Category Archives: Public Service Announcement

Shebeen Club October Meeting: Creativity Tips for Writers

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the bar of the ShebeenCross-posted on the Shebeen Club website too. 

What: The Shebeen Club : Creativity Tips for Writers
When: 7-9pm, Tuesday, October 17 (3rd Tuesday of each month)
Where: The Shebeen, behind the Irish Heather, 217 Carrall Street in Gastown
Why: Up your creativity with one of the world’s best creativity catalysts
Who: Contact lorraine.murphyatgmaildotcom for more information
How(much)? $15 includes dinner and a drink

Background: Each month The Shebeen Club gathers to catch up, gossip, eat, drink and learn about literature in all its many versions. We’ve featured Ann Vicente, maker of fine art books, actor and speech coach Jesse Jhames reading James Joyce, and many talented local authors including Robert Chaplin, James Sherrett, Sylvia Lim, comicbook empresario Sandford Tuey, and poet Lucan Charchuk, among many illustrious others.

Heir to the popular Stammtisch, created by Christoph Kapp of McGraw Hill, the Shebeen Club revives the warm camaraderie and vicious rivalry that has characterized all great literary meetings from the days of the Algonquin Round Table to last week at Gawker. The pen is mightier than the sword, so every third Tuesday of the month ditch the remote, stuff a messenger bag with manuscripts, adjust your berets, and head down to the Shebeen.

The Procedure: Sink into a warm velvet banquette and enjoy our programme: your basic meet-and-mingle from 7-7:30, followed by a riveting, yet brief presentation, followed by Q&A and then breaking up into casual groups for wandering, boozy reminiscences of the time you snubbed Jay McInerney in the airport. A fine dinner of bangers and mash or vegetarian pasta from the kitchen of the Irish Heather, plus one glass of wine, beer or pop are included in the $15.

This Month: Our next Shebeen Club meeting is this Tuesday, October 17th from 7-9pm, and our featured speaker is Linda Naiman, internationally-known creativity instructor.

Linda Naiman will present strategies for cultivating creativity used by writers, artists, entrepreneurs and scientists, to help you keep your own creativity fresh and alive. Topics include: The distinction between creativity and problem-solving, the right-brain myth, the genius myth, and principles that encourage creativity.

This is an exercise-based workshop, so be ready to participate! Pencils and notebooks out, ladies and gentlemen!

Bio: Linda Naiman is founder of Creativity at Work.com , a Vancouver-based coaching, consulting and training group at the forefront of transformational change in organizations. She is co-author of Orchestrating Collaboration at Work, and is known internationally for pioneering arts-based learning and development in organizations. Her work has been documented in several books: Art-based Approaches: A Practical Handbook to Creativity at Work (Chemi 2006), Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results (Silverman 2006), and Artful Creation: Learning Tales of Arts-in-Business (Darsø 2004). Her work has also been featured in The Vancouver Sun, The Globe and Mail, and Canadian Business Magazine. Linda is an associate business coach at the University of British Columbia, and an adjunct faculty member of the Banff Centre Leadership Lab. She holds a BFA from California College of the Arts, and a diploma in Graphic design from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design.
For more information, contact: Lorraine Murphy, raincoaster media ltd www.shebeenclub.com or  lorraine.murphyatgmaildotcom 778-235-0592

PSA: privacy concerns @ Vancouver Police Department

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Privacy Watchdog to investigate Vancouver Police

David Loukidelis, the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, will be investigating the Vancouver Police Department’s use of the PRIME database system for potential violations of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The investigation results from an appeal by David Eby, a lawyer with Pivot Legal Society, of the VPD’s refusal to provide information on PRIME.

In a letter to the Vancouver Police Department explaining the reasons for the investigation, Commissioner Loukidelis stated:

“The VPD has by this point given this Office a number of varying explanations as to why the audit report [requested by Eby] was or could not be produced. The VPD just yesterday advised, after recently offering the latest of several varying explanations as to why it could not be done, that the report can be produced after all. In light of the number, variety and nature of the VPD’s explanations, and the time it has taken to respond to the applicant’s request of July 2005, issues are raised as to whether PRIME is designed and operated in a manner that complies with ss. 6(1) and (2) of FIPPA.”

The investigation will look at six discrete issues involving the VPD’s administration of the PRIME system, including whether the force has the authority to operate the comprehensive information collection system in the manner that it does, whether security protections are in place to prevent unauthorized access to information, and whether procedures exist to allow individuals to correct faulty information entered into the database about them by VPD officers.

“The PRIME database system is an important crime investigation tool,” notes Eby, “However, that does not mean that VPD officers can put whatever information about whomever they wish into this database, nor does it mean that any VPD officer or staff member can access anyone’s information at any time. Privacy protections are required, and we’re glad this investigation will look into these important issues.”

According to the VPD Website, PRIME-BC is a database system that includes data from 9-1-1 call-takers, police dispatchers, officers attending an incident and follow-up investigators. Data is transmitted wirelessly to laptop computers used by investigating police officers. Once the information is entered it then becomes part of the police Records Management System (RMS).

To read the Commissioner’s decision to investigate, click here.

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For more information contact:
David Eby – (778) 865-7997

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About Pivot Legal Society

Pivot’s mandate is to take a strategic approach to social change, using the law to address the root causes that undermine the quality of life of those most on the margins.   We believe that everyone, regardless of income, benefits from a healthy and inclusive community where values such opportunity, respect and equality are strongly rooted in the law.

To subscribe or unsubscribe to the Pivot Newswire, just send a note with that subject line to newswireatpivotlegaldotorg.

PSA: Help Dr. Mike help others

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Verbatim, from the help forums:

As some of you know, I’ve been trying to raise money to pick up a laptop. I have a new job (which one day I’ll have the time to talk about) and it’s been keeping me away from the schools where I normally do my online volenteering. With a laptop, I would have a lot more flexability to access the net and spend more time trying to help folks. Right now, I’m lucky to get less than an hour a day and even that’s tight.

I’ve set up a collection over at fundable. I’m trying to raise $650 to pick up a laptop and I need your help. Right now, I have raised a total of $610 with a due date to raise the rest Tuesday evening. I’m down to the last 28 hours.[Update below]

If I can’t come up with that last forty bucks, all of the pledges go back and I don’t get anything off of it. That would mean I would have to start over again from the beginning and right now, that’s not in my budget.

I’m hoping at least 4 people will step forward and pledge ten bucks a piece. That way I can continuing helping folks online with all of the projects I do. Receipts will be provided and posted online. I’ll even take pictures.

Thanks for your assistance,
-drmike

edit: Please remmeber that I don’t get paid for any of this. :)

Update:

The site is secure and there’s an 800 number as well.

We made the goal (It’s still showing as 76 – 99% for me as well and I didn’t get any emails on the newest donations either. Something may be up on the site) and I want to thank you all.

Short story is one of the churches I volenteer with has been “taken over” by one of the larger mega churches here in town and they’re going to rebuild it as an inner city mission church. They asked me to come onto staff as the “Morning Volunteer Coordinator” (How ever you spell that) which means I’m there from about 6am until I finally have all the fires out in the afternoon. The community college that I use for my internet access is basically telling me that my access to going to start becoming limited and it’s about a 2 hour bus ride out to the university to use their computers. (I can only have dial up at my apartment and that’s pretty much useless.)

You are free to post it on your own blogs if you wish. We still have a few hours. I have a laptop sort of picked out but anything extra will give me a bit more leeway to play with. (I really would like a gig of memory on this machine)

PSA: Pivot Foundation Christmas Auction

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Please join Pivot in the celebration of

our most exciting and successful year to date at the …

Pivot Foundation Christmas Auction

Thursday, November 9, 2006 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Law Courts Inn Restaurant

5th Floor, 800 Smithe Street, Vancouver

We are pleased to announce the theme of the 2006 Pivot Foundation Annual Christmas Auction is the Busker’s Ball and will feature some of Vancouver’s best live street performers for your enjoyment. Performers will be “busking” with all proceeds to benefit Pivot. 

Please join us for an evening of fascinating updates, terrific entertainment, exciting live and silent auctions, door prizes, refreshments and much, much more!  Items include vacation getaways, body treatments, photography sessions, original artwork, fine dining, a mountain bike, family adventures, a Smart Car for a weekend and much more!

Proceeds from the Pivot Foundation’s fourth annual live Christmas auction will support Pivot’s projects on behalf of the residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.   

Admission is by donation. 

Please RSVP by October 30, 2006 to auctionatpivotfoundationdotorg or call Lisa Werring at 604-255-9700.

Thank you for your continued support!

 

Pivot Foundation

 

Light hors d’oeurvres will be provided. 

Cash bar

Terry Gilliam: for the love of god watch my new movie!

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GilliamWell, not in so many words.

But Gawker caught him accosting strangers on the sidewalk, imploring them to go see Tideland, his new movie.

Poor man; the only way he can get Brad to return his calls now is to pretend to be yet another of Angie‘s exotic adoptees.

On the brink of financial destruction as ever, Gilliam pleaded with the mob to go see his movie when it opens on Friday, or else it will get kicked out of theaters in a week (or less).

Give the dude credit for not giving up despite years of disappointment; plus, he’s still rocking that ratty vestigial ponytail thing.