Homeless

Gatehouse Art Group Artweeks

2010-05-08T08:11:00.000Z

The Gatehouse Art Group welcome you to our Artweeks 2010 show at St Barnabas Church in Jericho.

Private View: 11.30 am, tomorrow, Saturday 8th May.
St Barnabas Church, St Barnabas Street, Jericho, Oxford OX2 6BG
Everyone Welcome!

This is the first time we are exhibiting outside of the Gatehouse and as part of a larger group!
This is the first time we are exhibiting outside of the Gatehouse and as part of a larger group! We are really pleased to be exhibiting in such a wonderful building - and to have had such a warm welcome by St Barnabas Church. (The church gounded in 1869 is a copy of one in Italy, and has beautiful tile work and icon paintings - certainly worth a visit!

Opening times for St Barnabas Church Artweeks Show:

Open from Saturday 8th May to Sunday 16th May 2010 inclusive

12 pm - 4 pm - Every day including Saturday and Sunday
Late openings: Thursday and Friday 12 pm - 8 pm

With best wishes from Setareh, Paul and all of the Gatehouse Art Group - drop in and see us!

Artweeks: www.artweeks.org
St Barnabas: www.sbarnabas.org.uk

You can find the Artweeks guide in public libraries and many local shops - we recommend you use the Guide as the website has listings of individual artists, and unless you know the number of the site you are visiting it is hard to locate the information you need.

http://www.homeless.me.uk

Kemlyn's Progress

2010-01-27T12:03:00.004Z

I was in Mexico City for a while, had some (quite boring) security work doing nights in an office complex - low risk, moderate pay (for Mexico).

I was going stale,and the only other option was potentially pretty hairy work (the job of a security guard in Mexico City is far different to Oxford(!)-check out the level of robberies, murders, kidnapping etc., on the internet (gasp!).

So,I decided to fly to Venezuela,for a bit of a change. I haven't got any paid work as yet, but I've managed to hook up with a charity that helps indigenous people that have been/are being displaced by the the mining companies etc., or have made the age old bid to find the 'cities paved with gold'.

This is pretty cool and rewarding (a bit like the Gatehouse, except on the edge of a jungle with more people wearing feathers and with sticks through their noses!).

I've towed the party line a bit . . . the strong religious bent is another difference from the proceedings at the Gatehouse.

In reality, I'm pretty much non-partisan - but I believe in the TEACHINGS of Jesucristo (but not his divinity) and in helping the 'little man' - so a Catholic-Socialist Englishman is to all appearences a more useful and integrated specimen (and a novelty).

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T11:08:00.000Z

I would like to wish a Happy New Year to everybody who is involved in and working at the Homeless shelter. I personally pray that God will continue to give you the strength and support needed, both physical and mental, to enable you to continue your work. The help you give to other people will become a blessing to yourself and your own household.

God Bless

Kind regards,
Valere

Rick/Dennis Dies 8th December 2009

2009-12-10T17:38:00.008Z

Rick, a regular of the Gatehouse Art group died a few days ago of a heart attack.
Here's one of my favourite pictures from Rick.

I remember him giving Bill Heine a good grilling at the Sunday Times Literary Fest. Here's a report of that day along with some pictures:

Meeting Bill Heine (author of "Heinstein") at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival

The Gatehouse Bookclub met the author of this year's choice. He read from chapter ? , which describes the attitude of his producers at BBC Radio Oxford to his idea to invite a homeless person called "Matt" to co-present his programme during Homelessness Week. I think most of us were quite surprised at such blatant prejudice against the homeless could be so common even amongst members of such a reputedly liberal profession as broadcasting.

Despite the fear expressed, the show went off well and must certainly have changed the attitude of many listeners. hearing this set us off on a discussion of the reasons people are so fearful of the homeless, perhaps, as one person suggested, a kind of "reverse jealousy". You've made it but dont like to be reminded about those who haven't.

Bill was asked about his favourite guest and this turned out to be Gordon Brown, much to everyone's surprise. BH found himself doing a live interview with the PM during his visit to Oxford and whatever he may have felt about his policies, found him to be a very warm human being in contrast to Tony Blair, who he's also interviewed but found much more shallow.

Someone asked about some of the less pleasant incidents related in his book, for example when a local police firearms officers had him round the throat accusing Bill of having set him up. He'd visited the studio to talk about guns and gun crimes and ended up dropping one of his guns in Radio Oxford waiting room - Bill confronted him about that on air which caused several years of bad blood between him and the police.

He also couldn't get away without talking about his iconic shark art installation that since 1986 has graced the roof of his Headington Home and is now world famous.
All in all it was a lively session and Bill was an interesting and accessible guest. Here's Rick in the picture from happier days at the festival:

Google Street View - Images of Homelessness

2009-06-17T09:40:00.000Z

View Larger Map

UK Canal Chart - Black & White version

2009-03-26T11:26:00.002Z

YouTube - Limits to Freedom

2008-11-05T11:55:00.002Z

Some may have noticed that the gatehousefilms account on Youtube has been permanently removed without notice or explanation. This also removed copies of our films and useful comments. Youtube's owners make contact tricky, in a way that brings to mind the opening scenes of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. So we are left guessing what it was amongst our handfull of films that caused so much offence? Could it be one of our clients mobile phone footage of an anti-BNP rally, which took place on our doorstep and to which many of us participated? (Incidentally, rumour has it that Lewis Hamilton, current Formula One racing champion broke off from a nearby booksigning to join the protestors.) No, it surely can't be that, although it did certainly provoke some very rabid comments from other Youtube users - although on the whole it seemed like reasonable debate. So come on Youtube - what's your problem?

Job Hunting & the Internet

2008-09-25T09:56:00.003Z

"The hard truth is that potential employers will google your name during your application and interview process. Get over it - and prepare for it now!" Gretchen on JobsyntaxSource: secretsofthejobhunt

If you use a social networking site such as Facebook or Bebo, or have done in the past, make sure there is nothing on it that might undermine you in an interview. Same goes for house hunting. Embarishing things you put on the internet can come back to haunt you. Ideally don't put embarishing things on social networking sites, but if you have, start amending them now.

A page on a social networking site such as Facebook are potential help in the search for a job or place to live. Think about how you can tweak your profiles to make them work for you. How about some photos of you doing nice things in your house - like cooking a good dinner with good looking friends, or working in your beloved garden, or hoovering. These are the kind of things that might reasure a potential landlord. Whereas falling down the stairs in a drunken stupour may be a scream but wont play well with a potential employer. For help getting your profiles in order - email chris@homeless.me.uk or come along to one of my social networking classes.

I've just read a news report about the number of false profiles on facebook that are used to dupe the unsuspecting into clicking on a malign site. All the more reason to be careful about the "friends" you let in - Facebook is probably best when you there is some real common interest between you and those wanting to be your friend.

Homeless on Second Life

2008-03-14T09:23:00.019Z

If you saw the BBC documentary "Virtual Adultery and Cyberspace Love" in their Wonderland series, you might be a bit nervous of Second Life. It's certainly true that all human life is here, well almost. Yes there is conflict and abuse, but there is also real learning and growth happening in this virtual world. At the moment I tend to avoid the seamier sides and concentrate on its powerful educational and/ or transformational possibilities. Even so, surviving probably requires some awareness of how to deal with the negative.

"Educate and Entertain" - Bertolt Brecht

Second Life is entertaining and absorbing. You learn a lot too. It improves hand eye cordination, your typing improves without you even realising it; and life skills, well they have to get better.

Two recent experiences highlighted that for me. The first was when a student using the "Homeless Aeon" avatar to improve their spanish ended up abusing the owner of a virtual mall and getting banned. There's probably a part of all of us that wants to let rip when given the opportunity. It's better to get it out of your system in SL.

The second was on UK Education's Virtual campus - you'd think that would be sufficiently "safe" and "boring" to avoid the so-called "griefers" . But I've learnt that you, and that includes a complete beginner, can be abused (griefed in SL (Second Life) jargon) within minutes of being "born". The photo above is taken on part of that campus. I was attacked by two would be gamers, one dressed as Robin (Batman's sidekick) armed with virtual weapons and a foul mouth.

OK in the end I could teleport out of there - and find somewhere quieter - but if it had happened in the midst of a virtual lecture or filming session, it would have been a real drag.

There are solutions, including trying to reason with them, maybe asking if they have the bottle to visit SL real combat areas such as Toxian City; reporting the abuser, freezing their "avatar" or deploying a special virtual device etc. Essentual reading is Richard Mansfield's "How to do Everything with Second Life".

The above machinima animation was made on second life using the "HomelessAeon" Avatar and tracks made for the Oxford Nightshelter musician group "Making Tracks"

So watch this space for more developments.
Check out "UK Education" on Second Life
and also "The Ivory Tower Library of Primitives" for self paced tutorials.
"Tiki Island" is a quiet place to camp and make some linden dollars.
One day soon we will have our own virtual gatehouse Cafe.

Watch this space for news of our activities on Second Life

- avatar "Homeless Aeon".

News:
TOKYO (AFP) - A paralysed man using only his brain waves has been able to manipulate a virtual Internet character, Japanese researchers said Monday, calling it a world first.
(Advertisement)

The 41-year-old patient used his imagination to make his character take a walk and chat to another virtual person on the popular Second Life website.

The patient, who has suffered paralysis for more than 30 years, can barely bend his fingers due to a progressive muscle disease so cannot use a mouse or keyboard in the traditional way.

In the experiment, he wore headgear with three electrodes monitoring brain waves related to his hands and legs. Even though he cannot move his legs, he imagined that his character was walking.

He was then able to have a conversation with the other character using an attached microphone, said the researchers at Japan's Keio University.

It is the first time a paralysis patient has succeeded in meeting a person and having a conversation in an Internet virtual world, they added.

Researchers are now studying a system that would let patients create text messages by mentally selecting certain letters, said Junichi Ushiba, associate professor at the biosciences and informatics department of Keio Universty's Faculty of Science and Technology.

"In the near future, they would be able to stroll through Second Life shopping malls with their brain waves... and click to make a purchase," Ushiba said.

Second Life is an increasingly popular virtual world in which people -- and animals -- are represented by animated avatars and do everything from social activities to shopping.

Ushiba says Second Life could motivate patients with severe paralysis, who are often too depressed to undergo rehabilitation.

Visit our website www.homeless.me.uk

'Homeless Vehicle'

2007-12-20T17:44:00.000Z

'Homeless Vehicle' (1988-93) by Krzysztof Wodiczko. Photographer: Blaise Adilon. Courtesy of Galerie Lelong, New York. From Exhibition on Sleep and Dreaming at Wellcome Building, Euston Rd, London

I was very struck by this exhibit at the recent show. Not sure if this is a serious proposal or some sort of p***take. American homeless may make greater use of shopping trolleys in which to wheel around their lives. This delux version has a telescoping chamber in which one could stretch out in a sleeping bag. The whole could be padlocked to a convenient lampost for extra security. Not sure what the Brits would make of this - although we are reknowned for our love affair with the shop trolley.

Manic & Taurus

2007-12-03T18:08:00.001Z

I've been back in Oxford for nearly two years now, after just over a decade's meanderig round this island. One thing that regularly upsets me is the 'attitude' and abuse directed to the many people who, in various ways, attempt to make the lives of the homeless in this city more bearable. I find it pathetic that those with little or no knowlege of provisions for the homeless in other parts of Britain slag off the facilities here. On more than one occasion I've felt obliged to advise folks to f**k off and travel so that they can compare the (admittedly less than perfect) hostels and soup-runs in the city of dreaming spires (or screaming choirs on May morning) with those in other parts of this green and pleasant land.

Birmingham for example has only one hostel place accessable to dog owners. Manchester is the same, and has a specialist police unit who claim to help rough sleepers although this assistance usually involves entrapping and then encarcerating. Dressed in plain clothes they approach their target and make as if to reach into their pocket for change. Should the 'dosser' lift their hand (or sometimes oven their eyes) they will find themselves leant some rather uncomfortable bracelets,accomodated for the night on a wooden bench with thin blue foam mat, and delivered to court. Follow-up care involves being booted out and advised not to be seen on the streets of Manchester again.

Why did you choose to do art?

2007-09-19T17:01:00.000Z

I am a student at the University of Birmingham and I am doing a
dissertation on Homelessness and Art. I have volunteered for Crisis Skylight
over the summer and I attended the Ten Feet Away exhibition in London
this summer, and heard about your charity there.

1. Why did you choose to do art?

2. What is art to you? Leisure? Business? Social? Therapeutic?

3. Do you consider yourself an artist? What is an artist in your opinion? Lifestyle? Job? Hobby?

4. What kind of art do you create?

5. What are your influences?

6. What does your work mean to you?

7. Is art important? To you as the artist? To other people – the audience?

8. Do you feel the art course is beneficial to you? The other members?

9. What does the future hold for you? Qualifications? College? Studio? Job?

return to:
"Daniel Webster"

Watch your language

2007-05-31T09:20:00.000Z

Recently I've been striving to learn bits and bobs of any and all of the many languages one comes across in Oxford. I've noticed other people I meet are doing this too. Today the expression "it's a small world" may be more pertinent than ever before, and in Oxford (which is a small town) representatives of much of the world can be found.

Communication is about community and I suppose vice versa. In this brave new world community, to communicate we need to step outside of our own familiar words and themes. As a world citizen and speaker of the current 'lingua franca' (English, not French), it's important to broaden your horizons, so watch your language innit.

Kemlyn

Poetic Verse

2007-05-19T08:29:00.000Z

POETIC VERSE
The art of poetic verse
is to show the world you care
to reach out and touch the lonely
and show there's someone there,
To find a perfect beauty
and help the blind to see,
To create a peacefull environment
thats safe for you and me.
The art of poetic verse
is to touch a primal chord,
To educate the empty
so they can spread the word.
So if you have a message
you don't know how to tell,
Try the art of poetic verse
the lyrically enlightening spell!

Nigel Mattew, Daniel Savill
Copyright ©2007 Nigel Mattew, Daniel Savill

"Where are your manners?"

2007-05-10T09:50:00.000Z

More and more I'm realising that good manners and etiquette are becoming lost in this increasingly selfish and self-obsessed culture. Social awareness, responsibility and skills are far from the top of people's lists. Rarely do I hear the words "excuse me" or "sorry" as someone barges past or walks into my path.

Some (many in fact) seem to think nothing of coughing or sneezing without covering their faces and happily in the direction and vacinity of another individual. Not exactly manners this - but important nonetheless - I often see men leave the urinal or (even worse) toilet cubicle, without washing their hands afterwards. I move to let people past in the street, hold doors open - not too commonly do I hear the words "thank you".

When it comes to conversation, we deal with one of my personal pet dislikes - interrupting. Numerous times everyday, I'll be talking when, midsentence, the person I'm talking to blurts out their own thoughts on (usually) a separate subject, without any apparent care or concern for my own attempt to communicate.

I could go on and on in this vein but instead I'll offer an idea. Perhaps in this age when "respect" is a buzzword, real and true respect is a rare commodity. People just don't care about anything much, at least not anything important. We see all around us a culture of self-gratification, ego and greed.

The world, it seems, moves too fast to bother with something as unsignificant as other people. Looking at things, I can only imagine that for the most part, this'll only get worse.

We can all make an effort to reverse this trend, at least within our own spheres of influence. When someone talks, listen and try to talk with (not at) them.

Say "please", "Thankyou" and all the other pleasant words our language is blessed with.

Open doors and give up your seat on the bus for an old lady.

Help a mother lift her child's pushchair off the same bus.

As my own mum would say (or probably similar at least) "manners don't cost anything". As our culture becomes even more rude and obnoxious, ask yourself '"where are your manners?"

Kemlyn

Blind Art

2007-04-26T08:23:00.000Z

By Nigel

As an artist viewing a blank canvass
I see not an empty page
Just poems still unwritten
Begging to be made.
With lyrical colour I paint a scene
Each a vocal work of art
And ‘though we’re a band of brothers
Our independence sets us apart.
The lyrics I see are my own
As is my choice to show you
Another may show a different scene
But each is painted true.
How we obtain inspiration
None of us can clearly say
Perhaps we just look at life
In a slightly different way.
So if you see a picture
But can’t identify the view
Don’t condemn it with slander
It just wasn’t meant for you!

Poverty?

2007-04-14T09:39:00.000Z

I have often reflected, sitting in a drop-in centre for the homeless and vulnerable (and I am sitting in one - The Gap - as I write) how there is no real poverty in Britain.

By this I mean what I would refer to as 'absolute material poverty' (sounds clever!) This, I suggest, is where someone hasn't the means to feed either themselves or their families. Close to 100% of service users in drop-in centres, who are I suppose amongst the 'poorest' folk in Britain, receive benefits that are ample to feed them. Meaning that they not only get to eat for free (with table service in some establishments) but get food to take home, clothing, free washing machines and driers, art groups etc and so can spend the government's cash on luxuries. So in these terms I question whether anyone really is poor in these sceptered isles.

But poverty extends further than the simple (though essential!) matters of food and bellies. Firstly there are the other aspects of our material wellbeing; clothing, shelter and physical safety. Centres such as the Gatehouse* provide a free clothing service, temporary shelter from the elements and at least aim to protect their charges from harm.

In this day and age, homelessness is still a real issue of poverty that afflicts people in the world's wealthiest countries. Here we come to an interesting point in the examination of our subject. Whereas certain countries may be practically free of material poverty, these same places are increasingly blighted by a lack of the mental, intellectual, psychological, emotional, social and creative wealth (and one could say love) that is man's birthright.

In these areas, both materially 'rich' and 'poor' alike (in the western world) are affected. The remit of places like the Gatehouse* extends to providing a social, emotional, mental and other aspects of care, which is so important to a truly wealthy life.

This type of wealth may indeed be much more prevalent in the countries which lack the material bounty of others. Also there may be an element of community support and mutual interest which I have personally experienced and seen amongst the supposedly 'low' or 'poor' people which society looks down on. Certainly, all is not as it seems and perhaps all that glisters is in fact not gold.

I would like to suggest that if we as a species and as individuals, realised that true wealth lies in a balance of many different elements (not least of which, care for our fellow creatures) then we wouldn't see the massive gaps in life quality, opportunity, health and happiness that blight the modern landscape. Maybe then we could focus on something other than chasing more money, cars, women, drugs and guns.

Just maybe.

(I apologise for the sudden dramatic and puritanical departure this article took towards the end. I was rushing to finish and in my usual attempt to end the piece on a thoughtful and thought provoking note, I slipped on my own pomposity. Now there's an image)

Kemlyn

* To learn more about the Gatehouse Centre mentioned above visit their website www.Homeless.me.uk

Oxford Credit Union

2007-03-24T12:50:00.001Z

Oxford Credit Union

What is the Oxford Credit Union?
The Oxford Credit Union is a registered financial co-operative, owned
and operated by its members who live or work in Oxford.
It provides basic financial services, such as savings accounts and affordable loans

Self harm survey

2007-03-21T10:02:00.000Z

Needed - more than 1,000 people over the age of 18 to take a survey that asks what problems you've faced and how you've coped with them. About 4% of the population will turn to deliberate self harm (such as cutting or attempted suicide) as a way of coping. Why? How are they the same and/or different from others who don't self harm? Different problems? Different support structures?

In order to address these questions, I need people from all walks of life to fill out the survey. Whether you've ever turned to deliberate self harm or not, your response to this survey is important.

You're answers are 100% anonymous.

And 1000% appreciated.

Would you be willing to take 15 minutes to complete a survey in support of my study?

www.survey.bristol.ac.uk/psych-ox/life

Thank you in advance,

Emily

East meets West

2007-03-12T18:27:00.000Z

One could get the impression, listening to today's politicians and mainstream media that this co-called 'War on Terror' is a battle of Good (The Christian West) versus Evil (The Muslim East). The truth is more likely that there is good and evil on both 'sides'. This image of the courageous and worthy knight going forth to challenge the devious cruel Saracen is one that has been in European minds since at least the time of the Crusades. Then as now, many died and suffered in the name of religion, as two groups fought for control of the Middle East.

But that's not the whole story. The East and the West have had a close and complex relationship for so long that we don't even see it anymore. Our national religion of Christianity came from the Middle East as did our numbers and much of our early science. Even the idea of Chivalry that the knights prided themselve on, was of Muslim origin.

But even more than this, historians, archeologists and anthropologists suggest that writing, agriculture, the domestication of animals and even mankind itself originated here. This is no small contribution, and one that should not be taken for granted by the young upstart that is modern Britain. What made Britain great was its empire and colonies. The Muslim taught us the navigation and sailing that Britannia used to 'Rule the Waves.'

So many great Englishmen 'went native' in Eastern countries, learning the language and engaging in a cross-cultural pollination that is and has been the lifeblood of human development. The modern English speaking world is now dominating the world's culture, and a crass, cheap and tacky veneer is spreading over an old and beautiful picture.

I am British (my passport says so!). My parents are British. However I spent much of my early life in Arab countries. The lady I wish to marry is British. Her parents are Indian. For the sake of any children that she and I may have; and for all our children, let's hope we remember who we are.

Peace & Carrots

2007-02-25T10:38:00.000Z

I am a struggling artist, an 'artiste' not a p*ss artists (though I know a few of these). But a martial artist, a warrior, a modern day knight.

I dream of saving maidens from dragons, going to battle under the banner of all that is good, kicking a would-be mugger in the nuts, that sort of thing.

But it's not all right hooks and judo chops in the struggle for the art of 'The Sword of Peace.' As I get older I realise how much the path is one of non-violence, of dialogue and compassion. Only when really necessary will one have to club another on the head. The Japanese say that only someone who has understood and gone beyond the mutual destruction of himself and his enemy (we fight and both die) can really encompass the concept of mutual preservation (Let's not hurt each other).

The Arabic idea of 'Jihad' means the struggle with oneself, the devil and evil in the world with physical fighting only being a small part of that. This is why I'm a 'struggling artist'. The struggle to balance things; the knockouts, the kills and the peaceful resolutions is one that takes time, patience and a lot of work.

Peace and Carrots

Kemlyn

Gimme Shelter

2007-02-17T13:48:00.000Z

Prisons in the UK are categorised A, B, C or D. Category A prisons are for all the most dangerous criminals, armed robbers and the like. Category D prisons include infamous 'open prisons' much derided in the tabloid media as 'holiday camps'. Oxford's Night Shelter is probably most like a Category D prison; although it is built in the same design as Category B/C I briefly stayed in, to house inmates that include no doubt senior criminals and mental health patients.

I guess however that open prisons would be largely more stable and peaceful with more interesting activities than the Oxford Night Shelter. Three pounds a day gives you a bed, three (very square) meals and constant noise, madness and low level tension between the hours of 07.30 and 22.30. All in all better than sleeping rough but a real drain on the spirit and a test of one's sanity. I can't wait to leave!

From our own correspondant
The author is someone who has spent
a number of years on the street.
See below for earlier post: 'Winter Turbulence at the Gatehouse'

Why not leave some feedback on this or your own experiences

Oxford Drinkers Need Place to meet

2007-02-10T09:21:00.000Z

Drinkers need place to meet
By Reg Little

Comment Read Comments (2)
A new report is calling for the creation of a special garden in Oxford set aside for the city's street drinkers.
A "wet garden" is now badly needed to give street drinkers a place to meet up and drink alcohol outdoors in a managed way, the city council report said.
And it urges that the site should be located near the city centre, to be accessible "for the great majority of likely clients".

It said: "Although the setting up of a wet garden would initially require pump priming (start-up cash), savings would be made in the long run on arrests, hospital stays, policing casualty admissions, health care, custodial sentences, street maintenance and security."
The report from the council's community housing officer, Graham Stratford, said council officers and voluntary groups had so far been unsuccessful in the search for a suitable site.
He said: "It is probably true to say that all current sites and arrangements in the city centre, for example St Giles and St Ebbe's, have been exhausted.
"The redevelopment of the West End may offer the only possibility."
And, while the introduction of alcohol-free zones in Oxford city centre four years ago benefited local people and businesses, the zones had "displaced" drinkers from the city centre to residential areas such as Abingdon Road, Jericho and the Cowley Road.
The report said, ideally, the wet garden should be attached to a night shelter, away from schools, shopping, tourist and homes.
But restaurateur Clinton Pugh, who wants to see street cafe culture bloom in Oxford, branded the idea "ridiculous and bizarre".
Mr Pugh, whose restaurants include Cafe CoCo, the Kazbar and the Lemon Tree, said: "I thought Oxford was trying to encourage tourism. What a wonderful display this will present to visitors! It would simply encourage other street drinkers to come along to enjoy the party atmosphere."
Susanna Pressel, city councillor for Jericho and Osney, said: "The whole city is now an alcohol-free zone.
"But there are still people who have an addiction. They have to go somewhere. The problem is finding a location."
The issue will be discussed at the council's central, south and west area committee on Tuesday.
8:55am Friday 9th February 2007

Green Meadow

2007-02-01T16:24:00.000Z

The Great St. Pete Homeless Tent Raid

2007-01-23T09:20:00.000Z

The Great St. Pete Homeless Tent Raid
By HOWARD TROXLER, Times Columnist
Published January 22, 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Watch the St. Petersburg Police raid a tent encampment, slicing up and carting away the tents belonging to the homeless.
ADVERTISEMENT

He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

- Luke 3:11

Oh, sure, that's the kind of place I want my city to be - a city where, when kind-hearted people donate tents to the homeless, the city stages a raid and cuts them up.

Good grief!

Did they give each other high fives at City Hall afterward Friday? Did they throw each other a party? Bake a cake? Put up a "Mission Accomplished" banner?

Mayor Rick Baker told a St. Petersburg Times reporter on Monday that he didn't know about the raid in advance.

Ah. So that means someone down the chain of command took the initiative and said:

"Hey, I know! Let's go over and roust the homeless and cut up their tents and make unflattering national news, right after two homeless guys got murdered in our city, and after we forced a charity to shut down an earlier tent city! And, furthermore, let's don't tell the boss!"

(Note: The police officers I have seen on the scene have been professional, patient and compassionate. But this decision was not made by them.)

As for the people who had been living in those tents, here is good news.

They all magically disappeared as soon as St. Petersburg sliced and diced their sleeping quarters.

In fact, I heard one of them say:

"I foolishly believed that I, a worthless bum, could just sponge off you suckers in St. Petersburg, but your firm resolve has thwarted me! Now I and all my friends will be leaving your town."

Not.

The people living in the tents didn't magically disappear afterward, and few if any of them left town, because ...

Because they are, for the most part, us.

Everybody seems to have their own stereotype about "the homeless." And it's usually one size fits all.

To the mayor, the homeless seem to be uncooperative folks who won't take advantage of all the Wonderful Services the government and the private sector offer. What else do Those People want?

To some of the angry citizens I hear from, the homeless are lazy bums. They are the reason we can't walk through a park, or get off an exit ramp without being harassed.

But quite a few of the people in those tents work at minimum-wage jobs, or day labor, trying to afford a place to live. It was a small comfort for them to have a tent to sleep in, a place where other people might watch their stuff.

Some are families. About a fifth of the total homeless population is under 18.

Without a doubt, some of the homeless have problems. Some aren't getting treated for mental illness. Our society's answer for that one is to throw them in jail for a while.

And, yes indeed, for those of us looking to feel smug, if you look hard enough, you can find addicts, or burglars, or even just plain old bums.

But there is no one "homeless" population, and so there is no one solution.

But even if there were, it would not be just rushing over and cutting up tents - good grief! What kind of people are we?

There's a countywide task force and various advocacy groups. Here's one place to start: the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless, 5180 62nd Ave. N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781, (727) 528-5762.

[Last modified January 22, 2007, 21:03:50]

Winter turbulence at the Gatehouse

2007-01-22T18:36:00.000Z

There was a corker of a brawl at the Gatehouse the other night! The cavalry arrived, in the form of about six big coppers! As far as I know, no-one got nicked, and no-one seriously hurt, so a great time was had by all!

The uninitiated might expect more stroppiness in the summer when the temperature is high. However I think this winter turbulence may be more of a 'street' phenomenon. It's getting cold, people are perhaps a bit sad that they're not involved in the normal festivities, being away from their families. The hostels are full, drop-in centres can get pretty packed, people probably drink to cope with the cold; less daylight means seasonal affective disorder takes hold. There's generally increased activity in town, dealers may be getting nicked and it can (sometimes) be harder to score with increased police on the street. On the otherhand there's more money to be made over Xmas/New New year for beggars and Big Issue sellers (therefore more drink and drugs!) Although it can be frustrating when you're cold, miserable and wet and people aren't giving you money (as they often don't). It's also a time for deaths, illness and imprisonment of street-people etc.,etc. These factors and more can contribute to a general low mood on 'da street'.

The other thing to expect is an increase in Police operations, including undercover stuff, to target drug dealers, thieves and the like - winter seems to be hunting season for Old Bill. So a few people can expect an Xmas gift of free accommodation at Her Majesty's Pleasure. Still, at least it's warm and you get three square meals and a TV!

From our own correspondant
The author is someone who has spent
a number of years on the street.
Why not leave some feedback on your own experiences

A Load of Bull! by Kemlyn

2007-01-06T12:28:00.000Z

Taken from his Myspace Blog

Recently (Jan '07) another poor child has lost their life at the jaws of a so-called 'devil-dog'. The animal was judged to be a pit-bull type banned under the Dangerous Dogs act in 1991.

This type of dog is one that has served man faithfully for thousands of years yet has often been maligned for the very traits which we have harnessed for our own benefit. Artwork for many ancient civilizations shows images of large headed, well muscled and athletic dogs. These animals were used for hunting, guarding, for war and unfortunately also to fight other dogs, other creatures and even men in 'sporting' contests.

This last activity reflects the darker side of man's nature, and it is indeed these very failings that have caused the problems we see with these loyal, courageous creatures. The process of selecting, breeding and training fearless, powerful and aggressive killers is one that has always had to go hand-in-hand with certain safety measures.

Nobody would want a beast that bit the hand that fed it, particularly one which would take that hand clean off! The handlers themselves often change, what with the dogs being sold on to new owners, and the animals have to be able to settle into their new environment. Dogs had to be safe enough to be physically removed by the handler from an animal they could still be fighting, without danger of biting the human handler.

Anyone who has responisbly cared for any of these amazing creatures will no doubt validate their trustworthiness. But trust can be broken and this is where irresponsible and ill-suited owners can produce a situation qwhere these dogs will attact out of place.

Like any working animal the relationship between man and beast is the key. In 99.999% of cases these dogs are the best companions their human pals could hope for. The problem occurs when people try to turn man's best friend into man's worst nightmare.

The pattern is always the same - the dogs are teased, abused and enouraged to show aggression for all living things. They are allowed to establish dominance over all but the actual owner, who will usually enforce his position with menace. The poor creatures learn to trust no-one, fear everyone and endup being aggresive when they don't get the attention they need.

The situation becomes like a bomb waiting to go off, and go off it often does. The bottom line is that in the wrong hands, practically anything can be dangerous. It's the people who use dogs, cars, knives, guns and anything else to menace society, that are the problem, not the tools they use. I see that stringent licensing of dog owners, particularly of large breeds, should come into force. These animals were bred to save life, not to take it.

Oxford Homeless Killed in Fire

2007-01-05T12:35:00.000Z

By Emma-Kate Lidbury

DETECTIVES investigating the Oxford house fire in which two people died today appealed for help in discovering precisely when the fire started.

Officers believe the blaze may have started two hours before firefighters were called.

It is thought the fire - at Redbridge Cottage in Old Abingdon Road - may have been smouldering for some time before the emergency services were alerted at about 4.40am on Tuesday. Fire investigators think the fire may have started between 2.30am and 3am.

A motorist passing the house spotted smoke and called 999, but when the four fire crews arrived minutes later there was nothing they could do to save the man and woman they had pulled from the burning building.

The two victims were yesterday named as Howard Blake, 51, and Sian Sanchez, 36, both of no fixed abode.

Police believe the house, which had been unoccupied for about a month, was being used by squatters and the pair had been staying there. Post mortems showed they died of smoke inhalation.

Advertisement continued...
Old Abingdon Road was closed yesterday between 9.30am and 4.30pm while officers continued to work at the scene.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated but fire officers have said it was not accidental.

Police say they have spoken to a number of witnesses and are also studying CCTV images from the nearby Go Outdoors shop.

Det Chief Insp Rob Mason said: "I am keen to hear from anyone who saw smoke coming from the house to help us narrow down when the fire started.

"The fire created a lot of smoke and could have been seen or smelt by passing motorists or people walking nearby. Any information members of the public have could help us to determine the exact timing of the fire and help to establish what happened."

Ricardo's doodle

2007-01-04T09:32:00.000Z

Suicide Man May Be Foreign (from Oxford Mail)

2006-12-23T09:41:00.000Z

Suicide Man May Be Foreign (from Oxford Mail): "Suicide man may be foreign
Comment

The police efit

DETECTIVES baffled by the identity of the man found dead near an Oxford park and ride are now investigating if he was a foreigner.
Officers were yesterday no closer to learning the man's name four days after he was discovered on wasteland near the Seacourt park and ride off Botley Road. Checks on people missing locally and nationally, tip-offs from the public, investigations with other police forces and fingerprint, dental and DNA records have yet to yield a positive match.
Police, who issued an efit, right, on Thursday, are checking with immigration officials to see if they can discover if he was a recent arrival in Britain.
The man was white, slim and around 5ft 11ins, and was in his early to mid-20s.
His body was discovered at 9.10am on Tuesday, but it emerged last night the man might have been at the spot since Sunday night.
Detectives have been investigating whether the man killed himself in an elaborate suicide involving a length of drainpipe, a knife and rope. A post mortem examination determined he died from a head wound."

Gatehouse New Words

2006-12-10T14:32:00.000Z

'nuff blessings

Street alternative to 'yours sincerely' or 'truly'

Gateway Newsletter - feedback

2006-12-09T18:50:00.000Z

There's some great material on the blog (eg the latest "from our own correspondent" , which is exactly the sort of thing I've always wanted to see - from the streets).

Here's some of the feedback I've had (mostly from friends, family & colleagues, as of course I haven't been able to talk to guests):
Such good quality!

Such great design!

The format is brilliant. A broadsheet!

I love the way you open it up and it says "Inside the Gatehouse".

Shame it didn't make the most of the photos: too small.

Is it too smart?

(Two people) Specially like the drawing on the front.

The trustees were enthusiastic - wanted to know how it was paid for (and were happy). But...really unhappy about the horoscopes. They feel it may alienate some of our key supporters in the churches, some of whom have strong feelings about it.

When's the next one coming out?

Is there going to be lots of material from guests? (I've explained that we hope that having a brilliant first edition will inspire them to produce stuff - which it seems to be doing!)
Love to everyone. The cast comes off next week.
And then all I've got to do is learn to walk again!

White Powder Gold : Laurence Gardner

2006-12-07T11:29:00.000Z

White Powder Gold : Laurence Gardner: "As related in Laurence Gardner's book, Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark, scientific attention has recently been directed towards an exotic form of elemental matter not shown in the Periodic Table of Elements.
Derived from gold, platinum group metals and other transition elements, these impalpable white powder substances have been referred to as 'monatomic' (a single atomic state). As such, they were classified by their research pioneer, David Hudson, in the 1980s as ORMEs (Orbitally Rearranged Monatomic Elements). New understandings in physics suggest, however, that the powders might actually be 'diatomic' or small atomic cluster 'condensates'. It is now generally accepted, therefore, that the materials might be more universally referred to by the generic terms ORMUS or 'M-state' elements. "

ABCtales.com | The world's best site for writers and readers

2006-11-23T10:58:00.000Z

ABCtales.com | The world's best site for writers and readers

Sleep-Out : 18th November - Photos

2006-11-21T10:14:00.000Z

More sleepout photos

2006-11-20T18:41:00.000Z

Gateway Newsletter 1

2006-11-11T10:21:00.000Z

Free but if posted then £1/$2
(proceeds to the next issue)
Email for paypal details to
gateway.newsletter@yahoo.com

Gatehouse Website

2006-11-02T10:28:00.000Z

http://home.btconnect.com/GATEHOUSE/gatehouse.html

Check this out to see what's going on.

Steppin Stones Art Show

2006-10-28T08:51:00.000Z

Please come along to Steppin Stone, on Magdalen road, next Saturday 4th November
2 - 6 p.m. for our art exhibition, drinks and snacks to scoff. Arts and crafts to buy ... mostly made by our members but some by yours truly .... !

Check out Oxford's Steppin Stones blog

2006-10-18T08:20:00.000Z

http://www.steppin-stones.blogspot.com/

ECT damages your brain?

2006-10-14T12:49:00.000Z

Critics of ECT claim that the procedure damages the brain. An article from 1977 in the American Journal of Psychiatry asserts, "the damaging effects of ECT on the brain are thoroughly documented·there has not been a single detailed report of a normal human brain after shock" (10). However, critics of electroconvulsive therapy often offer results of brain damage tests from the 1940s and 1950s. These statistics are no longer applicable because the safety of the procedure has been increased by better control of the amount of electricity used to initiate the seizure and other medicinal advances that ultimately decrease chances or degree of complications. An article from 1994 in the American Journal of Psychiatry that examined if ECT structurally damages the brain led researches to conclude that there was "no evidence of structural brain damage as a result of ECT" (5). ECT artificially stimulates an epileptical seizure. Seizures produced naturally from epilepsy, unless prolonged or complicated, do not cause brain damage. The artificial seizures are produced under controlled conditions (12). Research using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment found no change in brain anatomy from ECT (12).

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro00/web2/Hollander.html
check out andy behrman's book electroboy

http://www.randomhouse.com/boldtype/0302/behrman/index.html

FTI-Newquay & Cornwall Photo Galleries : 037

2006-09-21T16:49:00.000Z

FTI-Newquay & Cornwall Photo Galleries : 037

Down but not out in Oxford

2006-08-08T13:42:00.000Z

Down but not out in Oxford
Volume 14 Number 1, Michaelmas 2001

There are many Oxfords, and Frank lives in the wrong one. It's an Oxford safely shut out by the college gates: where 18-year-olds with full-time catering jobs live in a tent, because even a single room requires a deposit of over £1,000; an Oxford where a 50-year-old man can finally be given priority on housing because he now has a brain tumour, and it's the first time he's had his own kitchen and toilet in his adult life.

Frank's story is typical: he hit the streets after a messy marriage breakdown, lost his job and couldn't find another, so came back to his home town. Knowing no one, he was grateful for 10-15 minutes of social contact daily with volunteers at The Porch, a soup kitchen in a convent in East Oxford. For five weeks he slept at the Night Shelter, which is open to all. 'I was desperate to get out: they're not nice people I met in the Night Shelter, a lot of drunkards and junkies.' In this kind of isolation, many people would reach for the drink and drugs. But where once there was virtually no way back if you dropped off the ladder, now there are the beginnings of initiatives in Oxford which offer Frank a safety rope for the long haul back to home and work.

Homelessness is a symptom, insists Lisa Brophy (Somerville 1984), project director at The Porch. 'If you have a good job and friends you don't become homeless. These are people who haven't developed the skills, or don't have the resources, to deal with a crisis.' Many older homeless people, like Frank, have broken long-term relationships: usually a mother gets the children and the home, so single men predominate. Many have come from institutionalized backgrounds, often prison or the armed forces, and find it hard either to get jobs or to live independently.

Frighteningly, more than three-quarters of the homeless population are under 25. Of these, many have been in care institutions; many have experienced violence in their families; 40 per cent of young women have fled sexual abuse. In such cases, self-esteem is often very low, and learning at school is likely to have been hindered. Literacy is often poor. 'Mental health, drink or drugs, low self-esteem, social exclusion: if you haven't got one of these problems, either you'll soon get one, or you won't be homeless very long', says Fiona Grove of the Luther Street Medical Centre for the homeless.

But if homelessness is a symptom, it is aggravated by the city's chronic lack of low-cost social housing. The city is bounded by a gravel flood plain, which restricts building options; a high proportion of the land is already committed - not least to the University. Meanwhile, the population is polarized between an unusually large, comfortably-off graduate middle class, and the poor - between earnings of £25,000 and £10-12,000. 'Oxford has metropolitan prices, while only part of the population earns metropolitan wages', says Duncan Hall of the City Council's housing policy section, 'and it has pockets of social deprivation (such as Blackbird Leys) comparable to those in Inner London.'

There has been a huge rise in young professionals sharing houses in Oxford. They can't buy into the housing market. The market is priced up by thousands of student tenants, willing to shoehorn another bedsitter into a front room: Oxford is a goldmine for landlords, and a deep, wide poverty trap for the homeless.

Temporary shelter
In some respects you're better off being homeless in Oxford than elsewhere. The council spends far more on provision, both per head and in total, than many comparable authorities. Rough sleepers, the visible emblem of homelessness, number only around 30 - 30 too many, but the huge majority of the 1,300 homeless are in temporary shelter. The pioneering Luther Street practice offers medical help, severely lacking in many other cities where GPs can be reluctant to take patients without a postcode. There are relatively plentiful 'frontline' services such as the Gatehouse, an evening sandwich stop in St Michael's Street, or The Gap, a day centre near the railway station. These focus on immediate needs: food, social space and activity.

Nicky Horne, St Anne's undergraduate and Gatehouse volunteer, explains how social contact is a key benefit of the service. 'You have to eat in - no takeaways. Many clients have become quite asocial, and we're trained in strategies for starting conversation.' Gervase Markham (Univ 1997) runs a computer project at The Gap. The equipment was donated by Oxford University Homeless Action, a student group that raises funds - for example, the profits of this year's Queen's Ball - for donation to agencies. OUHA also links student volunteers and the agencies. 'I think The Gap's clients try activities like the IT project for fairly immediate reward', says Markham. 'A music-mixing software package has been very popular, for instance, but they don't use it because they envisage a career as a record producer. Partly the benefit is just feeling connected, less alienated.' Horne agrees. 'These are people who've suffered so many disappointments. Their future is either uncertain, or all too certain - they're not thinking too far ahead.'

But three years ago, Oxford's network of agencies realised that a sector of the homeless population is ready for change, and poorly served. As a result The Porch has opened a far more ambitious operation called Steppin' Stone. Food and social space are still at its heart, and the café serves cooked lunch (70p) and dinner (£1) that you'd be happy to get in your college. In the same building, however, are various training opportunities. A core course will focus on life skills, social relationships and rights and responsibilities.

Basic skills (literacy and numeracy), IT and art classes will be offered by The Porch's huge volunteer base. The project already grows its own vegetables on two allotments, tended by clients. 'One guy with learning difficulties works there every day, and he's transformed: he's become quite chatty', observes Lisa Brophy. Frank has started an NVQ in catering, helping most days in the café kitchen. 'It'll take about eight months', he estimates, 'and after that, who knows?' Crucially, Steppin' Stone is dry and drug-free. It also operates on a membership basis, reflecting a heartfelt plea from an old client - 'I just want to be part of something decent and of value.'

Steppin' Stone is representative of a changed emphasis in work with the homeless, a shift from merely sustaining people at the bottom of the heap, to helping them to move on. Resettlement workers such as Kate Dyson (Trinity 1995) at the English Churches Housing Group hostel in St Ebbe's, work to get rough sleepers off the street into hostels, and to stabilise people in hostels to the point where they can move on. The Council and various housing associations working with the poor designate some of their stock for moving on, and an organisation called Connection supports these ex-homeless until they have acquired the skills necessary to lead an independent life.

Home shopping
Dyson is also overseeing one of the most extraordinary initiatives in Oxford, making the final connection with mainstream society: work. Aspire is the brainchild of two Oxford graduates, Paul Harrod (New College 1995) and Mark Richardson (LMH 1995). It is a form of 'social enterprise', employing homeless workers to deliver a home-shopping catalogue along a pre-set route and to collect orders. One fringe benefit for workers is a credible reference with which to move on in the job market.

'Neither of us fancied the career choices - offers from City firms - which came our way', says Harrod. 'This business is a means to an end. But it's still a business, not a charity. We have to offer customers a competitive product. Then the social dimension is the icing on the cake.' Aspire started in Bristol in March 1999, using £200,000 of 'social venture capital'. 'It's an equity investment by business angels looking for a modest rate of return, capped at 5 per cent', explains Harrod. The Bristol operation is predicted to break even by the end of 2001.

The Aspire catalogue has since been licensed to local groups in eight further cities, with Oxford starting up in September 2001. As the business expands, with a central warehouse, so overheads are falling. 'Some charities spend 60-70p for every £1 they raise. They give away £5,000 to a project, then it's spent, and the charity has to do it all over again. We're recycling the money, making it grow.'

The government Rough Sleepers Unit has been impressed enough to provide a grant (used strictly for support workers and kept separate from the business money). Harrod is bullish about the prospects. 'Home shopping will increase, with traffic levels as they are; and the Internet hasn't harmed mail-order businesses. We're looking to get 15 branches established, then start growing some secondary businesses. We already have a market stall in East London, and we're thinking about a café ...'

Colleges have built much new accommodation over the past 15 years, taking students out of the rented sector, and Brookes is set to build large halls on Marston Road. But it will take lots more Aspire-style creative thinking to bring Oxford's housing stock into line with the population and its earnings, and to give Frank a future that is more than a single room.

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steppin-stones blog

2006-07-15T17:33:00.000Z

Steppin stones blog

Gatehouse/Steppin Stones - Readers&Writers group

2006-02-16T16:56:00.000Z

If you like reading books, seeing films, gigs or plays and discussing
them - you are invited to the Readers&Writers group.

Sessions:
The current topic is still:
‘Stuart a Life Backwards’ by Alexander Masters.
Tells the story of a friendship between a writer and illustrator (‘a middle class scum ponce, if you want to be honest about it, Alexander) and a chaotic, knife-wielding beggar whom he gets to know during a campaign to release two charity workers from prison. We have a limited number of review copies to give away.

Come along most saturdays
Saturday 18th Feb, Stepping Stones, 2-4pm
Sundays 19th Feb Gatehouse, 3-4pm

Future 'outings'
Oxford Literary Festival
Check above link for other interesting events:

25th March
Brian Aldiss, John Carey, Maggie Gee and Philip Pullman
Science in Fiction
12 pm • £8.00 • Newman Rooms

Does the science in fiction have to be accurate? Many fiction authors now research a breadth of topics, from neuroscience to psychiatric disorders, before embarking on a novel. Does this authenticity matter? Have the borders between the scientific and the artistic imagination been breached by scientists? The science writer Brian Aldiss is Britain’s most illustrious SF writer, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is rooted in scientific truth and John Carey, Emeritus Professor of English Literature at Oxford and editor of The Faber Book of Science, has examined the writings of both fiction authors and scientists. Maggie Gee chairs what is certain to be a fascinating discussion.

27th March
- Meet Alexander Masters

We will have some free tickets for this one
- first come first served
- so let me know if you are interested.

For more info check the Readers&Writers webpage on:
Gatehouse (http://home.btconnect.com/GATEHOUSE/gatehouse.html)
Stepping Stones (

Talk to or email:
Bruce (moodyseptic@hotmail.com),
Chris (gatehouse_gatehouse@yahoo.co.uk) Andrew (gateho@aol.com)

This initiative is part of the Oxford Sunday Times Literary Festival
and the Oxford Homeless College Digital Brain.

Letters to Tony Blair

2006-02-15T18:26:00.000Z

Dear TB

I get very irritated when your on prime ministers questions. You start talking about how labour has changed for the better, but I'm afraid time and time again, you omit to mention The R.t Hon. John Smith M.P. This reeks to me of Joe Stalin, airbrushing out previous leaders of his own party. I think you are showing subtle signs of meglomania.

Yours Fraternally
A very concerned supporter

From the pen of John at the Gatehouse

'This is not just a gun . . .' A collective poem

2006-01-29T16:20:00.000Z

I have an idea for a 'collective' poem on the theme of weaponry.
It's called 'This is not just a gun . . .'.
If you've seen the Marks & Spencers advert on the TV, you might get my drift.
For example:

'This isn't just chocolate,
it's creamy, luscious Belgian Chocolate,
ooooozing with flavour,
stored in oak casks
since 1492.'

or that kind of thing.
Only my first verse goes:

'This is not just a gun.
It's a [fill the blank]'

In the blank space please let me have some real, detailed, descriptions of guns, as available on the internet. Email me the results to gatehouse_gatehouse@yahoo.com & I will add them to this page, and show the the second verse. You can also add your version and/or any comments or criticism via the gatehouse blog.

(Work in Progress)

Words by Chris & Kemlyn

This is not just a gun,

It's a state-of-the-art,

customised, 'tactical' firearm.

Techno-looking?

Enough to make 'Max Power''s

super-dooper, car conversion-heads

strictly for anoraks.

This is not just a rifle

But a M-4T Tactical Carbine

with ergonomically correct pistol grip

and hard anodized finish for receivers

length 35.5 inches, Caliber 5.56mm,

loads like an M - 16
Federal Excise Tax included!

. . . to be continued

Short Courses

2006-01-11T17:37:00.000Z

Click here for details of Ruskin college Short Courses

You need to do one of these before you can do the diploma

Art at Gatehouse (comments)

2005-12-09T13:17:00.000Z

Take a look at Art at the Gatehouse

leave your comments here

Sky Dancer & Oxford, My Beautiful, Misty Love

2005-10-06T17:15:00.000Z

© By James Morris

Sky Dancer
Sky dancer, Sun-isle beauty what do you want in all your hearts of golden magentic sobriety
all that which is to come, ecstatica, she howls
her call reflecting new found discovered mysticism
of distant adventures not yet dreamed.
She sighs - I am the sporadic cantadora’
I the keeper of stories and I the never ever ending pedantic exordium of annularity in treacherous and yet perpetual mood and far I –
I the multiverse
The ever changing tempest of all that which is to come
And then rest my beauty
Rest in all your heart felt desired wisdom
Rest – rest my love rest

© James Morris April 05

Oxford, My Beautiful, Misty Love

My faithful, fairest love, what dreams I have
You wish me bright, you give clarity of illuminating, warm, and moody but dazzled light.
You ebb and flow like stormy clouds wishing moons off far clear.
You free and winged fair like an undiscovered star.
Kiss my heart in inspired caring joy of knowing your inner beauty I care.
You stare we speak a million words
And fear no feelings of hated swords of pain and despair
Only love, one heart, one reality.

James E. Morris
worldwide copyright, 2005

United in Wisdom We Love, We Live, We Love

Sisters and brothers and yet we still struggle.
We are the lights, we are already united in blood, in air, in earth, in life.
Look into your hearts and tell me there is divisionalism, racism, hate, and ignorance.
You can’t, can you. That is because these illusions of fear are demonical false lies.
We must defend ourselves against the offensive minority who want to burn us at the stake of lies.
Totalitarian fascists steaming into our lives must be disbanded, in peace not war, in love, not hate, in bravery, not fear.

James Morris
Worldwide copyright, 2005

Samhain Mother Heart 31/10/05

Shadow breaths shroud your misty, ancestral love.
Your kind; my heart I feel your ancient wisdom, my mind I see.
For far deep within distances not yet trod I see a mystique, serenity not yet wished.
Panpipes and goat skinned drums recycled in celebrational essence of life not forgotten or lost but gained in love, and mooted, happy joyous swaying rhythmic breezes of blessed be.
My mother our beauty your tranquil peace I honour.
Your child with love I am forever.

James Morris
Wordwide Copyright, 2005

more of James' poems at: James E Morris Blog

Competition

2005-09-27T17:38:00.000Z

To enter you have to send me (Chris) a short joke or humorous story
– via email to:
gatehouse_gatehouse@yahoogroups.com

Closing date provisionally 12th October.

The prize is a (slightly) used (one careful reader) of Christopher Moore’s Coyote Blue. You can find more info on the author’s website at www.chrismoore.com.

The book is a quirky thriller concerning a Crow Indian and is search for roots and love in modern America. Part love story part spiritual search. I enjoyed it.

Chris's Gatehouse Diary

2005-08-04T13:22:00.000Z

14th September 05 - Anarchist Cookbook?

Someone asked if I could download the infamous ‘Anarchist Cookbook’ –soon to be made illegal – which presumably means it is stilllegal now – it’s certainly available on Amazon and elsewhere. One of the more controversial elements (so I’m told) is instruction on how to produce drugs – make LSD, grown dope etc. Later on someone else queried whether it was appropriate to allow Gatehouse people to access such material, given the vulnerable nature of some of our punters. Personally I can’t see the problem – as long as what people are viewing is legal – and not personal offensive – then I tend to operate on the basis that internet access shouldn’t be more restricted for the homeless than anyone else. Besides – the homemade drugs seem less harmful than the more obvious downside of heroin and cocaine? I like to think of myself as a libertarian in most matters – which includes legalisation of all drugs – I can’t see the point of involving the law in these matters – it doesn’t seem to do much good. Perhaps I’m naïve, but I think the problem is the addictive personality not the demon drug. Taking the law out of the equation probably won’t stop the damaging effects of addiction –they will still need sorting in terms of detox, rehabs, employment etc. But I just don’t see how criminalizing non-medical drug use does any good?

12 September 05 – ‘Everyman for himself?’
Like many, I found the most shocking thing about the aftermath of hurricane Katrina was the way in which people continued to prey on each other. Unlike the Boxing Day tsunami, this time the horror stories weren’t going to be tempered by tales of individual heroism or better still, people pulling together for the common good. OK there are ‘criminals’ in all cultures – but I rather naively supposed they might have a day off rather than see it as yet another opportunity to do some crime.

Perhaps meanness is all one can really expect from the mean streets? People are already so desperate - maybe it’s stupid to expect much residue from that legendary milk of human kindness? Being part of a clique or having a group of friends will not automatically make a person empathise with another’s plight. It’s the corrosive effect of addiction I suppose. It all eats away at a very life changing quality - solidarity. There is an old saying that ‘drugs are the fastest way out of the city.’ It’s unlikely that learning a little bit of computing is going to make a whole heap of a difference – but it’s a start - just a little piece of the puzzle of life. Ultimately, only individual self-awareness, which some call religion, is really going to undo the years of f**kup.

4th August 2005: The Last Prophets?

A busy night slaving over a hot keyboard – about eight people using the machines. In between all that, got engaged in a very informative chat with a couple of regulars about the meaning of Islam. Very topical just now – so what does it all mean? Seems like there is a difference between ‘Muslims’ considered as a historic/cultural people – - presumably a community of people who emerged in about the 6-7th century. The ups and down of those people, and indeed whether they still exist, is a moot point, that can be separated from ‘Muslim’ considered as a religious ideal. This could mean that a ‘Muslim’ is anyone who regards themselves as ‘one of the peaceful’. Of course, like any religion, there are centres of doctrinal authority and more dogmatic manifestations of the ideal. As in many other religions, Hinduism, Buddhism etc, the body of primary and secondary texts tends to grow through time – but the essence is the mantra like ‘There is no god but Allah’ – ‘there is no God but the principle of divinity itself’ – who could object to that?

At that point, someone remembered a telling parable from the life of the prophet –
Every morning, whenever he went out to teach, he found his doorstep littered with rubbish, thrown there, so it is said, by a lady of another faith. This went on for some time, years maybe. Then one day, there was no rubbish anymore. The prophet asked why and was told the culprit was ill. So, being a wise and kindly soul, he went round to see her, took her a present, helped to nurse her back to health. Why, she asked, did you help me, when I was your enemy? Because, he says, one should always respond to ‘evil’ with kindness’.

Now there’s a thing you don’t hear everyday?
Comments and corrections welcome.

13th July 05
This last week has seen the kind of UK weather that must have inspired the old song – ‘only mad dogs and Englishmen.’ Everyone is a little bit edgy; dogs and people not themselves; liable to do something unplanned or out of character. Wednesday, I descend into the cool basement that is the Gatehouse drop-in centre. I set up the laptops and wait for the punters to come in, get themselves organised, scoff a plateful of food, drink tea – read the paper. Some of my ‘regulars’ call out from the queue. ‘Write them on the list’ please. Quarter past five, the first are logging into their email accounts, or surfing the Net.

If no-one needs my helpful presence, I get myself a cup of tea and chat with someone waiting for their turn on the machines. I often get told the ‘story’ of the week – that is, some local incident that is the amusing or sad diversion of the moment.

Like how there was a bit of an incident at a local 'Green', although there hasn’t been a green there for at least a hundred years! In fact its difficult to believe it ever was other than an inner city square – but who knows. Anyways, last week, a bunch of guys were hanging out there, the worse for wear, with drink and all. In my, admittedly, limited experience, these impromptu gatherings of the inebriated, can be annoying, but are rarely threatening. But maybe it was the heat, as this time, the little group fell to abusing the other users of the square, the normal people if you like, going about their business, you know the kind of thing.

Inevitably the police were called to sort it out. Now it was their turn to be the focus of a bit of moderate abuse. You can guess that it wasn’t too long before more police arrived, which provoked even more verbals. Well it was a very hot day. One thing leads to another – her majesty’s finest decide to go for an arrest of one of the ‘ring leaders’. Still too hot - he resists. One thing leads to another, then the pepper spray. But that doesn’t seem to have much impact, so now they go for those meaty looking batons. In the melee everyone, forgets what or who started it. Friends of those threatened lash out, trying to defend other friends. How did that happen but someone manages to grab the baton from the policeman’s hand. Confused, he gives the policeman a gentle tap on the leg – just so he knows what its like – a dose of his own medicine. Hey wait a minute, things are getting out of hand here – maybe it is the heat – is this turning into a riot? More police wade in, more batons, striking whoever wants some - that wrist will be sore tomorrow. More police. Arrests follow.

Back at the station – in the cool of the cells – the charge – this is going to be serious – riot, attacking a policeman – but cooler heads prevail – just a minor offence – perhaps they took account of the heat.

Gatehouse Andrew's Sri Lankan Blog

2005-07-13T13:40:00.000Z

humanitoid.blog-city.com

well here it is - although not much of andrew's adventures yet - apart from talk of steel toecap ('toeteckers') boots but watch this space

Tescos and the Homeless

2005-06-28T17:46:00.000Z

Hi everyone!

I've been reading about Tesco providing work &
housing for Polish people and was thinking "What about our own homeless?". It's good to see someone else agrees.
Have a look at this:

BBC NEWS - UK Firms 'should hire more homeless'

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4121178.stm)

a comment:
It's often very difficult for the homeless to feel
comfortable 'risking' a long term strategy for
themselves - difficulties seem so immediate and all
pervasive. Vocational training can give real hope,
particularly when allied with experience 'on the job'.
Whether this aspect of the training is paid or unpaid
is of less relevance than many employers might
think. This, at least, is my experience.

Mat

On Civvy Streets

2005-05-09T19:45:00.000Z

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society Guardian | On civvy streets

Ex-paratrooper Stuart Griffiths was homeless and living in a hostel when he began to take remarkable portraits of former comrades down on their luck. He explains to Patrick Butler why so many squaddies find it hard to adapt to civilian life

Wednesday May 4, 2005
The Guardian

Young and old, their stories are familiar, says Stuart Griffiths of the homeless ex-forces personnel whose lives he has been chronicling. 'There is always a problem with them accepting society, or society accepting them,' he explains.
Many have had difficult family backgrounds, and in the services they became institutionalised and were ill-prepared for civilian life when they left. Their departure, particularly if their career was cut short on medical grounds after being wounded, would have been hugely dispiriting.
Add to this what Griffiths calls the 'real problem with alcohol abuse in the army' and the unpacking, in civilian life, of psychological traumas stored up while in the forces � whether combat experiences or barrack room bullying � and the outlook is bleak.
Many homeless ex-squaddies, he suspects, are consumed by self-hatred. Unable to deal properly with psychological problems, they drag themselves through 'this appalling life' as a kind of penance. Boozing, mental illness and violence are widespread.
He believes ex-services personnel often lack the basic 'sense of security' � the trust in institutions and social relationships � that civilians can take for granted. After the camaraderie of forces life, there can follow real isolation, a feeling that 'when you are out, you are on your own'.

to visit stuart's website www.stuartgriffiths.org

some of his pictures are also on the Guardian site
- follow the link above

Patrick Declerck and the 'function' of Homelessness

2005-05-01T18:46:00.000Z

Patrick Declerck thinks it does - or rather said so in the
interesting 'debate' at the Times Literary Festival. The 'homeless' or
as he calls them in the title of his book (The Shipwrecked) seem to be
marked out almost from birth as destined for the streets. And although
society spends a vast amount of money in the 'homeless industry' (it
pays my wages afterall - maybe there is an inbuilt bias against really
doing something effective. I remember when the St Giles project closed -
the funders said there were only eleven rough sleepers on the day
they counted. The cost of the project was 100K per year - and at that
rate they could pay each one 9K per year to go and live (not that they
would ever do that).

The function of the homeless is, according to Declerck, to act as an
object lesson to the majority community of the perils of not getting up
early to go to work. True or false - what did you think??

chris

Wendy's full transcript:
During last week’s debate between John Bird (of Big Issue fame) and Patrick Declerck (author of Naufrages (Shipwrecked)), John Bird said that he didn’t just work with homeless people, he worked with families in crisis, and people in prison, and with lots of other organisations, and he is astonished at the ‘walking wounded’ who have survived – who are still alive, in fact. ‘I don’t try and convert them with a sermon about the devils of drink. I’m a piss-head myself. I’m a coping alcoholic.’

‘But a percentage – however small - of the people are not over-damaged, and we could get them in and get them out. People at the bottom, I’m going to hold their hand. I want to stop them getting down so far so fast. I’m not a social worker, I’m not a shrink, I’m not an anthropologist. I know that blokes want jobs. They want the means of earning a living. My coping mechanism is working with other people.’

‘When people are given responsibility for other people, then they’re different.

But Patrick Declerck said he thought that society had an investment in blaming the homeless for being where they are. ‘They don’t get better, they don’t change, they are thrown out of the system, then they are abandoned again in disgust, sending them to mental hospital or jail.’

‘We have to deal with patients by recognising who they really are, respecting the logic of their situation. When people are given a chance, the places where they can be given that chance are few and far between. The vast majority of them improve dramatically given that chance – this can be measured in the amount of alcohol they drink A man drinking 5 litres of wine a day after a few weeks it can come down to 1 to 2 litres.’

‘You are better off being homeless now than you ever were’ John Bird (Big Issue founder) said at a debate at the Oxford Literary Festival in Oxford recently.

‘There are over 2,000 organisations providing for homeless people whereas in the 60s there was only St Mungo’s and Shelter.

The provision is enormous’, he said. ‘But the provision is still inadequate because it’s locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. If you’re in the care system, it’s costing £2,000 a month to keep you there. We have all the provision in the wrong places. You come out fit for the army or the doorway. Why don’t we shift provision into stopping people becoming homeless?’

We just create the oxygen for social failure.’

If we put people into housing in some kind of therapeutic communities they would have work, and they would have social engagement and they would have opportunities’

We need the Gatehouses which make people feel some self-esteem, and we also need some joined-up thinking about all the various separate sectors of provision.

We closed down mental hospitals, and threw the baby out with the bathwater.

Patrick Declerck said he had come to believe that the whole of the homeless support industry is unconsciously designed not to

solve the issue but to manage the levels of acceptability of a public scandal. Homeless people are not as excluded as they think. I think they serve an important function. By suffering under our eyes and dying of hypothermia they remain as a public warning of what happens if we give into laziness, if we disengage from our obligations. It’s social sadism. - more

Jamie's Big Voice

2005-04-27T15:48:00.000Z

Jamie's Big Voice

: "Jamie the Poets Own Story

Dear all

here's an interesting blog - check it out and add a comment - interesting content -
shows you what can be done - click on link (the words in blue)
above to view more . . .

Name:Jamie McCoy
Location:London, UK
Jamie McCoy, is in his early fifties and had been homeless since running away from home at 15. Jamie has had problems with drink and drugs all his life. Jamie could not read or write but has learned and now writes poetry, although he describes himself as �still learning�. Jamie is now at college and writing short fiction -for more info on Jamie click on his picture... "

YouGov - Understanding People

2005-04-20T16:43:00.000Z

YouGov - Understanding People

This looks like a very interesting site for those interested in politics. Also lets you register your own opinions via polls - and these make the news - ie the continued lead of the Labour Party in the polls doesn't look so strong according to these internet polls - what do you think

chris

Sentdown? check this out first

2005-02-08T19:11:00.000Z

Click for 'Sentdown' website

This is a very useful site for anyone who anyone who needs to know how to survive apossible jail sentence:

check out the link - below is an article that appeared in the Guardian newspaper

Inside track on jail survival

Ex-offender publishes website for the not-so-old lags

Alison Benjamin
Wednesday February 2, 2005
The Guardian

"Don't make a point of asking what anyone else is in for, don't seem to be nosey, try to avoid giving out too many personal details to your cellmates, and certainly do not proclaim your innocence. No one likes to hear someone else continually complaining about being hard done to."
These words of advice on how to survive prison are available on a new website, created by Andy Evans, who spent 16 months inside after he was convicted of causing death by careless driving.

Evans, 32, admits he was not prepared. "All I knew about prison was from TV programmes such as Bad Girls," he says. "I expected violence to be a major factor and for the screws to be evil. So you can understand why I was bricking it."

In reality, Evans saw only the odd fight in HMPs Bullingdon and Springhill - category C and D prisons - and says he found most of the prison officers surprisingly supportive. But he adds that it was still a disorientating experience.

While serving his sentence, he had the idea for the website to help others in trouble. It offers help on anything from being arrested to how the prison system works and coping with life back outside.

The site also brings together details of some 900 support agencies and contacts, from local solicitors to taxi firms that charge families reasonable rates for prison visits, and recruitment agencies that offer work to ex-offenders.

"A website like this would have made me and my family much more prepared for prison," Evans says. "And from other prisoners I spoke to, it became clear there was a real need for this service."

Evans learned desktop publishing and web design in prison. His tutor at Springhill, David Wilderspin, says Evans has "worked tirelessly to make his idea a reality" since his release in October. He hopes to raise money from sponsorship and advertising.

The one drawback is that prisoners are not able to access the internet. Free fact sheets will be available.

· Details: www.sentdown.co.uk. For fact sheets contact: 08452 576123

Einstein Shrugged

2005-01-12T17:04:00.000Z

Einstein Shrugged

Now this is a very interesting web site - the work of some oxford lefty by the look of it - and whats wrong with that - well absolutely nothing - watch this space - chris

Five minutes later - thats very funny - the 'petting zoo' made me laugh - i only know what that means from Billy Crystal's film 'City Slickers'. The art of semiology - ie reading signs - tells me must be an american who wrote that - yes, no maybe : 0

BBC - Skillswise - Games

2004-11-24T17:36:00.000Z

BBC - Skillswise - Games

Here's a site to practice your 'basic skills' (what are they) - writing and adding up - but in a fun way - try it - i messed up on the first go - so must be good.
chris

BBC - South East Wales - Hall of Fame - WH Davies - tramp poet and writer from Newport

2004-11-17T16:58:00.000Z

BBC - South East Wales - Hall of Fame - WH Davies - tramp poet and writer from Newport

I was born in Newport and although i moved away more than twenty years ago -
its rundown urban landscape still lives in my imagination and part of me is still there and maybe always will be. W H Davies is one of Newport's more famous alumni. - Chris

Kai Last Ritual

2004-10-06T15:56:00.000Z

Back in August I went along to the funeral of Kai, the author of the Medusa story on the Gatehouse website. I'd known him from a while back, a regular at the thursday night 'talking stick' at an East Oixford watering hole. Turns out i also knew his mother, although I couldn't ever remember them mentioning each other. Kai's mood fluctuated quite a lot - sometimes he was good company, full of interesting insights, other times he was withdrawn or if he did talk it didn't make a lot of sense to me. One time I think i told him to his face I thought he was talking crap and was just paranoid. He knew I worked in publishing, so when he asked me to read one of his stories I did, although i wasn't expecting too much. I made the deal I always make, which is if the story doesn't grab me in the first paragraph i probably wouldn;t plough through it to the bitter end. It turned out to be quite a good story, judge for yourself.

Not too long after that he let me put the story on the gatehouse website. But Kai was in one of his down phases, lonely and depressed, one night on Port Meadow he took his own life. Well a cliche I know, but it did seem a bit of a waste. From the prospect of an outsider his life was getting better and he had lots of friends, loads of whom turned up for the Buddhist ceremony at the 'crem'. But what does any of us know about what its like to be someone like Kai? At the funeral service I was very struck by the Eulogy, written by his father but delivered by a family friend. Perhaps you gentle reader, will spare a moment for a lost soul.

Kai was a monkey,
Born in Kathmandu
In the year of the monkey.
He was playful and mischievous.

Kai was a Scorpio,
Born also under that sign.
He was an intensely
Sensual and creative being.

Kai was an athlete.
He could move with fluidity and grace.
He surfed the waves fearlessly.
He was a champion 100-meter sprinter.
He strove for perfection in motion
Through practice of the martial arts.

Kai was a musician.
He had a deep passion and love for music.
His fingertips flew over
Dazzling guitar rifts,
And he strummed soulfully
His own sweet melodies.

Kai was an actor.
He loved drama.
He wrote fantastic film scripts.
His life was full of drama.

Kai was a conversationalist.
He loved to talk to anyone
About anything.

Kai was a student.
He was a seeker of knowledge
And loved learning.
His unique intelligence
Impressed his teachers
And all who met him.

Kai was a philosopher.
He swam freely and deeply
In the ocean of Samsara
In order to understand
His own true nature.
He coined a new paradigm-
The philosophy of tenderness.

Kai was a dreamer.
With his vivid imagination
He explored and wrote about
Profound alternative realities.

Kai was a warrior.
He fought his demons
With valour.

Kai was a friend.
He loved the company of others.
He was a lovely young man-
Kind, sincere, sweet and sensitive.
He befriended,
And was befriended by,
Many people.

Kai was our brother, son, nephew, grandson.
He shared his many gifts
With his family
In his courageous quest
To find meaning
And to live life fully.

Kai was a teacher.
He taught us so much,
Most of all what it is
To love someone, and the
Importance of being compassionate
And understanding.

Kai was many wonderful things
To all of us.
Which is why
He will always live on
In our hearts

History and Roots of Hung Gar

2004-09-29T17:56:00.000Z

History and Roots of Hung Gar

Cool Kung Fu site

HappyHardcore.com - Your Hardcore Superstore

2004-09-15T17:53:00.000Z

HappyHardcore.com - Your Hardcore Superstore

This is a cool music site
check it out
chris

Homelessness

2004-08-04T16:37:00.000Z

Homelessness what is this
Living a life you do not wish
With people going round taking the piss
Out of you being like this
Getting robbed oh what a bliss
Being set on fire hey you missed
Is this the life that it is?
Yes that’s right so don’t take the piss
Because sleeping rough can be tuff
In this life sure enough
Through thick and thin and other stuff
Come on now I call your bluff
You try this and sure enough
Without money you’ll find it tuff
To sleep like this now out ruff
Life becomes easier with illegal stuff

By Doctor G Five

To see more work by DoctorG5 follow the link to his very own blogg page.
The Doctor is open for poetic consultations, requests etc

http://doctorg5.blogspot.com

megabus.com Home

2004-07-30T18:26:00.000Z

megabus.com Home

Dear All

Its the time of year when thoughts turn to pastures new - bunch of guys in the gatehouse were going on a camping trip to Devon (don't forget give us the story when you get back ; ) We spent some time checking out the economy travel options.
Oxford ain't the only town with a Megabus service to London so you can get to lots of other towns at a bargain basement price if you can cope with the slow service and traveling via London rather than across country. Check this site out - National Express costs about 50quid to Devon and the train about £35. Other options include car hire and i've put details of a local 'rent a dent' company on the list. Happy travelling - chris

Bmwfilms : Home

2004-07-28T17:09:00.000Z

Bmwfilms : Home

Good short films, sponsored by BMW, but still pretty good feature quality. Check it out.
Deatils on the link. Mark

McMANUS THE MARINER

2004-07-07T17:11:00.000Z

MY NAME IS DENIS
I TEACH ENGLISH
AND I RECKON I'M A BIT OF A POET.
SINGLE, WHITE MALE AND VERY
ALONE

A BOAT BUILDER
ALL MY BOATS ARE CALLED POETRY
I DON'T LIKE CRICKET
I LOVE IT

Frederick Tranter - Tobacco Blender and Cigar Merchant

2004-06-23T19:44:00.000Z

Frederick Tranter - Tobacco Blender and Cigar Merchant

Looks posh but quite friendly shop that has a good line in handrolling tobacco. I just bought 25g of 'gold' mixture for 3.70 so I'll let you know what i think.

Later. . . wll i'm impressed - really good smoke . . . guess the trick is to ask for a mix that matches what you're currently using - hence 'gold' is a match for golden virginia types and IMO its a lot nicer. They seemed to have a good range - so would be nice to hear from a 'Drum' user??

chris

Emmaus

2004-06-23T16:27:00.000Z

Emmaus Project in Oxford

Colin, who says he was once a resident at the first UK Emmaus community in Cambridge wanted to say hi ...

Dear Jean

Thank you v much for your update - good work - thank you v much - good luck with fundraising -

Colin

PS:

If you search on the web for material concerning the founder of Emmaus, Abbe Pierre, you find loads of stuff about his controversial writer friend Roger Garaudy. Eg:The Garaudy affair began in January 1996 and that of Abbe Pierre in April of the same year. The two episodes, taken together, occupied an important place in the media up until Abbe Pierre's retraction, announced on July 23. Their most positive consequence is contained in two articles by historian Jacques Baynac published on September 2 and 3 in Le Nouveau Quotidien (de Lausanne) [The New Daily, Lausanne, Switzerland].

It is regrettable that Roger Garaudy and Abbe Pierre did not manifest greater courage. From the time when the media tempest got underway against them in France, they began to beat a hasty retreat. Their financial means and the various support which they had enjoyed over the years in foreign lands allowed them, for a time, to take their leave of France, one for the Arab countries and the other for Italy and Switzerland. We shall not be too severe with them about this. It is important to understand how violent these storms are; even the most resilient person would take fright; all the more men of their advanced age. Up until that time, both men had known harsh trials in their lives. They knew what hate was, particularly as they themselves had practised hate against their enemies. R. Garaudy had, in effect, long considered anti-Communists, and even anti-Stalinists, as sub-humans, while Abbe Pierre had, in the course of his political activity, given proof of a remarkable lack of charity towards his adversaries. Yet, regardless, life had ended up pampering these two men. Then suddenly, in 1996, the sky fell on their heads. And, plainly, they were in the fullest sense of the word brought down to earth.

The First Edition of R. Garaudy's Book

In December 1995, Pierre Guillaume, director of the review La Vieille Taupe [The Old Mole], published R. Garaudy's Les Mythes fondateurs de la politique israélienne [The Founding Myths of Israeli Politics]. In order to avoid the fulminations of the Fabius-Gayssot law (or Lex Faurissonia), he did this with the utmost caution. The book was sold off the market as a "confidential tract reserved for Friends of La Vieille Taupe." While the entire revisionist part of the book was put together through borrowing in large measure from my own texts, my name was carefully avoided; it appeared but one time (page 119), and then only as that of a professor who had been a victim of anti-revisionist repression, but without any indication why: neither a book nor an article by this professor was cited.

The book contains roughly 230 pages. The religious and political considerations make up the greater part; they might possibly offend certain followers of the Jewish religion and most Zionists, yet the pages which unleashed the ire of Jewish organisations and the media, first in France and then in most of the western world, were the 75 or so pages of revisionist inspiration which constituted the heart of the work (pages 72-147). These touched upon "the myth of justice at Nuremberg," the "Final Solution," the "testimonies," the "trials," the "crime weapon" (which is to say, the Nazi gas chambers), and "the myth of the Holocaust." On the gas chambers, the author expressed his sincere doubts "and even [his] scepticism" regarding this, the very heart of the burning subject (page 135). These 75 pages were written hastily and composed of disparate elements. The presentation was rather desultory; oversights were rife. Notably in regard to David Irving, there were also errors. For example, the author should have known that D. Irving could not serve as a valid reference either on the "Holocaust" -- which D. Irving had not studied -- nor on The Diary of Anne Frank, since he had never analysed it in the least, being so lax as to take into consideration the rumour, founded on a gross misunderstanding, according to which the book had been written by a certain Meyer Levin!

Nevertheless, despite all its shortcomings, the book by R. Garaudy could not help upsetting the Jewish organisations, which already had too great a tendency to see revisionists coming out of the woodwork, and knew in him a man whose political opinions -- he had been one of the most orthodox Stalinist apparatchiks -- could in no way be qualified as "Fascist." Furthermore, R. Garaudy had also been a Protestant, then a Catholic before becoming a Moslem during the 1980s. Under all of these labels, he had shown himself a steadfast opponent of any form of racism.

Read More

Cheap Love, Janis (Book) (Laura Joplin) Price

2004-06-18T19:05:00.000Z

Cheap Love, Janis (Book) (Laura Joplin) Price:

Music of all kinds is really important to people at the Gatehouse cafe. A couple a weeks back I spent some time with Mick and his brother checking out the Janis Joplin sites. I'll never forget the first time i played Janis Joplin's 'Summertime' - wow what a blast. Anyways - here's a little review of a new book by her sister Laura.

[Chris]

"Cheap Love, Janis (Book"Love,
"Love, Janis"

".....this is a remarkable, no punches pulled view of Janis Joplin by her sister, Laura, with previously unpublished letters Joplin wrote home from hippie San Fransico to her Texas based family..."
From the flyleaf:

"here is the first new view of Janis Joplin in two decades. The author of this major biography is Jani'ss younger sister...who chanced upon a bundle of remarkable letters that Janis had written home...Janis truly came into her own in the fantastic, psychedelic, acid-soaked world of Haigh-Ashbury...(author) shows us not only the public Janis...she shows us the private Janis, struggling to perfect her art, searching for balance between love and stardom, battling to overcome her alcohol addiction and heroin use in a world where substance abuse was nearly universal...an astonishing series of letters by Janis herself...in them she conveys as no one else could, the wild ride froma awkward small-town teenager to rock-and-roll queen."

Heart of Albion Press: Alternative Albion series

2004-06-18T18:50:00.000Z

Heart of Albion Press: Alternative Albion series

With summer solstice and midsummer day on sunday - i've been reading a social history of the stonehenge festivities - Stonehenge: celebration and subversion by Andy Worthington. I really recommend it - hope there's a copy in the library.

Crack Cocaine

2004-06-17T18:12:00.000Z

Crack Cocaine

A while back someone was asking for info on crack cocaine - this one from the Good Drug Guide seems sensible - what do you think. The bottom of the page has links to the main site so you can search for info on other drugs.

Arcade Games Online / Arcade Outpost

2004-06-17T17:57:00.000Z

Arcade Games Online / Arcade Outpost

This is a really good free gaming site - at last - tried many times with Glenn to find a decent one. This one takes a while for some of the games to load so be patient -
there's rather an annoying advert at top of the page that invites your to clink on OK - whatever you do ignore this button - when game loaded try space bar and arrows keys to operate the game - happy gaming.