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Notes on Addiction
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Ideas & Questions
- Hits: 602
This is not a comprehensive solution, but it is - something of a solution, a start, as it were, and addresses a few of the more obvious issues.
Firstly, to observe, it's beyond an "epidemic", the addiction, homelessness, mental health issues that plague central Vancouver and East Hastings districts. It is a full on Zombie-Apocalypse.
The most important thing: Free drugs. Decriminalize drugs. The government can provide these at outlets for those who want them for absolutely free. Heroin, cocaine, most of the common street drugs can be had - without the intervention of the criminal element - for pennies a dose. And by the government providing them we not only reduce the influence of organized crime as well as associated crime by junkies looking to purchase their next fix, but overdoses as well. This is a "Win-Win" no matter how you slice it.
Given the abundance of vacancies in the area - I mean completely vacant, run-down hotels, housing should be provided as well. Both permanent and transitional, for those that want to move on in their lives. Nothing in the least bit fancy, merely a place to get in out of the rain, off of the street, to get cleaned up, showered, store some personal possessions.
For those that still prefer to live on the street lockers can be provided. Lockers, positioned throughout areas with higher rates of homelessness so that they have access to the ownership of property. Property is generally considered an inalienable right. Property, in Western Culture, certainly, defines you. This needs to be addressed, for sure - but it's not the first thing we should be addressing in this regard.
Public Washroom - this should not need explaining. Public washrooms should be made accessible and available on every block - the savings of having accessible toilets - vs the public disgust of stepping over diarrhea, shit, vomit, etc - we've privatized the most basic of needs - dumping the onus on small businesses that for good reason don't want to allow homeless access. "You need to buy a grande latte to take a shit, sorry sir..." - we've commercialized the most basic of human functions. While Vancouver has more public toilets than many major urban centers, clearly it does not yet have enough.
Cash Paying Jobs - working for the city, at a fraction of the rate of contracted or unionized city workers - cleaning graffiti, picking up needles, litter, etc.
Homeless people have a community - and would police themselves. They would quickly put an end to the Graffiti and the littering of needles. They would be invested. At which point they could be put onto more challenging and rewarding projects. Beautification projects. Give them housing in the community. Give them charge of the community. Instead of Graffiti, allow them to do Murals. If they show promise in certain roles hire them on - working for the city or in other roles. You would be surprised at the reservoirs of untapped talent. And drug addiction - on it's own, especially heroin - does not mean you can't hold a job or productive role in society.
Begin enrichment programs. Partner homeless/addicts/mentally ill with sober and healthy people in the community - they need networks of people other than themselves to evolve. Find what motivates or interests them and assist them with becoming involved. Many of these problems stem from a lack of engagement - being invested and engaged is often the first step on the ladder out.
Remove the Stigma.
Addiction, Homelessness and Mental Illness - are SOCIAL Illnesses. They exist generally in and as a result of Society. In the instance of Native Peoples - who are over represented in every instance - it's a response to generational trauma - to being displaced from their lands, their reserves, to having their children taken from them - or being the children that were taken. For the rest, there are probably as many specific circumstances as there are homeless. But - they should not be blamed, they should be assisted in making better choices, when ready.
Ignoring these issues costs us far, far more than addressing them. This area, that we allow this, without assistance or intervention, it marks us as a third world country. We should be embarrassed. We can do better.
The Hostile Hostel
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 775
The hostel, beginning of the month, largely empty. Steve, bunkmate these last couple of weeks (amongst others) last night decided he'd had enough, announced that he was off to stay with his sister in Kelowna. And spent until 3:00 AM light on packing - me, after 9 hours of work just trying to fall asleep, lights on, always, always on the cusp, and then he makes some noise and I realize I haven't slipped away...
I'm half sad to see him go, only half, I'll save a bundle on cigarettes, for a guy who'd quit he still had a taste, and his mental health - increasingly frail, he would over 4 or 5 hours on a sunny or at least not rainy day go down to the street and sell 30 of his chapter books, enough to pay up the Hostel fees for a couple more days. But the rest of the time, lying in the bunk, earbuds in, just there - 5 hours on the street, 16 or 18 hours in the bunk.
And rainy days he wouldn't leave at all.
Me, I'm up, about, first for coffee, then to grab my bags, do some writing, other things, study menu, then shower, off to work, home at 12:00 or 1:00, other residents here often never leave their rooms.
So, yes, his mental resources were exhausted, he had tried to keep a cheery outlook but it was becoming increasingly tough in view of the Vaccine requirements, in view of the weather, in view of his diminishing well-being.
***
No one left in the Hostel - most, the long term people, found permanent digs for December 1st. The others moved on to other travels. So - you would think it would be quiet, go to the common area, and write, but it never is, it's the Hostile Hostel, those few residents that remain, the fewer new ones that have arrived, they play their games louder, converse louder, play their blues louder, fill the space with themselves - louder, and East Indian Gentleman, earbuds in on loud Skype calls, perpetually, overly loud, doing tech-support or something, he doesn't need a microphone, he's speaking loud enough in that thickened accent that his clients can hear him wherever they are in the world, and - the upside of an empty hostel, fewer to no bunkmates, are countered by the increasingly verbose and loud guests.
***
To the Vancouver Public Library, a 7 minute walk away, 5th floor, quiet area, here I can do some thinking. Here it is quiet. And here there is nothing else to focus on but the work in front of me. I'm slowly but surely acquiring some good habits.
The IPO
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 960
Working, private parties all the way to Christmas. Or - the 19th anyways, when they close.
Tonight, private party, an IPO, bunch of doctors soliciting investors to buy into a bunch of digital medical products.
Questions like: "does it use an AI" and "how do you intend to monetize this?..."
Medical miracles forecast daily, the cell-phone, internet, AI - all set to bring medicine into the 20th century - and - more importantly - bring those wise investors who buy in early unbelievable riches...
This software analyzes the speech of babies to identify possible developmental issues - licensed to a baby monitor manufacturer - X$ per month, per license.
"Licensing" - never a product you own, merely "rent" the app or software or hardware - the new model of business, how to keep the revenues coming in, why sell somebody something once when you can sell it to them month after month. The "Subscription based" economy - you're never done paying for as long as you live.
Their partners license apps and software on a monthly basis - per customer, $5, $10, $20 a month each, times a hundred million over-concerned parents, money in lieu of time not spent with child, pluggable cellphone scopes that connect you to a doctor who will diagnose and prescribe you over the phone - just stick it in your ear...your nose, up your ass...
Others, cellphones that track eye movements... detect flush, heartrates, excitement, boredom, breathalyzers that monitor CO2 uptake, make recommendations on diet, exercise - they call it "The Wellness Economy".
Never mind that the economy - this economy - depends upon you NOT being well, or at least believing you're not, and the fact that we even have this in large part explains why you might not be.
This is all techno-quackery of the highest order, and - note they don't have to any of them buy it - they merely have to believe they can make money selling it on to other, more gullible people....buy in for this venture a mere $50,000, for friends of the founders up to $250,000 will be permitted, they're doing the research, choosing only the best of the lot, strategically partnering with those companies they feel have the best chance of succeeding, only 15 or 20% of the best tech-medical get an interview with them, and of these maybe only 25% get a partnership commitment.
The founding Doctor, at the end of it all when most of the guests have left, been feted, demonstrating a pendulum to a loiterer, the ideomotor response, this - this - says it all - how to license and profit from this? Monthly pendulum rentals, no one will figure out how to make one of their own, the "Mind-Body Connection", he's rich already, going to be richer soon, discussing the restaurant, how expensive it is, they spent almost $300 per guest, and he's explaining to a friend how it's money well spent, to lure in the rubes and the greedy...
I have a few ideas of my own, once settled, that conscience long forbid me from acting upon but now, but now, look at this, these people are Doctors and should know better, there was once a time when you would be ashamed to have investments in anything so patently at odds with medicine, science - but - this is how the world is falling apart.
Money is the answer to every one of life's mysteries. Buy in now to ensure you have enough.
Noise
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 801
This hostel, it's loud, I've had to change my hours to work around the din & hubbub of a largely babbling clientele.
The TV, frequently on and always too loud. People always coming and going. Smells, the kitchen, some good cooks for sure, accents, some more pleasing than others (usually in languages other than English), it's raining and I need to be writing, studying the menu at work, and it's a challenge here to stay focused, forever and always the burden of other peoples thoughts voiced loudly.
Bunkmates, Steve, still, forever marginal and hanging on by his teeth, selling just enough books every day in Gastown to keep him in the hostel another night. He's growing stressed, increasingly, the rain doesn't allow him to sell, can't make that connection with people, nobody wants to stand and talk to him in the rain.
A small town German boy, here to learn to Ski in Whistler, he's terrified of the city, no bloody wonder, step outside the door of the hostel and you'd understand pretty quickly why. No one comes prepared for this.
And we've a drunk Irishman, he's in all day, then leaves in the evening - returns at 5:00 AM, coughing in the bunk below, he's a tickle in his throat, insensate, drunk, he's come in from where? The meth has irritated his throat, he lies there coughing, hacking, sleep here is precarious, Steve is annoyed, telling him to leave - he doesn't want to get sick, Anti-Vaxxer Steve, how to reconcile this? Afraid of the virus, afraid of the vaccine...
Always here there's the Noise, the traffic, periodic sirens, engines and wheels ploughing through wet streets, the rats in the walls, scratching, and - while I've a place to live I'm missing quietude of the Kootenays.
Work has become an escape.
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