up pennies, and this is all he is surviving on. I remember I used to sit with him at Coffee TIme and help him count his pennies. I lived there for almost a year. Today he is still living off pennies, has built a house of his own, and doesn’t bother anyone… (more)
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Toronto Blames Pigeon Homelessness on the… Homeless?
In torpedoing the Toronto Animal Rights Society’s plan to build condos for pigeons under the Gardiner expressway, mayoral adviser Chris Phibb stated that , “It just seems hurtful to install housing for pigeons where we’re doing outreach for people under the Gardiner. The irony intended may not be appreciated.’’ Hmmm… Asst. Phibbs? Wheer do we start here? With laughter? With anger? Or with tears? Not sure what gets me most… (more)

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To Mysti2 in London: Why Ana Crisan’s (Spirited_Away) fight against “Homes to Houses” matters…
It’s a story, Mysti. It’s a story of hope and redemption and overcoming fear to fight for what you believe. It’s LIFE, Mysti. That’s why you can’t just simplify it. There are a thousand different angles because Ana is a microcosm of the best in us all. Let her down now and I think we let all of ourselves down. Because we are all connected and we are all points of light in a universe otherwise far, far too dark… (more)
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Why Change Never Happens :: Lack of Conversation… (more)
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Mayor David Miller & The Dalai Lama
A Letter from Dr. Soenke Behnsen of Cologne, Germany, to the Toronto Mayor
I have visited your website, and recognized that you met His Holiness the Dalai Lama two years ago. I have had the great honour to meet him, too, as a former representative of the protestant church of cologne, several years ago. I totally agree with his statements, published at his public talk at the SkyDome in Toronto, April 25, 2005, “the power of compassion”, and several times in his countless speeches, he took the view that we have to support any own initiative of poor people to organize themselves… (more)
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Trickle Up Economics (aka “The One Song”)
It’s simple, Ana. Blindingly simple. It’s Economics 101. There is a short supply of heart and spirit in the world and we can create a market for it.; and it all begins with an honest convesation. We can do it just like Enron created a market for electricity in California (ask me, if you don’t understand!). But Enron did it for the wrong reason, GREED, and we do it for the right reason, LOVE. And we all know that greed without spirit amounts to about as much life force as a hole without the doughnut. around it… (more)
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A Letter From Dr. Soenke Behnsen to Ashoka.org
The Ashoka.org Mission is to Build A Competitive Citizen Sector
Maybe you’ve already heard about this forthcoming eviction. Mr. Gardiner created himself a “home” under a bridge in nice toronto, which should be protected and respected.I don’t know if you are in partnership with organizations working with homeless people in Toronto, but I suppose you are. As an international problem of poverty and social handicap, homelessness is to be handled both in a political and individual way. I think it should help to find a good solution for this citizen of Toronto by drawing public attention on this forthcoming eviction and make it a topic for public discussion. This could be a ‘bottom-up’ strategy for fighting homelessness… (more)
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more available here:
HELP ME GROUP :: www.flickr.com/groups/help_me/
ANA’S PIC :: www.flickr.com/photos/73752718@N00/172653646/
ALONE IN A CROWD :: boojummy.blogs.friendster.com/snipehunter/2006/04/alone_i…
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Raphie Frank
business artivist
raphie.wordpress.com
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