At a time when many people are writing off traditional forms of media, the Street News Service (SNS) has emerged as a vibrant media resource—one that is providing the world with groundbreaking news from a very unique perspective.

SNS is an online news agency that brings together the best of street paper journalism from around the world - and often features Megaphone content.

As the independent news agency of the International Network of Street Papers (INSP), the SNS is a cornerstone of a strong and united global street paper movement. The site provides a forum for the world's street papers to exchange editorial content and photographs and is particularly crucial for street papers in the developing world, which often operate in isolation and with scant resources.

But the main benefit of the site is that it helps inform the world about issues of social and economic justice and advocates for the needs and the rights of people living in poverty. Exactly what journalism is supposed to do.

Check it out here.

RAMADAN MOBARAK Muslims from around Metro Vancouver honoured Ramadan by providing free meals at the Carnegie Centre yesterday

WRITE 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM The 3 Day Novel Contest is this weekend and the WestEnder looks at some willing victims

BABY, YOU CAN PARK MY CAR Our obsession with private automobiles is unsustainable

SPLITS Vancouver has new professional ballet company in Vancouver City Dance Theatre

ART One of the finest example of public art in North America is to be found in the new Mount Pleasant Community Centre

PROOFINESS You know who else says Insite, the safe-injection clinic, is saving lives? The Canadian Medical Association Journal

READIN' The Tyee has an very incomplete list of neglected BC writers as Meganews is not included

CREDIT A Toronto Star reporter offers VISA cards to several people panhandling in Toronto, with interesting reactions

DAMNED IF YOU DO Having no where else to go, homeless persons in Victoria set up camp in the park. Now that park may be harming them

Megaphone associate editor Sarah Berman has made this incredible documentary about the activists/artists who are taking on illegal advertising in New York City by reclaiming the public's space.

A similar public space vs. illegal advertising campaign went down in Toronto this week.

Following a one-year hiatus, the Victory Square Block Party is returning this Labour Day weekend with more of Vancouver's biggest indie bands and alternative comedians.

Co-sponsored by Music Waste and Megaphone Magazine, the volunteer-run Block Party is a free cultural and community event that has become a yearly staple for thousands of Vancouverites as they send off the summer.

With the first Victory Square Block Party held 2004, this year's event builds on the festival's tradition of providing free and fresh entertainment to the city, while bringing new bands, comedians and spectators into the fold.

Headlining this year's lineup is Vancouver's favourite garage-rock duo the Pack AD with support from the power-pop outfit the Tranzmitors. Riding a wave of hype and critical praises are Apollo Ghosts andMakeout Videotape rounding out the day with Sex Church, Ora Cogan and Lord Beginner. A few of the city's best sketch groups will provide some laughs in between bands as well as a stand up set by acclaimed author and comedian Charlie Demers.

"The Victory Square Block Party is a great way for the city to come together and celebrate our local music scene," says Cameron Reed, one of the event's organizers. "And it shows how we can use our public space to put something on that is both fun and free."

Each year the Block Party donates all proceeds to a Downtown Eastside charity or non-profit. This year’s event will help support Megaphone, a magazine sold on the streets of Vancouver by homeless and low-income vendors.

"Megaphone's mission is about fostering community connections," says Sean Condon, Megaphone's executive director, "and the Victory Square Block Party has a history of bringing people together to celebrate culture and community. This year's event will allow us to build up our vendor program and help more homeless and low-income people."

For more information visit, MusicWaste.ca/BlockParty

BEARS Fifteen of the most chilled bears ever found in Calgary grow-up.

TRANSIT Students, know that U-Pass that you non-UBC/SFUers are paying for in September?You don't get it until January. Sorries.

BIKES Some Downtown business owners's head will explode if they hear about this! Commercial drive removes parking spaces for bike racks.

THE FACTS The full report by the VPD on the Robert Pickton investigation.

FURRIES The life of a sport mascot and the women who love them

HOMES Man with place to live complains about those who don't

FUN Huzzah! The PNE parade returns after a 15 year absence. Boo! Moving it from its traditional East Hastings route.

DOWNERS Lu's, an experimental 'women only' pharmacy has closed down due to lack of traffic and investment

ACCESS UBC, which raised tuition on lucrative courses like medicine, is somehow seeking less affluent students. It's so nice to be seeking them. It's almost like doing something about it.

File this one under 'better late than never': check out the Megaphone Flickr pool for a few photos of the Megaphone/Hope In Shadows float at the Pride Parade this year. It was a great day on all accounts and we managed to hand out tons of magazines and calendars when we weren't busy harassing spectators with actual megaphones at top volume.

A big thank you to all our vendors and volunteers who helped out that day!

TOXIC CANUCK DISEASE All Canadians are contaminated. Well, you are.

FAST FOOD Cute, cuddly, sharks should be taken off the menu, says woman who does not realise that it is us against them. Same with chicken.

ART OF MARKETING LIFESTYLE Bob Rennie, who became rich by marketing the condo life in Vancouver, is the subject of this fawning Observer piece about his love of modern art

BAYWATCH The Vancouver Police would like you to complete this survey about their beach patrol. Meganews suspects that the police are trying to justify their use of ATV's by the questions that they are asking. Meganews is also pleasantly surprised to find 'Transgendered' as an option in a VPD survey.

This Sunday marks the third annual Justice Rocks music festival. Featuring a fine mix of politics and party, Pivot Legal Society's free event allows people to have some fun in the fight for social justice.

As part of the festival, Megaphone will have a booth at the event alongside some of the city's best and most passionate social change agencies and organizations. Come down to Strathcona Park on Sunday to enjoy a day in the sun and say hello to some of the Megaphone volunteers and vendors who will be manning our booth.

Here is the festival's lineup/schedule:

2pm Carnegie Jazz Band
2:40 Cultural Medicine Cabinet
3:10 SPEAKER — Michael Byers BC Civil Liberties Association
3:25 Maria in the Shower
4pm SPEAKER — Judith Marcuse Founder/Co-Director, International Centre of Art for Social Change
4:05 BBoy Demo
4:35 SPEAKER – Stephanie Goodwin, Director, Greenpeace Canada
4:45 Hip Hop with MR.Tate and philoSophia
5:10 Abstract Random with Ayo Leilani (pictured)
5:45 Giraffe Aftermath
6:25 SPEAKER — Harjap Grewal, Council of Canadians
6:40 Corbin Murdoch
7:10 SPEAKER — John Richardson, Executive Director, Pivot Legal Society
7:15 Luciterra Tribal Belly Dance
7:30-8:30 En Karma