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About Down But Not Out, its beginnings, why it came to be and where it is heading

addiction is rampant in Canada. The primary contributing factor is disaffection with  a social system that has placed the accumulation of wealth ahead of any moral integrity.

best is a random selection of my best photography & art that can be viewed as a slide show

contact Ronzig by email or visit Ronzig's other web pages or explore related websites.

contribute Do you have a story about poverty, homelessness or addiction that you would like to share? This is the place to get it off your chest.

economics The financial cost of ignoring moral integrity is reflected in the precarious state of the world economic system.

environment Global environmental issues, Climate Disruption, Right to Water, extraction methods used by the Mining and Oil  Industries.

events Rallies, protests, symposiums public forums and training sessions that you may wish to attend.

health  homelessness is synonymous with disease and premature death. Denial of the right to housing is a death sentence.

homelessness a view from our perspective

internet   The internet is our best hope to take back control from the power brokers.

media coverage by mainstream and independent media sources of current events & issues that are of concern as we enter the 2nd decade of the new millennium.

new content recently added to this site.

news Ronzig in the news

photoArt is a selection of my art organized by subject

politics How the government is addressing the issues we must deal with to move towards a more just and sustainable society.

portfolio Ronzig's portfolio site where you will find a large selection of photography and art created by Ronzig.

poverty is the main cause of most of the problems that our society struggles with, including homelessness.

society   how we think, feel & act as a society will determine how history judges us.

speaking Ronzig will speak to your group about social issues, art or photography

videos by Ronzig about homelessness & other important issues that are contributing to the malaise we live with every day.

war  Canada's role in promoting Imperialism

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Digital photoArt by Ronzig depicting peace activism, social unrest and the homeless situation in Toronto plus commentary about Canada’s role as co-sponsor of American imperialism.

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Protesting this futile war

This is a radio broadcast about the cost of our war in Afghanastan and the negative effect it has by drawing funds from necessary social programs at home and abroad.

Radio Broadcast War.mp3 Radio Broadcast War.mp3
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We Lost The War

Definitions found in Wikipedia.

Authoritarianism:

characterized by or favoring absolute obedience to authority, as against individual freedom: an authoritarian regime.

Of or pertaining to a governmental or political system, principle, or practice in which individual freedom is held as completely subordinate to the power or authority of the state, centered either in one person or a small group that is not constitutionally accountable to the people.

Totalitarianism:

absolute control by the state or a governing branch of a highly centralized institution.

Fascism:

a political theory advocating an authoritarian hierarchical government (as opposed to democracy or liberalism)

a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.

A political theory advocating an authoritarian hierarchical government (as opposed to democracy or liberalism)

Capitalism:

an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, esp. as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

Author’s note: When wealth is controlled by a limited number of individuals and corporations Capitalism becomes a form of government in that the powerful take control of the economy and through it the political direction of a nation. The Capitalists rule by proxy in a new form of Totalitarianism.

Early in the last century, the world went to war against fascism, a form of totalitarianism sponsored by Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini. No sooner had we defeated them than the Soviet Union came up with its’ version of tyranny and the Cold War began. Ronald Reagan won the Cold War for our side by spending the Soviets into bankruptcy with his Star Wars project and we thought that authoritarianism was finally defeated.

But think again. In order to fight the Cold War, the USA as leaders of the so called Free World succumbed to the belief that it was necessary to sink to the level of the opposition in order to defeat them. Since the United States maintains a Democratic Constitution the people with political and economic power had to find a new means of wielding unrestricted power.

Hence the advent of Totalitarianism by proxy. It was quite simple to use the CIA to oust unsympathetic leaders and set up their own puppet dictators in authoritarian regimes around the world.

First on September 16, 1941, Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, was placed on the throne in Iran where he ruled with an iron hand until he was ousted by his people on February 11, 1979.

Preferring to deal with a single all powerful leader as opposed to the uncertainty of Democratically elected leaders, The United States soon set up or supported coups for Moammar Kadafi to rule Libya, Idi Amin Dada to rule Uganda, Saddam Hussein to rule Iraq, and Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralín Marcos for the Phillipines to name a few of their proxy dictators. Each of these was of course a total failure and many of the pet dogs came back to bite the master in the ass, but the power brokers got a better idea. Instead of supporting dictators, why not buy out democracy? It was really quite simple. Just make the cost of running for election far too expensive for honest citizens to be able to compete and then pay for the campaigns of every important candidate, thereby ensuring that the resultant leader who gets elected has been bought and paid for in advance. The result is a secret control over the country, “proxy authoritarianism”.

We lost the Cold War by becoming the enemy.

Concerned young lady at peace rally
Thursday January 24, 2008

TORONTO DISASTER RELIEF COMMITTEE 6 Trinity Square, Toronto, Ontario Canada M5G 1B1 Phone: 416-599-TDRC (8372) Fax: 416-599-5445 www.HousingNotWar.ca | housingnotwar@gmail.com MEDIA ADVISORY – For Immediate Release January 24, 2008 Manley Report and Federal government oppose public while unprecedented alliance demands Housing Not War John Manley, head of the Harper-appointed panel to study the government's Afghan War, stated upon the release of its report: "we are a rich country, we've got to do some of this stuff". "Manley is not referring to the need for a national housing program to relieve the suffering and death of homeless people in a rich country like Canada," said Beric German, Toronto Disaster Relief Committee (TDRC) co-founder. "Unlike the large majority of Canada's public, he wants to keep fighting to support one side in a civil war in Afghanistan." Manley, who recommends continuing war and new resources to wage it, claims the war is unpopular because ordinary people do not understand it. "Ordinary people simply share decent priorities, which the government has been rejecting. It chooses to ignore the homelessness disaster directly afflicting 300 000 people, ignore available solutions, and instead waste resources on an endless war most of us oppose," said Andrew Mindszenthy, TDRC Outreach Co-ordinator. Malalai Joya, a woman elected to the Afghan parliament then kicked out for criticizing warlord parliamentarians and now living in constant danger, recently visited Canada. In Canada, she said, "people are homeless, they are poor, but not only do they [Canada's government] not serve their people, but money is going" to support the warlords the NATO war props-up in Afghanistan – "not their innocent people". 90% of Canadian funds for Afghanistan go to war, not reconstruction. "In Canada," Joya said, "the government follows the footpath of the US, but the people are so great". 112 diverse organizations and thousands of individuals are publicly demanding Housing Not War: an end to the Afghan war, and a redirection of funds from record-high military spending to peaceful purposes, including an extra 1% for housing. Daily, new supporters join the national campaign launched by TDRC and the Canadian Peace Alliance. Canada's skyrocketing military spending has reached $18.2B annually (the highest since WWII) versus only $2B on housing. The only industrialized country with no national housing program, Canada struggles through the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression. Housing Not War declaration signers can be seen at www.HousingNotWar.ca. -30- MEDIA CONTACTS: Toronto Disaster Relief Committee 416-599-8372 (office)

More concerned citizens at the peace rally

Monday January 21, 2008
Harper spends $2 billion on housing and $18.2 billion on the Afghan War

January 21, 2008 Before Manley report is released, a broad coalition demands Housing Not War Over 100 diverse organizations and 2000 individuals including public figures and politicians have joined a new national Housing Not War campaign. The campaign demands Canada's Federal government end the Afghan war and shift resources from record-high military spending to peaceful purposes including housing. The campaign was launched by the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee (TDRC) and the Canadian Peace Alliance (CPA). As the Harper-created Manley report looms, the public has its own ideas on war and Canada's priorities. Endorsers of the Housing Not War declaration range from Canada's largest unions and citizens' group to grassroots community organizations and include the Canadian Labour Congress, Council of Canadians, Canadian Muslim Union, Science for Peace and AIDS Action Now! Among the 111 organizations to have endorsed as of January 21 are anti-poverty and peace activists, feminists, environmentalists, scientists, faith groups, health workers, social services, ethnic communities, students, teachers, and more. Prominent individuals include Gordon Pinsent, Ursula Franklin, Naomi Klein, and dozens of elected politicians from all levels of government. More sign on every day. "We are in the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression. 300 000 people experience homelessness annually in Canada – the only industrialized country with no national housing program", said Cathy Crowe, Street Nurse and TDRC co-founder. The Federal government spends only 1% ($2 billion) of its budget on housing. Instead, government spending on war is higher in constant dollars than at any point since WWII: $18.2 billion or 8.5% of the budget. "Much of this spending is for the unpopular counter-insurgency war in Afghanistan, which a large majority of Canadians want to end", said Sid Lacombe, CPA coordinator. Recent polls show only 17% of Canadians want the combat mission to continue. "This is about fundamental priorities", said Beric German, TDRC co-founder. "Canada stands at a crossroads. Will the government listen to its people and change course from the waste and destruction of war to invest in a just society?" The campaign linking poverty and war demands an extra 1% of the Federal budget for social housing. The Housing Not War campaign will hold a public demonstration in Toronto at noon on Thursday February 7, 2008. A list of individual and organizational endorsers of the Housing Not War declaration can be found at the campaign's website: www.housingnotwar.ca.

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Anonymous Nov 11/09

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Thank you. The more people who learn the truth, the better our chances of improving this society.

Anonymous Sept 15/09

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Thank you.

Anonymous Aug 22/09

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Index of Ronzig's web pages

Website:

Down But Not Out

As well as Ronzig's Gallery, Ronzig built and maintains Down But Not Out, a website dedicated to social activism and providing information about many of the current issues that threaten to destroy our planet and the social structures we have developed. This link will take you to the Home page of Down But Not Out which was recently ranked as the 12th best website about homelessness on the internet and the following information will explain each of the pages on the website. You will have the opportunity to comment on what you learn here and read the many comments of other visitors to the site.

Learn more about Ronzig and why he created Down But Not Out and why it began as a website discussing the issues of poverty, homelessness and addiction and how it evolved into much more, encompassing issues a wide ranging as politics, war imperialism, conspiracy, economics, health, the environment and more.

Having been a crack addict for nearly 2 decades, during the 2nd of which I was homeless, I have acquired an in depth understanding of addiction, how & why it begins, what it does to a person, what is involved with getting free of this curse and the social implications of this ever increasing plague on civilization. I disclose some little known and often ignored information and insights that will assist you in coming to a better understanding of what addiction is all about.

I have created a page where visitors to Down But Not Out can contribute by telling their story about how the issues discussed on the site has affected them or someone they care about. I encourage you to read what others have to say and please tell us your story. You can remain anonymous if you prefer.

There is an extensive examination of the economy on Down But Not Out with discussions about the recession, economic collapse, the increasing disparity between the rich, the poor and the middle class. I delve into the phenomena of the shrinking middle class and the emergence of a 2 class society where an economic elite rule and the rest of us are rapidly being relegated to economic slavery.

Whether you call it Global Warning, Climate Disruption or choose to adopt one of the euphemisms that opponents to addressing this impending disaster use to seek to reduce the significance of the crisis to protect their ill gotten financial profits, it is a scientific fact that our global environment is on the brink of collapse. If meaningful and immediate action is not taken the human race along with almost all other forms of life on the Planet Earth will soon face extinction.

Whenever I have time I try to post notices of significant events that you may wish to attend including rally's, protests, political meetings, or other relevant items here. I also use this page to post notices of upcoming art shows where my work will be on display.

The social, economic and political issues revolving around health and healthcare are currently creating an environment where universal healthcare in Canada is under attack. It is evident that the elite no longer wish to ensure adequate health services for an aging population. They see no need to preserve individual health when there is no shortage of replacement economic slaves to step in when one of us succumbs to preventable illness and dies.

There is a worldwide epidemic of homelessness that has emerged in the past couple of decades to plague society and the wealthiest nations, ones with more than sufficient resources to provide housing for their populations are the worst at addressing the situation. Having lived long enough to realize that even when our society was steeped in relative poverty compared to today's situation, homelessness was never a significant problem until recently as the elite grab more and more of the world's wealth and resources, leaving the rest of us to struggle just to keep a roof over our heads.

With the advent of the internet, hope for a just society has been restored, yet there are sinister powers threatening to crush that hope. Just when internet should be reaching the point of universal global access, these powers are forcing an increasing internet divide, where surprisingly millions who once could afford access are being economically deprived of this crucial commodity, for a commodity is what it has become and it is for sale at price not reflective of costs, but of what the market will bear. Perhaps we should be considering defining internet as a Necessary Service that is available to everyone at affordable rates of free of charge.

With the corporatization of mainstream media, it's difficult to find any honest reporting in this media, as they tend to stick like flies on flypaper to the elitist party line. However even the most cynical of these outlets of information are forced to include a modicum of honesty in their reports when faced with the vast amount of conflicting evidence distributed freely on the internet. It is beneficial also to be up to date on what they are saying in order to point out the inadequacies and outright lies that they distribute.

Over the years, Ronzig has been in the news on several occasions, both as the subject of articles and as interviewee. Of course I've commented on many news items as well. you'll find some of these pieces on my news page.

There is a disturbing trend in politics that is increasingly threatening the very fabric of Democracy, or the sorry excuse for such that we have  adopted. I'm speaking of the merging of the Capitalist manifesto into the political agenda to the effect that today's politicians see their job almost exclusively as serving the requirements of capitalism and corporate profits rather than the needs of the citizens who are the true backbone of any nation.

Ever wonder how it is possible that in the richest civilization that has ever existed on the planet, extreme poverty is reaching epidemic proportions?  The answer is obvious. Every single year for the past 3 decades the wealthiest 5% of the world's population have taken control and ownership of a greater proportion of the world's resources leaving less for each of the remaining 95% of the people who have to live on this planet. In every industrialized nation the middle class is under attack and is shrinking annually as people are forced down the economic scale into the burgeoning poverty class. The truly terrifying aspect of this is the fact that the members of the middle class which is the primary target of this attack believe that when the middle class is eliminated they will be part of the elite upper class of rulers rather than economic slaves of these rulers. Because of this the middle class votes consistently for politicians who serve this elite ruling class and don't even realize they are voting for their own destruction.

In a society which professes to be primarily Christian is it not a paradox that we have created such an un-Christian attitude toward our neighbours? By assuming the philosophy of "Looking our for number ONE", we find it easy not only to allow our brothers and sisters to suffer and actually perish because they can not afford to pay for the basic requirements of survival, nourishment and shelter, but many of us are arrogant enough to hate them for their predicament. How are we to overcome this tide of apathy and animosity which in the end will destroy us if we fail?

If you group is interested in Ronzig's experiences and philosophies, I do speaking engagements and will talk on any of the topics covered here. I have had great success with audiences while speaking about homelessness & addiction, Democracy & politics as well as photography & art and would be pleased to accept a request to speak to you group.

Primarily because of American Imperialism the world has been in a constant state of war for the majority of the past 6 decades. Isn't it amazing how we can call making war on another nation a Police Action or Peacekeeping Action to camouflage the fact that we are invading a nation to seize control of its resources or to use it as a staging zone for our aggressive moves on its neighbours, yet we call defensive retaliation Terrorism? We call the slaughter of innocent civilians Collateral Damage to hide the fact that more than 80% of the people we kill in our wars are civilians primarily women and children. I find it disturbing that Prime Minister Harper has eagerly jumped into bed with the Americans and is arming Canada to fight along side our neighbours to the South as we seek to seize control of far off nations. We stand idly by and allow Israel, the puppet state of the Americans which exists solely because of American arms and financing to commit wide scale genocide in its attempt to eradicate the legitimate population of the region from the planet.

Website:

Go to Ronzig's Gallery digital photoArt, photography,  video, photographic & video recording services, Mini Video Tours of Toronto, Collector Series Postcards featuring an assortment of his best images and art on ceramic tiles top home page.

Learn about Ronzig and Ronzig's Gallery: What is digital photoArt? Ronzig's guerrilla photography and video. Art on Ceramic Tiles. Collector Series Postcards featuring an assortment of his best images, Mini Video Tours of Toronto. And photographic and video recording services.

View some of Ronzig's best work in a slideshow or individual images from Ronzig at Ronzig's Gallery of digital photoArt and photography.

You can contact  Ronzig's Gallery by email, telephone or by snail mail to his address to inquire about Ronzig's digital photoArt, photography, Collector Series Postcards featuring an assortment of his best images. video, photography & video recording services, Mini Video Tours of Toronto and art on ceramic tiles or to purchase his products or services. You will also find numerous links to other websites where Ronzig has a presence.

Read the Legend of Ronzig the Wizard and his battle with his evil twin brother Ronzak the Sorcerer in the story of the ongoing struggle between good and evil that has been going on since the creation of the universe.

This is where you can order  Ronzig's products and services from Ronzig's Gallery such as digital photoArt,  photography & video recording services, Mini Video Tours of Toronto, art on ceramic tiles & Collector Series Postcards featuring an assortment of his best images.

Ronzig creates spectacular panorama works either as photographic images or as Digital photoArt that are available in standard sizes up to 44" x 13" on either canvas or archival quality photo paper (larger sizes available by special order).  Ronzig's Gallery will also embed a panorama image into the glaze of a series of ceramic tiles to create a unique wall or floor covering surface to your specs.

Ronzig's Digital photoArt & photographic images from Ronzig's Gallery cover a broad array of subject matter and themes resulting in highest quality art works to suit any preference. These images are all available on ceramic tiles & Collector Series Postcards as well a more traditional canvas and archival photo paper in a wide range of sizes to suit your requirements.

All of Ronzig's best work is available on Collector Series Postcards on archival photo paper, suitable not only for mailing a unique greeting to friends and loved ones, but also for framing as a group to hang on your wall.

Ronzig has done work for a wide range of clients from law firms to developers, health services facilities and the City of Toronto, all of which would certainly provide excellent references to Ronzig's Gallery.

Most of Ronzig's best work, be it video, photography or Digital photoArt is available as stock video clips or stock photo & art images at extremely reasonable prices for royalty free applications that you are producing.

Most of Ronzig's best work can be embedded into the glaze of ceramic tiles, resulting in virtually indestructible art works suitable for architectural uses such as surfaces for walls, floors, counter tops, back-splashes, fireplace surrounds or mantlepieces. As home furnishing uses they provide unique surfaces for tables or any other flat surfaced furniture. There is a series of 4" x 4" tiles with a protective backing designed for use as coasters that are bound to intrigue your guests as you entertain. Of course they make timeless stand alone art suitable for framing or placing on a stand for display.

Ronzig produces a wide range of videos, including Documentary works, event recording such as children's birthdays, activism and social protest works, art films, Mini Video Tours and special effects clips. Ronzig's Gallery is fully equipped and has access to support professionals to create original works with multi-camera filming, still photography and custom music for any production. He is presently working on a special fx movie, The Legend of Ronzig the Wizard, for which he the writer, art and costume designer, producer director and star.

 

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