By Kevin Hollett
Photo courtesy of Vancouver Canadians

I believe in the Church of Baseball. I tried all the major religions and most of the minor ones. I've worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I learned that, I gave Jesus a chance. - Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham

By Lee Sheldon

How can we help the homeless—those who become astray
Are without a roof or bed, lost their hope & their way
No longer know a place they can call home
Must wander the streets cold, tired & alone
Don’t know who to ask to guide them right
They’re just ignored, removed from our sight
Don’t know where to go to get life back
All they understand is endless hunger, much lack
Sun is welcome as shelter from the rain
But the nights are cold & so once again
They are back to fear—no safe place to be
Sadly a doorway, box, park bench or tree

By Margo Pierce

The North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) features 31 members, including Megaphone Magazine. This is our second collaborative article. This time, we look at the rising incidence of hate crimes against homeless people. In 2008, 27 people were killed in the United States for being homeless, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. Where is the uproar? Margo Pierce investigates.

By Sean Condon, Executive Director
Photo by Wishbone

In the Downtown Eastside, drugs have essentially been legalized. Dealing and using are done in the open. Police officers ignore crack smokers and pay little attention to the dealers. When a cop does stroll by, the dealers and users either disperse for a few moments or just wait for them to pass through. It’s a funny little dance for such a serious issue.

Story by Jenny Uechi
Photo by Natasha Kanji

Potluck Café is like a small corner of paradise in the Downtown Eastside. Located just down the street from a block of Hastings Street rife with fights and open-air drug dealing, such activities feel a million miles away when you walk inside and see fresh flowers peeping out of glasses on every table and beautiful photographs of the neighbourhood displayed on the walls.

By Charles Demers

Capitalism in Vancouver is an especially cruel mistress—by my last count there are only four business models left in this town that are guaranteed to turn a profit: sushi restaurant, grow-op, yoga gear supplier and being Bob Rennie.

Story by Dave Thorvald Olson
Photo by Kris Krug

Vancouver is always on some “best of” something list extolling luxurious skiing or exotic bistros, but it’s rarely mentioned amongst North American art culture capitals. San Francisco gets credits for its psychedelic pioneers and New York is known for its art school punkers, with beat poets traipsing in-between. Even Montreal is known for jazz, comedy and underage drinking, and Ontario holds claim to the Group of Seven artists.