Sou Station

Review of Vonnegut's Armageddon in Retrospect

2010-09-30T22:38:00.001-07:00

Mark Vonnegut, son and introduction author, states, “Writing was a spiritual exercise for my father, the only thing he really believed in.” He then reveals more and more about the man behind such well-crafted work and wit. In this volume the works themselves reveal much about Kurt Vonnegut and about his journey out from the heavy weight of war. I often wondered whether some of these works weren't published sooner (they were published posthumously) because they were too personal and whether they pre-dated Slaughterhouse-Five given that they lack the detachment and satirical intensity of that and later works.

At times the reader seems to be witnessing Vonnegut process his past. For example, a British lance corporal appears in both Spoils and Just You and Me, Sammy (different accounts of his escape from prison), presumably because Vonnegut had weighed his decision to await the Russian advance, something the corporal warns against. His protagonists have clear morals and clash with those who lack them. They question whether upholding their morals in such conditions was worth it — life was so much easier for collaborators. In these stories war seems to be much less about sides than about personal struggle. For example, in The Commandant's Desk liberators bring both good and evil (freedom and continued occupation).

By the end of the collection of essays he seems to have come to terms with the horrors he witnessed, but just enough to still warn others; however, he seems to have also realized the difficulty of communicating such a warning. In Happy Birthday, 1951 an old man attempts to dim the appeal of war to a young boy. In other words you might as well “write an anti-glacier book.” Great Day imagines a future army without war, so much so that they train via a time machine on long-distant battlefields. War will always be present even if it's just a fantasy in a utopia. The title-story takes place in a future where scientists trap the Devil to overcome war, but there's a catch — it takes much effort to maintain peace.

In God Bless you, Dr. Kevorkian, written much later than most of these works he's gained a perspective through which he can argue the faults of war without raw emotion. Kilgore Trout, a recurring character of Vonnegut's, states regarding Kosovo:

NATO should have resisted the nearly irresistable temptation to be entertainers on television, to compete with movies of blowing up bridges … All cities and even little towns are world assets. … The homicidal paranoia and schizophrenia of ethnic cleansing does its worst quickly now, almost instantly, like a tidal wave or volcano … The disease used to take years. One thinks of Europeans killing off the Aborigines … The Tasmanian genocide, incidentally, is the only one of which I've heard which was one-hundred-percent successful.

Armageddon in Retrospect is adorned with ink and pencil sketches that call into question Vonnegut's assertion that the only thing he was good at was writing. The Unicorn Trap is the only story without a backdrop of modern warfare. Although it's set in Norman England, it still wrestles with the morality of conflict:

“Grand, all right,” said Elmer. He was a small man with a large-domed head. His blue eyes were restless with unhappy intelligence. His small frame was laced with scraggly ropes of muscle, the bonds of a thinking man forced to labor.

Graphic Novels

2010-08-31T23:17:00.001-07:00

Few art mediums have worked as hard to gain credibility as graphic novels, perhaps fantasy and sci-fi in their quest to be regarded as literature. Legitimacy seems to have been granted given the expanding sections of this genre in libraries and bookstores, but many, including me remain sheepish when perusing them.

I jumped on the bandwagon with many when Batman: The Dark Night Returns and The Watchmen appeared on the scene. Both jump started the genre to such a degree that they're on the minds of many today due to their Hollywood adaptations. I became more impressed with this genre and moved through the works of Pekar (a full tribute is in the works).

The Adventuress by Audrey Niffenegger (author of The Time Traveler's Wife) was originally published by hand in the 80's. It reminds me of La passion de Jeanne d'Arc – the threshold, the tears behind those eyes, the isolation, and the nuns. Egypt also comes to mind: hands floating without arms hold veils, wine-glasses, and judgement; Eyes sometimes swirl but never blink or have a face. There's also alchemy, a cat, and transformation. The soul mourns a body with crossed arms folded under the chin. Ancient Greece comes to mind with play on weaving (Penelope); however, here a skirts unravelled to create a cocoon. The character seems to have conflicting emotions (thumoi) given the cleft figure and one that hugs and chokes itself. It's such a fantastical world that she, a moth, feasted on Napoleon's books.

The Pride of Baghdad presents war through the eyes of lions. At times the novel becomes too anthropomorphic — sex and rape, moral dilemmas (whether or not to eat humans) — but the point gets across. War starts when the zoo keepers throw them a donkey, enough food to last a while. Bombs blow up the pen's walls and they're free. They embark on a journey and on the way meet a wise turtle who states,

Tigris is the name of the river, dummy. … Everything's got a name. It's how we make crap belong to us. And this stretch of crap is my fishing hole.
There's black stuff under the earth, boy. Poison. When the walkers fight, they send it spewing into the sky, and spilling into the … into the sea.

Although the dialogue can be predictable, the illustrations make use colour very effectively, the dark grey and sepia of tragedy and bright tones for violence. On the whole, the work seems a little too surreal for war, but that might just be how lions view things.

RSA Animates David Harvey Lecture

2010-07-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

As soon as this post entered my twitter-stream, I re-tweeted it; however, I wanted to ensure no one missed it, so have posted it here. The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce animates David Harvey's sagacious words:

Update: Kurt Vonnegut in his final speech had quite a lot to say about Marx:

I might as well clinch my reputation as a world-class nutcase by saying something good about Karl Marx, commonly believed in this country, and surely in Indian-no-place [Indianapolis], to have been one of the most evil people who ever lived.

He did invent Communism, which we have long been taught to hate, because we are so in love with Capitalism, which is what we call the casinos on Wall Street.

Communism is what Karl Marx hoped could be an economic scheme for making industrialized nations take good care of people, and especially of children and the old and disabled, as tribes and extended families used to do, before they were dispersed by the Industrial Revolution (Vonnegut, K. 2008. Armageddon in Retrospect, p. 23).

World Cup Fever - Final Impressions, A Canadian's View

2010-06-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of every World Cup game I'm struck by the colonial influence on each nation's anthem. Western instruments, chorus lines, and structure predominate. There's no rumba, salsa, or cross-rhythm, and that's such a shame, given the diversity among each nation's fans and players. Fortunately, the music at taxi stands, airports, and fan parks weren't restricted to western notions, and, of course, the vuvuzellas made stadiums their own.

I took quite a few bus-taxis and buses to get around from my remote abode. Although people on the bus-taxis were quite friendly, especially when I repeatedly asked Illovo? or some other destination, people on the bus ignored me. I discussed this behaviour with a white South African after, and she attributed it to the fact that a white person on such buses is a rarity, never mind one with an accent. By the way, from what I've gathered South Africans refer to each other as black, white, or coloured (any ethnic mix other than the former two). I struggled with this terminology due to my North American sensibilities, but soon tired of unnecessarily tip-toeing around.

Another sensibility that I lost pretty quickly was pedestrian right-of-way. Drivers gave me courteous beeps, but such notions can be dangerous (I had a few close calls in my jet-lagged stupor). Like Europe, standard transmission dominates the market, so drivers are quite skilled, but the numerous construction projects made navigation difficult. I still can't get over the lack of seat-belt laws. I desperately wanted to fasten a belt around the new-born in the front seat. Although I wanted to stay and try to get tickets for the Brazil/Portugal, which turned out to be rather flat, the time had come for me to go. I made it to Sandton (an up-scale suburb into which a number of downtown businesses fled when the fence came down) and then to the GauTrain.

The train was filled with residents excited by the prospect of travelling at high-speed. They marvelled at the new smell and efficiency, and some claimed superiority to London's tube (not a fair comparison). I was buoyed by their enthusiasm. The driver came on the intercom, introduced herself, and announced we were travelling at 160 km/h. I was one of the few to leave the train; I picked up some last minute souvenirs and made for my gate. I flew Etihad to Abu Dhabi once more. There were many empty seats so I quickly grabbed a middle row, so I could stretch out later. The meal included a chicken tandoori breast and three bean salad and a choice of chicken tikka, grilled hake or penne in cream sauce. Then I slept. No movies needed on this leg. No World Cup on a single TV in the airport. What's with this place?

After a drowsy day in Frankfurt I boarded a Swiss Air flight to Zurich. The stewardess had a topless picture of Drogba on her serving station and defended her choice, stating that he was her motivation. Swiss chocolate and a great Duty Free catalogue made their low take-off-and-landing priority bearable. I then flew Swiss Air to Montreal. The service, chocolate, and Movenpick ice cream was excellent, but the entertainment system ran on a rotation so you couldn't watch what you wanted when you wanted. The kicker, however, came when I boarded an Air Canada plane and paid $7 for a stale wrap.

Canada really needs to welcome its citizens. Rather than calculating potential tax revenue, citizens shouldn't have to fill out forms or stand in a general line. Where's the Canadian Passports line? It's as rare as a default choice of "Canada" on a Canadian website form. Anyway, I'm back; nearly over 29 hours in the air and nearly acclimatized to Victoria's poky drivers.

World Cup Fever - Argentina Game, A Canadian's View

2010-06-18T02:17:00.000-07:00

For the game, Argentina vs. South Korea, I had incredible seats very close to the field and not far from the goal. I saw three of the five cumulative goals. Messi appears even faster in person than on TV. It's too bad he didn't score, but his goal setup was invaluable. The crowd roared most, even overcoming the vuvuzellas's drone, when Maradona tapped the ball.

The only drawback was the belligerent Americans behind me; however, one benefit of their loudness was their attempt to start a wave. We nearly got one going and had lots of fun. Canadians were there, too; one wore a huge maple-leaf hat and the others were grad students who asked me to fill out a very long survey on the World Cup. They got half their way paid for. Not a bad way to go. I was surprised to find out that the attendance was a few thousand lower than the Holland game.

The park and ride bus service was excellent and got back with enough time to watch the end of the Nigeria game. It's very unfortunate that Nigeria lost on home soil, so to speak. Chris, a Ugandan staying at the same place as I, noted that he's been disappointed with Nigeria since the 90's. After the game I experienced my first brownout, but the power came back in time to watch the Mexico game and power my microwave dinner. One benefit of the darkness was seeing the Southern Cross without artificial light obscuring it. Very beautiful!

As I'm writing this, the patrons of this internet cafe are watching WWE. Western culture's everywhere.

World Cup Fever - Johannesburg Impressions, A Canadian's View

2010-06-16T04:42:00.000-07:00

Whenever I travel outside of North America I'm astonished by the grip of western culture. Johannesburg is no exception; a mall culture is particularly strong here. Malls host all the parties and have all the big screens and FIFA centers. They seem to be “the place to go”, much more so even than in North America. Thankfully, there's little evidence of big box stores although the city is car-centered and lacks efficient public transit. Nevertheless, this role's been filled by shuttle taxis which, although intimidating to visitors, seem quite effective. I was surprised at the lack of seatbelt use especially in the case of infants who rest on their mothers' laps in the front seat. There are some traces of the colonial past, the architecture and rusks appearing on aisle markers in grocery stores. Despite all this evidence of western culture many things set this city apart.

Some malls contain flea markets. Only a few are heated.

Entertaining store names and slogans:

Pick n Pay (As opposed to Pick n Run?) Their by-line, “Inspired by you,” has little to do with their brand.

Mr. Delivery for pizza.

Clicks Pharmacy: Clicks Clubcard. Saving is the point.

Fences. Electric, concrete, and steel. Every structure is well fortified. Perhaps the most striking example is the university whose fortifications seem to contravene tenants of higher learning, such as openness and right to protest.
BP appears to be doing quite well and has been running ads promoting their non-Fair Trade coffee.
No headphones on people. People spend time at bus stops in conversation.
Noises, of so many kinds, fill the air. Drivers toot horns to alert pedestrians who have no right of way here. Vuvuzellas fill the air, especially when South Africa is playing, then they begin at dawn and last until dusk.

People here are very friendly and most are quite excited to meet a Canadian. They ask many questions about Canada. Some, assuming I'm a white local have even asked me for directions. I've spent the most time speaking with Victor, the caretaker and my host, Alima. Victor is from Malawi and is working here to support his family back home. He's hoping to start an IT business here or a kindergarten back in Malawi. If anyone knows of some free school supplies, let me know.

Alima is fiery, passionate, and very kind. She addresses every black South African as brother or sister. They have a really cool culture which blinds the visitor to all the uncompleted projects, delays, bus strikes, leaky taps and lack of recycling.

A note on security: Although security is a major concern here, I've not felt threatened once. (I walk or taxi everywhere.) I have, however, felt a certain fear in the air, heard conversations about car-jacking, and seen reports of home invasions. This is enough to restrict my travel at night to well-worn routes.

World Cup Fever - FIFA Critique, A Canadian's View

2010-06-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

At first glance the FIFA ticketing process seemed quite robust. I entered my choices in the first round of the lottery, was billed a few months later, and received an email notifying me that I'd purchased tickets a month or so after that. The trouble began when I tried to determine what matches I was seeing, in order to arrange all the necessary travel arrangements. My FIFA on-line account contained no information about the tickets I'd purchased. All that was there were FIFA bingo and fantasy football. No comparison to the VANOC site, which I'd used a few months before. I was informed that I'd receive a ticket confirmation in the mail by May 1st, which was extended to the middle of May. I emailed and got no response, I phoned and never got an agent. Eventually, I did receive the confirmation and was very pleased with my tickets, but the process was very stressful.

Note: After talking to a number of fans, some shared my experience, and it appeared to be restricted to the first two rounds of ticket sales.

Upon arrival at 5:00 am I learned that the automatic booths at the airport (a major ticket collection location) were closed outside of business hours. Imagine if ABMs were closed outside of a bank's hours. What's the point? Then there was the run-around I received prior to my first match. Only one private security guard knew where to pick up tickets. He told me that fans were in tears at the opening game, believing that they wouldn't be able to enter the stadium.

The name and passport number that I'd entered for me and a guest was not checked; furthermore, all the tickets had only my name on it. So much for all the rules on security and application forms to trade or sell tickets. FIFA created a convoluted system, required people to adhere to it and then abandoned it.

Once inside the arena everything ran smoothly and there was a surplus of information volunteers. The match was an incredible experience, but FIFA has to do much better in this modern age. Maybe that day will come when some form of television replay gets incorporated into the officiating.

I am surprised that empty seats have been shown on TV. Apparently in 2002 buses went into the Asian countryside to get spectators to fill seats. The only deception here was the 1,000 or so Chinese actors at the North Korean game.

On a separate note, SABC provides local commentary for all the African nation matches, which provides a different take on the game that I quite enjoy.

World Cup Fever - The Holland Game, A Canadian's View

2010-06-16T04:35:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here in a South African house huddled around a space-heater while the weather forecaster states that it will go down to minus 3 tonight and that snow has fallen in some parts of the country. I notice that the forecaster uses clucks in her speech and that the kids in a snowball fight behind her must be a rare sight. Two days ago, I was in the same seat when Daf, attired in a bright orange suit, came through the front door with Marcel on his heels. These were the house-guests I was expecting, but had no idea they would be Dutch fans. I was there to support Holland, so was quite happy. The orange clad Blues Brothers set to decorating a house that had only sported a few South Africa flags.

The next morning everyone was quite excited about the game and dressed in their finest orange. Daf was kind enough to give me a cool hat with red, white, and blue dinosaur spines across the top. Chantal, Daf's girlfriend had arrived in the night and soon some other fans showed up. We got a ride to the stadium in threes. About 2km from the stadium we got out of the car to walk due to the congestion. Every three cars we passed cheered, clapped or honked. As the enormous calabash stadium drew near people started to ask if they could get their picture taken with Marcel and Daf, and sometimes all of us.

Then began an extremely frustrating time of tracking down my tickets. Volunteers were either uninformed or misinformed; furthermore they were too few in number. We finally found someone who knew where we needed to go and escorted us there. We entered the stadium to find the Dutch party. Holland supporters usually party in a city square before the game and then follow a double-decker bus to the stadium, but here, likely due to the remote location of the stadium and security concerns, the party was inside the stadium. We sang songs, danced, drank, chanted, and cheered. Marcel and Daf gave a number of interviews, and I gave one. I was assured by the reporter that it would appear here.

My seats were pretty good and the vuvuzelas not nearly as loud as I'd thought they'd be (I still wore earplugs). All around me were jubilant when the Netherlands' side scored a goal rather than winning by an own-goal. Many after were not too impressed by the Dutch side, but everyone concluded that it's better to start a little slower than come out blazing and lose to the likes of Russia and Portugal. Robbyn's appearance when they need him should also add a huge flame to the fire. Hup Holland Hup.

World Cup Fever, A Canadian's View

2010-06-12T04:46:00.000-07:00

My trip began in a dull dreary Vancouver. Calgary was even wetter during the six hour transit, so wet that the roofs were leaking. Buckets marked by placards collected the drops. Frankfurt was very warm 29, by comparison and muggy. After a day there I boarded a plane for Abu Dhabi. I had an emergency exit seat, which soon became vibrant with conversation. I talked with the two German guys on either side and the Slovakian stewardess in front.

When the plane landed one German and I sought out a screen to see the highlights of the first World Cup game. We could find none. They had TVs, but they showed volleyball and car racing. No soccer to be had. I asked an information steward and he mistook my request of “football” as “food court”. Not impressed, especially because the stewardess had told me of how many fans have been funnelling through the airport.

I'd rank the airports as follows (1=little effort; 2=some effort; 3=noticeable effort; and so on) Vancouver as a 3, Calgary a 2, Frankfurt a 3, and Abu Dhabi as a 1. Johannesburg, of course, was filled with welcome posters, red carpets for players, but what really set it apart was the multi-clad fans and horns, drums and chants.

The environment in Jo'burg airport is quite playful with announcers proclaiming that smokers violating the non-smoking policy will be banned from football games. On the last leg I got my first run in with England fans. My neighbour took up much more space than his small body would seem to be possible. He preempted the flight attendants' questions, slurring out “Lager” and “Bir”. I re pronounced his request and he got his beer. He must have had a prostrate condition, and if he does I have sympathy for him, because he went to the bathroom twice for every beer he consumed. Quite a different experience than the last flight.

What I learned at the Vancouver Olympics.

2010-02-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

After a number of sun-filled glorious days at the Olympic games I thought I’d summarize my experience. Sorry about the lack of tweets but Internet wasn’t that accessible where I was staying.

The crowd in Vancouver is awesome. Far from an unruly mob the crowd propelled and energized athletes and made mundane tasks, such as queueing, fun. Without a doubt the most powerful crowd was that at the Canada-US hockey game on Sunday. Only high-fives and embraces tempered the ear-splitting roar. Personally, I was at my best when some American fans in the next section started chanting, “U-S-A.” I promptly responded with my loudest “GoCanadaGo” rousing those around me to drown them out. Despite the loss it was the best hockey game I’ve ever been to, mostly due to the crowd.

Translink stepped up to provide fast-efficient service. (Despite my reservations surrounding Translink’s paving of the Whistler rail line and media reports of long waits.)

Events were were on-time, exciting, and well organized. The awesome volunteers and entertainers dimmed inconveniences such as security waits and the bottleneck at the pedestrian walkway into Canada Hockey Place.

The pavilions were neither well-organized nor on-time, but exciting for the most part (Ontario’s 4–D movie and First Nations Pavilion’s daily sampler platter were my favourites). The largest lacuna was in web presence (the official site has no map and speaks in terms of the facilities “upon completion will have … .”) The best information on the web, though not easy to come by via Google (a lady in line showed me a print out), is at CityCaucus. Furthermore, no comprehensive schedule of entertainment seems to exist.

Vancouver rocks when it’s sunny.

The Olympics are magical; at least, they contain many magical moments. The most captivating for me (and my family) happened watching Virtue and Moir’s final skate. We had watched them live during the compulsory skate at the PNE, so we were quite enthused about the sport. Then we started watching the final round on TV, but had to leave part-way to catch the ferry. We got to Tsawwassen as fast as we could and ran into the terminal in search of a TV. We found a small (but vigorous) crowd huddled around the sole TV. Everyone clapped, cheered, and (some) cried, while our collective anticipation over the performance and score was quickened by the imminent message that boarding would ensue. Community. Magic. The Games.

Equality?2

2009-12-18T01:07:00.000-08:00

Shortly after writing my post on (in)equality I came across this video:

Isabel Allende, here at a TED talk, tells an impassioned and stirring tale of inequality. If you don't have 18 minutes, skip the first 7 minutes in which she sets up the story with anecdotes (entertaining ones). Here's some of her most alarming and insightful statements:

Even the most destitute of men have someone they can abuse, a woman or a child.

It is a fact that giving women education, work, the ability to control their own income, inherit and own property benefits the society. If a woman is empowered her children and family will be better off. If families prosper the village prospers and eventually so does the whole country.

Equality?

2009-12-08T23:30:00.000-08:00

I recall being far too young to comprehend the horror that had unfolded at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. December 6, 1989 was no ordinary Sinterklaas holiday—14 women were slain, just for being women. Such a calamity evoked an appropriate response: outrage. In 1991, Parliament established December 6^th as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Candlelight vigils publicize the issue and help ease the pain, but the spectre of violence against women continues to rise like an insurmountable peak. This, despite awesome projects, organizations, laws, and rights.

What stymies it all seems to be escape clauses, e.g., female ski jumpers cannot compete in the 2010 Olympics and embedded attitudes, e.g., The Daily Telegraph. Acquaintance rape suggests primitive exertion of power as the cause, which in a worst case scenario presents like this. Of course, greed’s a prime suspect, and human trafficking results in modern-day slavery.

At a basic level women represent social stability; thus, public rape inspires terror when conventional means such as assassinations only numb the populace. Such horrors frequently are so horrific that their full extent takes decades to be revealed.

Perhaps the world needs more Carol Rosenbergs (she belittled a U.S. naval commander) but I doubt it, no matter how refreshing; however, the world does need more Malalai Joyas, a secret teacher during the Taliban’s reign, an MP, and activist. Henry Maudsley, a nineteenth century psychiatrist, stated, “The sorrow which has no vent in tears may make other organs weep.” Perhaps we need a good cry, or some method of catharsis (Lepine blamed an abusive father). Yes, and more: Susan Fiske’s latest research examines the source of stereotypes. She found that sexualized images of women shut down the part of the male brain associated with empathy. Eugene Caruso and Kerry Kawakami also examine implicit bias in their research.

In addition to greater insight, people need to openly discuss this issue rather than bury victims in shame. Countries, such as Somalia and Afghanistan, receive much coverage for their oppression of women, but Canada’s staggering rape statistics (half-way down the page) escape scrutiny, a black eye for our “progressive” society. Although no simple solutions exist, saying, “Hi,” holding a candle high, and discussing the issue (more than once a year) will banish stigma.

Shine Wearing Thin?

2009-11-26T22:15:00.000-08:00

Obama’s impact remains difficult to quantify and depends largely on the method of evaluation: Do you take into account the scale and multiplicity of the tasks? or Do you just tally failures and successes? What is certain is that his speeches, which rouse such deep emotions, lose more credibility with each failure, since failures include both failed accomplishments and the failure to adhere to ideals outlined in his speeches. Obama has gained some ground in his reform of health-care, although the bill may not be recognizable when (if) it exits the Senate. The impact of the bill, however, may best be measured by the response it has generated. Although the attacks on countries with universal health-care are quite humorous (see Rachlis’s response in the LA Times), more sinister responses are strapping on 9mm pistols and portraying Obama as Hitler (I personally think Bush better suited this guise.)

Obama’s decision to set targets for and attend the Copenhagen Climate Summit (sadly, something no Canadian will be able to assert) was a sharp departure from Bush’s archaic stance and an admirable accomplishment. Nevertheless, it seems that no matter what Obama accomplishes it won’t count for much without some progress in the Middle East, e.g., Scheer notes, “On the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, it’s worthwhile to remember that ending a stupid, harmful war is the most admirable thing a great leader can do.” With each passing day Obama seems to depart further from such a result: his (and most of congress’s) failure to endorse the Goldstone report implies that Israel is above the law.

Guantanamo, the flagship of panic-induced decisions by a religious tract administration, has blipped on and off the radar: it will be shut down, it’s closure won’t be funded, and it will be made more humane. Obama has taken flack for such uncertainty, and justifiably so: You can’t change a beast made specifically to bypass international law, conventions and human rights legislation.

Now Obama detractors are growing by the dozen. Early detractors gathered at Hopium: Confronting Fascism in the Obama era and some have taken drastic measures, such as challenging Obama’s U.S. citizenship. Nevertheless, before you condemn him too harshly forget that he doesn’t use twitter and recall that

Under Bush, the attempt to turn the office of the president into a branch of corporate America — complete with boardroom incompetence, a culture of collective fear and the sludge of muddy thinking — dictated that company etiquette should prevail. Dan Glaister, The Guardian. February 6, 2009.

Re-invention

2009-11-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

Days usually pass between blog posts, but seasons have of late. Some of you have commented on this paucity. (Thanks for the prods and encouragement, by the way). Due to a number of reasons I have had to change vocation from a graduate student to a primary earner; however, given my recent years of freedom, I decided to try and do this on my own terms: in the summer I began a web design business. This and other forms of consulting (writing and editing) have consumed my time and creative energy.

Check out my new web site (needless to say, if you know anyone who needs a web site designed please direct them to my design page).

So, in terms of the issues, where have I been for these months? Sadly, nowhere exotic. My political activism has been confined to wearing Obama sandals (mine were made in Kenya by Kwamboka) and digitally signing AVAAZ petitions (as one local reporter called it, slacktivism). I redeemed myself a little by posting some tweets and keeping abreast of the issues: I am still flummoxed by attitudes to PTS (Fort Bragg) and gross moral offences like organ harvesting of war dead. More on these issues to come.

Corporate Warming

2009-06-01T16:46:00.001-07:00

In Britain, Greenpeace has condemned a number of supermarket chains for contributing to Amazon deforestation (and global warming) by purchasing products from farms that illegally cleared land. They have called for product labelling to discourage such practice. Similar calls have been made regarding sweatshop labour: Sweatfree, Fair Labour Association, and Canada’s union-based CLC. Such demands naturally extend to the wider issue of fair trade. For example, children stitch the majority of sports balls, frequently made of PVC, a toxic material. BC Hydro cogently outlines these issues for consumers. Voting with your dollar is an effective response since corporations respond to fluctuations in demand. Look out for the fair trade logo on these products or check out stores like Ten Thousand Villages and Seven Shores.

Meanwhile in Tennessee, Gore’s home state, Burger King owners have been displaying the following:

I guess they’d also support Chevron’s claim that toxic sludge is as harmless as moisturizer (Amy O’Meara provides a good breakdown of Chevron’s claims, as do Chevron’s shareholders). Apparently neither corporation has heard that some prominent physicians have named climate change as humanity’s greatest health threat; well, maybe after baloney.

TBI: How we got here.

2009-05-14T16:26:00.001-07:00

As the U.S. military struggles to avert suicide (with whatever means necessary) and combat stress (one soldier killed five compatriots at a strees clinic), nearly 20 percent of soldiers struggle with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs):

In Their Boots does a phenomenal job of helping veterans. Some soldiers have faced further affliction by being inadequately supplied with water. The reason for their dehydration appears to be greed, since the contractors charged with water purification stockpile supplies rather than distribute them (just one reason for the astronomical inflation of operation costs). Furthermore, the presence of opportunist contractors really makes one question our arrival at this juncture.

Andrew Sullivan has done a great job detailing how torture’s primarily used to confirm what an interrogator, e.g. Cheney, already thinks they know, rather than obtaining fresh information; thus, an inherent bias lies within confessions (a victim only tells the interrogator what they want to hear when they’ll say anything to stop the pain). John Pilger has created an award winning documentary, The War on Democracy, which outlines America’s systematic dismantling of democracies to further their foreign policy goals:

Although I was astounded by Duane Clarridge’s honesty, I found his sentiments a relief from the lies of various politicians and officials. Fidel Castro has outlined his role in saving Chavez in 2002 (the coup detailed in the film). The People Speak, another excellent documentary, combines quotations from lesser known historical figures read by famous actors with historical footage to highlight the necessity of civil disobedience in America’s democracy. It is very disturbing that you can’t even complain about a delayed flight these days.

Street Art and Design Innovation

2009-05-13T00:06:00.001-07:00

Designers frequently get pitted against clients who feel ignored. The great exception seems to be the world of high fashion, where anything-goes. (Thanks to Can West for setting the record straight on Haute Couture). Christopher Raeburn has taken advantage of this freedom by designing an entire line using military surplus fabrics.

Outside of fashion Karim Rashid has strived to make design accessible and universal, especially with his publication of Design Your Self. Britain’s NHS illustrated the importance of a collaborative approach by consulting the Design Council to help inhibit the spread of superbugs: new hospital furniture eliminates bacteria harbouring fittings and seat cracks.

Moleskine for years has taken the simple notebook and impregnated it with innovation. Now you can design your own. They have produced an excellent website (MoleskineCity my favourite). For the most part attitude determines aesthetic, fortunately the spectrum’s forever expanding: Britain has officially classified graffiti as street art (unfortunately a Banksy work was painted over by zealous volunteers). Smashing Magazine presents a good selection of graffiti artwork from around the world (expand links to explore individual collections). My favourite is REONE.

Playing For Change has changed attitudes by recording artists throughout the world and producing videos.

They provide resources in impoverished areas to ensure that the power of music continues to foster peace. The BBC helps the world comprehend the devastation of Cyclone Nargis with their interactive map, which shows destruction on an individual scale (for other spectacular maps check out cybercartography, Vanishing Employment, and the Atlas of Canadian Cinema). Big Ant International has created a number of cautionary posters for the Global Coalition for Peace:

Hope over?

2009-05-05T23:58:00.001-07:00

Scrict scrutiny of Obama began early. Naomi Klein produced some of the best. She noted that the public has suffered a hopeover, a hangover stemming from an overindulgence of hope. She’s correct; hope has led to expectation which has led to disappointment, but let’s reflect a little. Do you remember when it began? Recall the impeachment talk of the late 90’s and how many wished to hear such talk after Bush’s first 100 days. Bush proved what Clinton-Lewinsky reminiscers had feared true: he was extremely effective in moving the country wherever he wished, regardless of the consequences (global recession anyone?). Thus, on many levels pondering the etymology of hope is a luxury.

Although a global economic crisis provides a good measure of a man, it does not aid in evaluating Obama’s 100 or so days in office: first, the effectiveness of his stimulus package will not be measurable for years at least; and second, (theoretically) he could have accomplished much more if he were not so preoccupied (as could have many journalists). Nevertheless, Obama can be evaluated by four categories where he: a) accomplished positive change; b) marked a clear intention toward positive change; c) accepted a negative situation; d) stepped backward:

a) I think he made progress revising stem cell and endangered species legislation; releasing the torture memos (a Spanish judge is eager to prosecute if the AG won’t); classifying carbon as pollutant; and admitting to having contributed to climate change. b) He has made decisions to close Guantamo, but a recent vote puts this in jeopardy; to ease restrictions on Cuba, but further progress remains difficult; to reduce troops in Iraq, but when?; and to control nuclear weapons. c) He has accepted the status quo in Venezuela; in Israel; with the ICC; the automobile industry; and ANWR drilling. d) He increased the number of troops in Afghanistan (America could actually learn a thing or two from the Taliban).

I realize that progress is subjective, i.e., Swift Vets and Mavericks for Palin would probably reverse my order (progress for regress) and that progress takes time: many items may yet move up a category or two, e.g., Obama has a chance to challenge Netanyahu in a few weeks and Chrysler may pay back the bailout money. Overall, Obama has made very good progress, maybe not enough to avoid a hopeover, but enough. Remember that preventing regress is progress.

Tolerance or Bias?

2009-04-30T02:56:00.001-07:00

Abraham Joshua Heschel, a rabbi and Jewish theologian, effectively reduced society’s ills to bite-size bits:

Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum hatred for a minimum reason.

The problem to be faced is: how to combine loyalty to one’s own tradition with reverence for different traditions.

Above all, the prophets remind us of the moral state of a people: Few are guilty, but all are responsible.

No mere conundrums from the mid-20th century, these wise words demand action; however, human beings by nature seem to be self-deluding, especially concerning such matters. Surely programs, such as Affirmative Action and Teaching Tolerance, and mile-stones, such as an African-American president, have had an impact, but how do you evaluate progress when so much lingers below the surface? I guess one approach would be to examine popular culture. The success of Brokeback Mountain and Milk, suggests greater acceptance of homosexuals, especially given the plea in Sean Penn’s Oscar acceptance speech; in fact, greater acceptance has taken place (marriage is legal in six countries) and Brokeback equivalents have been produced around the world, e.g., I Can’t Think Straight.

Nevertheless, all of these movies featured attractive actors, and one thing western society does not seem to tolerate is unattractiveness. Tanya Gold immediately asserted that Susan Boyle wasn’t ugly on Britain’s Got Talent, just our reaction to her. Thus, it is extremely ironic that her story gets billed as one of an underdog, when the audience made her so. If you doubt this assertion read a few of these euphemisms. Although her performance evokes an emotional response for various reasons, for me, a rubber-neck reaction holds most viewers, an attraction to the car-wreck of bias. Although Susan Boyle does not suffer a mental illness, her behaviour is somewhat reminiscent of one who does.

Mental illness remains highly stigmatized in North America, despite many attempts to raise social awareness (a local favourite is Movie Monday). In order to foster understanding (and promote their products) Janssen Pharmaceuticals have developed a full sensory simulator, including wind effects and smells, of schizophrenia’s impact. Even the scaled down version (audio/visual only) evokes deep compassion. Dr. Pandina states it best, “It’s an awful, awful world, passed onto them while the real world passes them by.”

Toilet Humour

2009-04-28T13:41:00.001-07:00

Contempt of Wall Street runs the full gamut, from academics to latrines. Anita Thompson attended a seminar on this “legalised gambling temple” where a professor asked, “What's the difference between Bernie Madoff and Charles Ponzi?” She answered, “Charles Ponzi swindled the working poor. Bernie Madoff swindled the Uber Rich -- the ones in-the-know. Well, apparently not so in-the-know.”

Icelanders prefer a literal approach (bankers pictured):

Speaking of latrines, who knew that fart gags could lead to killer apps:

Cost of War

2009-04-25T02:18:00.001-07:00

When Obama released the torture memos he cracked the dam of complicity and unleashed wave of fear. In the aftermath he has assured CIA agents that they will not be prosecuted, but has not done the same for Bush aides (perhaps Bush should have pardoned himself).

In many places the cost of conflict is quite obvious:

However, this hasn’t really been the case for the U.S.: an estimated 320,000 troops have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury while deployed and the ban on covering the transportation of coffins from war zones has only been lifted for a few months.

Fortunately, The Corporal’s Diary does much to detail the cost of war. The movie is based on Jonathan Santos’s personal video footage — him clowning around with the guys, playing with his dog, and then serving in Iraq — and his diary, which is passionately read aloud by his brother. This footage is pure, having little pretence or performance. Patricia Boiko, the director, connected with Jonathan’s mother through the Eyes Wide Open exhibit (an excellent portrayal of the human cost of war). She then edited Jonathan’s footage and her own of his family and friends into this moving piece. The Santos family deserves much credit for being so natural and vulnerable before the camera. As Jonathan’s mother tearfully states,

If you could have filmed me when they knocked on the door and they told me that Jonathan was dead, if you could film that and Americans heard that, there’s no way that they’d want any other mother to hurt like this.

Leonard Cohen

2009-04-23T18:20:00.001-07:00

Upon the heels of many favourable reviews, I awaited in eager anticipation for my night with Leonard Cohen, especially after listening to The Collection and watching Jian’s interview:

Cohen himself was simply amazing, especially at 74: he shuffled and skipped across the stage, and spent much time on his knees serenading instruments and phantom lovers. His kind disposition shone through, addressing the crowd as friends and displaying genuine appreciation at the vigorous applause; furthermore, he employed his dry wit eliciting hearty laughs from the audience, e.g. asking the singers to keep singing at the end of In my Secret Life and ending with I Tried to Leave You. Cohen remains so cognisant of the human condition: he commented on how fortunate we are to gather when suffering’s so prevalent in the world. Whenever he recited lyrics he left many with goosebumps and tingles — A Thousand Kisses Deep still resounds within me.

Cohen remains a reluctant star, perhaps the reason he surrounded himself with so many great musicians to whom he repeatedly doffed his hat. Javier Mas, who met Cohen via Mas’s tribute Acordes Con Leonard Cohen, astounded audiences on the laud, bandurria, and guitar. Mas is an innovative musician who enjoys jamming with diverse instrumentalists, such as tabla player, Prabhu Edouard (reminiscent of Béla Fleck and Sandip Burman).

Neil Larsen tactfully interwove his ghostly reverberations through most songs, at times hardly noticeable, but on Hallelujah he broke out with great flair. I really enjoyed Roscoe Beck’s bump and slide technique on the upright bass. Sharon Robinson filled the arena with her incredible voice and sensitive vibrato, especially on Boogie Street. (Here’s a great interview with Sharon). The Webb Sisters also amazed with their sweet harmonies and gave a spine-tingling performance of If it be your Will. I thought Dino Soldo was best on the harmonica, but appreciated his sensitivity on other songs. Bob Metzger and Rafael Bernardo Gayol did a good job holding it all together.

In the end one can only wonder at Cohen: his extensive catalogue, his sensitive interpretation of the human condition, his ability to capture a scene in a song, and the fact that he has performed over one hundred times this year and plans on doing another hundred. If you are unable to see him live purchase Live in London; this production does a good job of capturing the magic of his performance (as much as the medium can).

In-Flight Entertainment

2009-04-22T15:39:00.001-07:00

Here’s one way to relieve the sardine experience:

This looks nearly as good as my experience flying Cebu Pacific Air. The crew has a lot of fun on Cebu Pacific flights, especially during the game sessions, in which the crew awards prizes to passengers who produce an item, such as a cell phone, first or guess a song. The crew has even facilitated marriage proposals:

Justice

2009-04-20T23:58:00.001-07:00

Justice feels right, natural order restored. In part, on a micro level, this explains the popularity of Bully Beatdown (not nearly as lowbrow as you might expect). Most remarkably, the show often re-establishes severed communication lines between victim and bully. In the big world, plenty of bullies assert apparent superiority; however, with horrors so extreme, it’s unlikely that many would repent due to a stiff sentence. The ICC tested the imposed limits by indicting Bashir. In reality, the kerfuffle surrounding ICC jurisdiction is rooted in self preservation and not justice: remember that the U.S., Israel, China, Libya, Iraq, Qatar, and Yemen voted against the Rome Statute. Furthermore, none of these countries have ratified it in the ten plus years that have passed and big movers Russia and India (with China ¾ of BRIC) also oppose it. Currently, the ICC has 108 member states, just over half of the world’s 195.

Nevertheless, justice gets served. Outside of the ICC framework, Fujimori was sentenced to 25 years, hopefully a precedent for other Latin American states notorious for their disappearances. Somewhat more surprising John Hatley got life (parole eligibility after 20 years) from a court-martial for his execution-style slaying of four Iraqis.

Of course, power always influences justice, a point made by Köchler. In the latest example, an Iraqi court reduced Muntazer al-Zaidi‘s sentence to one year close to the arrival of Obama.

Social Networks

2009-04-18T23:17:00.001-07:00

MadV was one of the first to elicit responses in YouTube. He has compiled the responses to One World in The Message, launched The “Humans” Project, and remained quite adept at sleight of hand. The YouTube Orchestra, a fully sanctioned YouTube project in which members were voted in and then coached, recently performed at Carnegie Hall:

Such projects may be a benefit of Google ownership, something to keep in mind as Google eyes Twitter. Speaking of Twitter it has gained some celebrity punch of late, e.g., Demi Moore used twitter to stop a suicide; nevertheless, I prefer less newsworthy uses, such as the London bakery that tweets to announce the arrival of fresh loaves. I have added my tweets to Sou Station (half-way down the sidebar) and have created a twitterfeed for my blog posts (dsou on Twitter). I post with twhirl, which is based on Adobe AIR, a product much more in keeping with Flash than bulky programs, like Reader (Foxit is so much better).

A number of bands, such as Radiohead with Reckoner, have fostered on-line remixing, but now Yo-Yo Ma has followed suit. Earlier this year he invited Indaba users to produce variations of Dona Nobis Pacem with the site’s own mixing board.

When to Quit

2009-04-17T23:53:00.001-07:00

Although America’s restrictions and embargoes on Cuba have seemed superfluous for years, they have been locked in place by the sheer weight of Cold War rationale. Now America seeks a “new beginning” with Cuba; in fact, Obama has gone out of his way to amend Cold War policy, e.g., normalising relations with Russia and changing the discussion on nuclear weapons.

Obama has also made a concerted effort to undo Bush’s policies, e.g. lifting restrictions on stem cell research and closing Guantanamo. Lately, amidst new abuse claims at Gitmo, Obama released four of Bush’s top secret memos that “legalized” torture.

Although Obama’s moves make sense in terms of revitalizing the U.S. (and the world), some Americans feel threatened by them, even non-existent policies: in response to a suspicion that Obama may restrict guns many Americans have been stockpiling them. Some have expressed their discontent by promoting Palin, others have attempted to rekindle the glory days by staging tea parties. These tea parties, however, made little impact despite (or because of) Fox News’ sponsorship. The most audacious protest belongs to the members of the Bush administration who defended the physical abuse of prisoners detailed in the memos. Fortunately, given the new climate, these rationalizations sound like voices in the wilderness and not reason.

Going Places

2009-04-17T17:07:00.001-07:00

War Horrors

2009-04-16T23:04:00.001-07:00

In Gaza, the post-war stasis continues, leaving little opportunity for reconstruction: Israeli bulldozers topple houses, Israel restricts access to the buffer zone, and restricts humanitarian aid one way or another. As a temporary measure goods file through tunnels; nevertheless, some true progress has taken place. Caryl Churchill’s play, Seven Jewish Children astounds audiences amidst cries of anti-Semitism, boycotts of Israeli products make an impact, and sales of Palestinian Fairtrade items double.

Meanwhile many battlefields remain in dire need of clean-up. The Golden West Humanitarian Foundation diligently labours along doing just that. After locating, neutralizing, and removing explosives, they dispose of them; to do so, they employ some hi-tech methods and some relatively simple ones.

Unfortunately, so many cluster munitions, landmines, and unexploded ordinance remain, that despite these efforts, many people continue to get injured. COPE has done an admirable job of providing prosthetics and orthotics for Laotian victims, and the Cambodian Landmine Museum has done outstanding work with landmine-affected children. Coffeelands Landmine Victim’s Trust distributes aid, including micro-grants, to victims in parts of Central and South America and Africa.

Nevertheless, these war torn regions remain too distant to impact the average North American. (If you have been impacted, you can make a donation to, purchase products from, or volunteer for the above organizations). The suffering of our own troops has raised awareness on the horrors of war; unfortunately, traumatic brain injury (TBI), the most pervasive injury, still remains hidden. Although the Department of Defense continues to downgrade many TBIs, at least the Pentagon admitted that upwards of 360,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered them, perhaps to commemorate Brain Injury Awareness Month.

Realizing Ideas

2009-04-16T20:08:00.001-07:00

I just updated to Cooliris 1.10; I love it. With the latest update you can browse pictures on your hard drive and Facebook; furthermore, Cooliris has released a version for the iPhone. If you haven’t checked out this innovative and aesthetically pleasing method of displaying images, do so.

If a few design ideas lay scattered amidst the countless pictures on your hard drive, bring some of them alive using Ponoko. Ponoko provides three methods for realizing a design: a) use their design software, b) take a photo and upload it, or c) describe it to a designer. Once you have a blueprint for your design, obtain a quote and order it. Ponoko will make it for you and even provide a market place in which to sell it. Don’t let those clever ideas, which you put on the back-burner due to perceived high production costs, grow stale, but market them.

Whimsy

2009-04-15T01:17:00.001-07:00

The English language harbours a hoard of scintillating words; in order to comprehend its full extent, consult innovative tools, such as the Visual Thesaurus and A.Word.A.Day (especially its daily newsletter via email).

Whim—especially in its adjectival form, whimsical—is one of my favourite words. Whimsy envelops an ethereal lightness, which suggests divine playfulness: fairies, laughter, fate, and karma converging.

For me Geist embodies the whimsical. I do not mean that it lacks rigour, but that it presents information and art in a playful and ingenious manner. As a result, I welcome each issue; the latest features eco-friendly paper and inks, Barack Obama, and Leonard Cohen. Consistent with Geist’s eco-friendly choices, Andrew Nikiforuk dispels some myths concerning the Tar Sands; Geist also included some decals to be placed on Loonies in order to raise awareness of the threat of tanker traffic presents to BC’s coast—get yours here.

In Obama Dreams Sheila Heti presents a collection of dreams from her blog, I Dream of Barack. These dreams range from the absurd to the surreal and reveal our subconscious expectations of Obama. Stranger Song is Ann Diamond’s account of her relationship with Leonard Cohen, including a number of close calls in which she nearly met him. In anticipation of the upcoming concert I have been devouring all things “Cohen”.

Geist is collecting Stan-ecdotes: stories of how another Canadian music legend, Stan Rogers, has affected people. My own Stan-ecdote hearkens from a cold fall many years ago. I was in-between jobs and spent much of my time working my way (listening, strumming, and humming) through Stan’s discography. He grounded me to Canada, especially in its lore and history, when I was relatively new to this great nation. I have already lauded The Geist Atlas of Canada and I love their Cross-Canada Phrasebook.

Although this map from the BBC lacks whimsy, it presents the information well:

Medea

2009-04-11T02:18:00.001-07:00

Although buildings rise for numerous other faculties at the University of Victoria, the administration has no immediate plans to construct any for the Faculty of the Humanities; however, crumbs do fall, since Humanities gets assigned the vacated space of other faculties. Nevertheless, the faculty remains rich in many other ways—one of its treasures, the Lansdowne Lectures, has brought outstanding scholars to UVic for over 30 years. At a recent GRS gathering for Ian Morris, the most recent Lansdowne recipient, the conversation turned to modern portrayals of ancient Greece and Rome. Due to the labours of scholars, such as Keith Hopkins, moderns have a much more comprehensive view of ancient Roman society. Gritty productions, such as HBO’s Rome, have supplanted Sword-and-Sandal epics and portrayed the city’s eastern lavishness:

From every land and sea are brought the fruits of each season, whatever all the farms and rivers and lakes produce, by Greek or barbarian techniques. It follows that, if anyone wishes to behold all these things, he must travel the known world to gaze on them—or he must be in Rome (Aelius Aristides, To Rome 10–11).

The lowest estimate has India, China, and the peninsula of Arabia removing from our Empire each year some 100 million sestertii. That is the price our luxuries and our wives cost us (Pliny, Natural History 12.84). (Both translations from Greek and Roman Technology, p. 494–5).

Nevertheless, the same cannot be said for ancient Greece: modern society still view this culture through the clean crisp lines of fluted columns. Sanctuaries (the focus of my research) were lively gathering places that fulfilled a variety societal functions: exhibition, mediation, and protection; furthermore, Greek democracy comprised a series of public oaths, duties, and oratories.

One exception, however, is modern portrayals of Greek drama. Ground breaking productions, such as The Gospel at Colonus have led the charge and scholars, such as Helene Foley, who requires senior students to produce a play themselves, have supported these productions. Over the years, UVic’s Phoenix Theatre has produced a number of Greek tragedies and comedies, and garnered abundant praise for their efforts. Euripides’ Medea, their latest offering, stunned audiences.

Not only did modern events, such as a father murdering his five children, make the play extremely relevant, but the play was stellar from the foundations. Linda Hardy, the director, embraced Euripides version of the myth in which Medea murders her own children to spite Jason. The changes the director made to the text were sensible, such as expanding the role of the tutor and adding a nurse. The stage designers also excelled, creating a functional and mystical setting:

The choreography successfully integrated the chorus with the rest of the cast. The chorus itself, consisting of vocalists specialized in various genres, scintillatingly oscillated between screams, hums, and cries. Lastly, and most deserved of praise, the actors, in particular Katie Takefman who played Medea, provided the audience with an emotional/philosophical roller-coaster ride that evoked the cathartic intention of ancient Greek tragedy.

Trimming the Fat?

2009-04-02T22:25:00.001-07:00

During these harsh economic times streamlining becomes the norm; however, trimming the fat becomes difficult when determining which cuts net the best results. Auto manufacturers make a good example: almost filial ties makes denying them difficult, but in sink or swim scenarios excess weight needs to be shed. I think Obama has been more than patient and Harper more than foolish in his attempt to maintain production in Canada. In fact, this second stimulus package seems excessive, since only bankruptcy will stop the hemorrhaging: GM and Chrysler require extreme market correction for their years of neglect.

One area that should be spared is the arts, since they have consistently been cut back. Furthermore, even the government has deemed cultural infrastructure important, and potential savings are a trifle compared to the $4 billion “lent” to two car companies. In particular, the CBC consistently tops ratings and requires only moderate cuts: from Jian to Kennedy CBC produces a veritable wealth of programming. If you feel the same, sign the AVAAZ petition. Linda Grant with her love of fashion demonstrates one way to embrace the crisis: she spent $450 on shoes so that she could greet it well-dressed. Of course, culture helps us process and remember:

This tear drop monument by Zurab Tsereteli, To the Struggle Against World Terrorism, a gift from Russia, stands in New Jersey and commemorates the victims of 9/11.

The British Museum has made strides where politicians, including Obama, have failed: its latest exhibition, Shah Abbas: The Remaking of Iran, conveys the wonder and cultural depth of Persia. This is the third part of a four-part series on Great world empires (Qin Shihuangdi and Hadrian before and Moctezuma II to follow) and follows the 2005 exhibition Forgotten Empire. Ali Khameni dismissed Obama’s hand of friendship as a “slogan” because the “soft soap” on the wonders of Iranian culture, a sore point because most North Americans label them Arabs and the superficiality of the entire process.

One by-product of the crisis, or years in the dark under Bush, appears to be greater transparency. MI5 and MI6’s rules of interrogation will be published for the first time. However, this does not appear to be the case in Canada, despite Van Loan‘s refutation of O’Brian’s statement. Canada still seems to believe that torture extracts reliable information like on 24, perhaps Harper should talk to Colin Powell.

Lest you feel that you suffer too much:

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Deaf Ears

2009-03-28T00:00:00.001-07:00

In North America (and to a lesser extent in Europe) freedom of the press seldom extends to Israel’s affairs; that is, genuine sympathy for Holocaust suffering leaves Zionism above reproach. Ironically, Holocaust deniers tend to attract more positive press than IDF (Israel Defense Forces) attract negative press. Furthermore, a misconceived correlation drawn between modern geo-politics and Biblical kingdoms enforces this taboo.

“Alternate” sources, such as, CounterPunch, Democracy Now!, and Electronic Intifada, have consistently presented another side for debate; consequently, diligent readers of these publications were heartened by the appearance of a number of articles in “main stream” publications. (Furthermore, The Guardian and The Independent increased their solid coverage on the “Palestinian problem,” as did 60 Minutes). This greater exposure, however, seems to have fallen on deaf ears, since little evidence of editorial commentary or debate exists.

Even popular movements such as Viva Palestina, and Galloway’s subsequent ban from Canada haven’t stirred real debate, in the press or parliament, despite the efforts of Sir Gerald Kaufman and Ron Paul:

Unlike these level-headed and outspoken individuals most politicians have stood by and tested the waters. As a result AIPAC pressure was tolerated once more, namely Charles Freeman’s withdrawal. Fringe groups, perhaps buoyed by AIPAC success, also have been exerting pressure. Mearsheimer and Dreyfuss, however, maintain (separately) that this may be the lobby’s last gasp. For more information read Freeman’s resignation email and comments by Pat Buchanan.

Meanwhile the situation in Gaza grows more desperate: every day potable water becomes scarcer, electricity less reliable, and treatment of female and male prisoners worsens. Amidst analysis of Operation Cast Lead, which becomes more difficult to justify with Hamas’s surge in support, demands for justice grow louder, including those made at Iran’s international summit: the operation has been labelled an illegal war and evidence of war crimes mounts as more stories come to light. Some countries, such as Britain, may even arrest Israeli officials due to these allegations.

In the West Bank, despite the evidence from ancient documents verifying Palestinian ownership, residents continue to be evicted in Jerusalem. In rural areas villagers continue to be forced out, as their homes get destroyed, perhaps to fulfill an Israeli goal of doubling the number of settlers. As if a stamp of authenticity to Palestinian misery, the Lancet published an article on Palestinian (lack of) access to health care.

Another casualty of the Gaza bombardment was Israel’s proposed withdrawal from the Golan Heights, which becomes more critical since Syria continues to acquire Russian rockets. Israel may also have ambitions to relocate Kurdish Jews to cities in Iraq. Furthermore, it appears America will continue its decade long deal of $30 billion in military aid to Israel.

Nevertheless, all is not bleak. You can make donations to offset the military aid to Israel ($2.775 billion this year). Other good causes are Lights for Gaza and Disasters Emergency Committee. Voting with your dollar also is excellent, both by purchasing fair trade items and boycotting Israeli products. Lastly, join Jewish Voice for Peace, as Sahar Vardi, a young conscientious objector, implores people to do or sign on-line petitions.

Blasting Bush

2009-03-23T23:51:00.001-07:00

Bush offered to advise Obama on a recent visit to Calgary for his first paid speaking engagement. Some might say that Bush chose this location due to its reputation as Canada’s Texas, but Calgarians responded appropriately by stock-piling shoes at the conference centre’s entrance. Fortunately none of them will receive a three year sentence for doing so.

Last week I watched, You’re Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush, Will Ferrell’s Broadway debut, on HBO. Overall the production was excellent: Ferrell adroitly impersonated Bush with the skills he honed on SNL (never dropping out of character for the show’s entirety), and clever filming captured much of the stage atmosphere. Ferrell came up with some gems like “wing take dream (a Bushism),” “the Tiger Woods guy (Obama),” and “Swiss (blond haired, not swarthy) Jesus.” Nevertheless, the funniest sketch was Operation Primate Spear Gun. In this fictional sketch, Morocco supposedly committed to send 2,000 monkeys to Iraq to clear mines and entertain children. Although Morocco reneges, Ferrell’s Bush recounts how he set up a base for training primates in N.C. In the end, most of the monkeys escape and spear gun fatalities rise over 1,000 percent.

The performance, however, does become tedious at times, a regular feature of Ferrell’s work (here, to Grohl's discomfort):

Innovative Exhibitions

2009-03-19T00:56:00.001-07:00

A number of exhibits have focussed on coming to grips with new communication technologies. Connections at the MIT Museum comprises four art installations on this topic. Metropath(ologies), part of this innovative collection, presents a constant feed of changing visual and audio imagery from news sources and data provided by visitors; thus, you may a person’s name, home city, or date of birth while viewing news images (photo left). This fall Of All the People in All the World returned to Birmingham, a show which presented various data by grains of rice, e.g. actors in lab coats constantly add grains to the world population mountain. CBC Sparks, an awesome show, recently used their blog to track how many people are “plugged in” on transit.

On a completely different tangent, Johan van der Dong, a Dutch artist, has set up an exhibition in which people can dial a mobile phone number and leave a message for God. All messages will remain confidential and not be used by the artist in any way.

Damon Galgut

2009-03-10T23:37:00.001-07:00

Last week I glutted myself on works by Damon Galgut — an author whose tensile prose compels the reader to struggle with the protagonist on a journey of self-realization. I started with his short stories: An African Sermon (August 2004) begins with a train journey and weaves in a personal confrontation with the Rwandan genocide. (Regarding this topic, works by Jean Hatzfeld and Romeo Dallaire are essential). The Conversation (Oct 2006) tracks Father Angelo through a crisis of faith in the midst of an African conflict: What is faith? What is humanity? What is my role in it? The Lover (Dec 2008) details a loner’s journey through Africa (and on to Europe) while he grapples with social awkwardness and self acceptance, which stymie his love’s desire. Galgut cleverly embodies the protagonist’s fractious nature by fluctuating between the first and third person to mark changes between his “true”-self and his observing-nature.

The Good Doctor (2003), a Man Booker finalist, explores the tension in characters stationed at a remote (and barely necessary) hospital. Unresolved struggle is a trademark of Galgut’s writing, and he employs Africa’s stark, arid, and abandoned landscapes to explore it. Reading such a work is like being underwater and trying to reach the surface; however, you never do, so that you marvel that you’ve stayed under so long. But in the end you realize you were never swimming in water, but through your own streams of consciousness; thus, desperation, despair, difficulty, and despondency come to define humanity.

The Quarry (1995, 2004), was not published outside of South Africa until the success of The Good Doctor; however, this quirk of fate remains puzzling to me since I found The Quarry to be much more satisfying, and this novel was turned into a film that won Grand Prix of the Americas at the 1998 Montreal Film Festival. Here Galgut meanders his story around an abandoned quarry, which now houses a dead body and illicit drugs; such a feature, however, only helps focus the blight on the human landscape, as a criminal impersonates the minister he just murdered. Galgut first experimented with pronouns here: at the end of the book he uses no proper nouns; instead, the third person refers to a number of characters, each with its own short chapter (only the capitalisation of each pronoun differentiates the characters). This device successfully adds to the novel’s depth and demands a close reading.

In The Impostor (2009), Adam has let his life slide away. Unsure of who he his, he recalls that he once wrote poetry, and sets off to the country to be a poet. In his brother’s cottage the weeds have grown so thick that Adam gets a reprimand from the township. He plans to cut them back, but doesn’t so they become a symbol of his impotence (in writing as well). One day he decides it’s enough and heads to the hardware store for equipment where he meets Canning. Canning’s wife inspires him to write once more, but he soon learns that the lovely spot he spends his weekends at will be destroyed. Once more the protagonist must explore his own depths to come to terms with himself.

Reading Galgut can be like driving down a road on which you have no sense of direction or control, but at the end you’ll have exorcised humanity’s (and your own) woes. His exceptional prose keeps your foot on the accelerator until the end where you gain an un-obstructed view of the entire journey. As a side note Alistair Morgan, another South African author (and Plimpton prize winner), processes similar angst via the landscape. I just applied for FIFA 2010 tickets; hopefully I’ll be able to visit South Africa’s compelling scenery then.

Watchmen

2009-03-09T23:10:00.001-07:00

Watchmen was the first graphic novel that I ever purchased. As soon as I opened it, I got lost in its pages. In anticipation of the feature film, I skimmed through the graphic novel and watched episodes of the Watchmen Motion Comic. I was surprised by how much I had forgotten; in particular, the quality of Moore’s flowing prose:

“Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach … the streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown.”

“The city is dying of rabies. Is it the best I can do to wipe random flecks of foam from its lips”

“Is that what happens to us? A life of conflict with no time for friends so that when it’s done only our enemies leave roses.”

The Motion Comic is an excellent adaptation and has number of well chosen quotes by Nietzsche, Farjean, Dylan, Jung, and Shelley to the end of each section, replacing the newspaper-style articles on Watchmen. (The graphic novel had one quote from Juvenal Satires, “sed quis cutodiet ipsos custodes?” or loosely, “but who watches the watchmen?”).

Last night I watched the feature film, throughout which Snyder employs the hyper-violence associated with his past films, e.g., 300 and other comic adaptations, such as Sin City; however, in doing so, he relies on crisp movements which crowd out the dark gritty world of the original. On other points, he does fairly well: he successfully recreates the pseudo 80’s of the comic and sticks to the original story line. However, in what is perhaps a patriotic display, the World Trade Centre features too prominently, as do concerns over the environment. At least Snyder did not over-play his hand like the directors of a Quantum of Solace and Transporter 3, movies that I watched on fast forward due to their careless (and vacant) treatment of climate change. The Watchmen sound track is fantastic: not only for the innovative pairing of song with scene (at a loud volume), but also the comprehensive compilation of classic songs.

Snyder faithfully reproduces most of the major characters; however, he chooses to make Laurie much more potent than the original where she’s weak and emotional (mainly at the expense of the Drieberg who becomes even more impotent.) The Nite Owl II also loses much of his intelligence and resourcefulness, perhaps to boost Veidt’s stature. Veidt loses his spirituality, which was fuelled by a long journey and night of Tibetan hash in the comic. Although Dr. Manhattan’s portrayal captures the original, the special effects used to make him blue reminded me too much of Xerxes in 300. Rorschach becomes much less of a protagonist in the film, e.g., Nite Owl and Silk Spectre incapacitate most of the inmates while this was originally Rorschach’s doing. Nevertheless, Snyder’s use of the swinging door to reveal less and less of Big Figure’s murder is magnificent.

Snyder obviously could not get everything on film and had to make some noteworthy omissions (usually due to an incompatibility of mediums or time constraints), such as the Tales of the Black Freighter (a comic within a comic) and newsstand activity (Bernies, delivery drivers, Lesbians, and Jehovah Witnesses). Similarly, Seymour, the reporter, only gets one quick reference at the end. Overall Snyder did a magnificent job and produced a faithful tribute; unfortunately, this does not always translate into a great film, especially in scenes where the violence detracts from the story.

Faint Horizon

2009-03-06T23:53:00.001-08:00

Since the heady days of youth, when, buoyed by Lillywhite and Lanois productions, I eagerly awaited every single from the Joshua Tree, I’ve kept my ear to the ground for breaking news on U2. The first morsels from No Line on the Horizon appeared when Bono inadvertently cranked up a few singles at an outdoor party. These rough recordings, however, didn’t compound my excitement for the latest album, Sean O’Hagan’s article did. O’Hagan followed them for eighteen months to three cities and collected a number of anecdotes, most of which he frankly shares.

The album itself begins with a riff that blazes like a sprinter out of the blocks; however, the title track soon fades into oblivion, so much so that after frequent plays I still can’t recall it. For me the album begins with Magnificent: I get comfortable and settle in for a good listen, yet even this song incorporates an annoying keyboard track, perhaps a relic from some early 90’s recording session. Nevertheless, Moment of Surrender remains solid and I finally enter the groove; Bono rasps his voice, and Clayton and Mullen Jr. make their presence known (The Edge is always there). This song anchors the album and I’m glad it’s over seven minutes long. As O’Hagan notes this song was one of the few recorded in Fez, where devotions from Sufi singers wisped through the air.

I label the next few songs “tolerable”; that is, I don’t regret purchasing them, but they won’t be going in a playlist anytime soon. In Unknown Caller U2 seems to be channelling Yes, but doing a mediocre job of it. I’ll Go Crazy … is better, but a little too familiar and too forced. Next of course is Sexy Boots (they should have kept that name) which has saturated the airwaves and I now skip. I quite like the fresh sound of Stand Up Comedy (except for the bridge) and it will make it out of my tolerable category quicker than the rest. In the first minute and a half Fez sounds like a bad Sci-Fi soundtrack, but it soon captures some of the Moroccan inspiration.

White as Snow does very little for me; I think it’s because with every chorus I break into my best Whitney Houston, a by-product of holiday shopping, perhaps by summer I’ll have evinced all traces of her and be able to appreciate its subtleties. The album ends on a strong note. Breathe and Cedars of Lebanon is U2 at full potency: “pop-rock” U2 in Breathe and contemplative U2 in Cedars. Other nice features are Breathe’s strings track and Cedars’ fantastic falsetto part, exceptional lyrics, and haunting background track. Overall, this album follows a bang-whimper, whimper-bang pattern; fortunately, the bang counteracts all the whimper. The best ancillary news is that they will be touring once more—no room for whimper there. Sugimoto’s picture on the cover inspires, and reminds me of a Tanabe landscape.

One step forward

2009-03-03T21:38:00.001-08:00

Although catastrophe reigns in Gaza and little aid has made it through (two steps back), there’s been one step forward: $4.48 billion has been raised to rebuild Gaza (when they’ll be able to remains a mystery), BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) has made an impact, protest has increased, and the Israel Lobby has lost some leverage.

On the last point, Charles Freeman has been appointed chairman of the National Intelligence Council, the organisation which produces National Intelligence Estimates, the summaries from 16 different agencies which presidents base many decisions on. Charles Freeman is well qualified for the job, yet a furor has erupted, simply because he has criticised Israeli policy in the past. The Lobby in their entrenched position, however, continue to find success: they pressured Obama to boycott the World Conference Against Racism (Durban II). (Meowma’ blog has the full collection of the above photos which compare Nazi photos with Israeli ones.)

In the Gulf, a $9 million gold Mercedes now cruises through Abu Dhabi. On the other side of the Arabian Peninsula, Johann Hari argues that European ships have been dumping nuclear waste of the coast of Somalia which, coupled with widespread poverty, has ensured local support for pirates.

Directly west, it seems justice can be found on the Ivory Coast: a trio of RUF leaders were convicted of a majority of the charges against them. Hopefully they will get stiff sentences for the horror they inflicted on Sierra Leone’s population (Blood Diamond recounts some of this horror). Regarding Ghana, The Black Stilt (my review) has a good display of t-shirts and textiles as part of a campaign to raise money for the Heavenly Home Academy.

As Gitmo gets decommissioned, some prisoners have been repatriated. Binyam Mohamed has returned to Britain with numerous physical and mental injuries. Barbara Ehrenreich has claimed that the reason he was sent there in the first place was that he had clicked on her website which provides a satirical account for constructing an atomic bomb. Brandon Neely, a former Guantanamo guard, has recounted the horrors inflicted there in an interview with Almerindo Ojeda.

Lastly, the Massachusetts Law School at Andover has planned a conference to build the foundation necessary to successfully prosecute George Bush and other prominent officials. In a bold move, Obama has released Bush’s secret anti-terror memos, which claimed that the U.S. military could search and seize terror suspects on American soil without warrants. For more Bushit watch this video:

Israeli Revelations

2009-03-03T02:19:00.001-08:00

Israel continues to deny aid to the near humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Clinton has warned Israel about this and taken quite a bit of heat for it. Nevertheless, at least fundraising efforts continue and the Viva Palestina convoy has set off for Gaza.

Alain de Benoist has proclaimed that Tzipi Livni served in Mossad for three years during her twenties, at which time she ran a safe house used by hit squads (reminds me of Vengeance by George Jonas). Against this backdrop Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli nuclear technician who released details of Israel’s nuclear weapons program and who was kidnapped by Mossad, has again asked that his name be removed from the nomination list for the Nobel Peace Prize. (He was also nominated every year between 1988 and 2004). Here’s his letter:

Dear Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Oslo,

I am Vanunu Mordechai, who has been nominated several times to Nobel Peace
Prize, also this year´s 2009 award.

I am asking the committee to remove my name from the list for this year´s list
of nominations.

My main reason for this is that I cannot be part of a list of laureates that
includes Simon Peres. He is the man who was behind all the Israeli atomic
policy.

Peres established and developed the atomic weapon program in Dimona in Israel.
Exactly like Dr. Khan did in Pakistan, Peres was the man behind the atomic
weapon proliferation to South Africa and other states. He was also, for
instance, behind the nuclear weapon test in South Africa in 1978.

Peres was the man who ordered the kidnapping of me in Italy Rome, Sept. 30,
1986, and for the secret trial and sentencing of me as a spy and traitor for 18
years in isolation in prison in Israel.

Until now he continues to oppose my freedom and release, in spite of my serving
full sentence 18 years.

From all these reasons I don´t want be nominated and will not accept this
nomination. I say No to any nomination as long as I am not free, that is, as
long as I am still forced to be in Israel. WHAT I WANT IS FREEDOM AND ONLY
FREEDOM.

Thank you

vmjc

--
FREEDOM AND ONLY FREEDOM I NEED NOW
Email. vanunuvmjc@gmail.com
http:/www.vanunu.com
VANUNU MORDECHAI J C.
KIDNAPPED IN ROME SEP' 30 TH'-1986.
AFTER 18 YEARS IN ISRAEL PRISON.
Waiting In East Jerusalem.To Be Free,To Leave.
Mobile ( 9 7 2 ) 0 5 2 3 7 4 4 5 6 9.

Modern Excavating

2009-03-03T01:12:00.001-08:00

Technology continues to expand our capacity to explore the past. Given the current instability in Afghanistan, nearly every western archaeological excavation has been halted. This, however, has not disrupted work in the area: archaeologist have turned to Google Earth to discover and catalogue a number of sites. Satellite imagery remains effective at revealing transport routes and other human traces, but Google Earth makes it that much more accessible.

Google Earth’s 3D map tool has been used to reconstruct a number of ancient cities. Whereas the Forma Urbis Romae and the Plastico di Roma Antica required countless hours to render Rome’s finery, digital versions take much less time and provide greater detail.

The practice of naming children according to the availability of domain names seems absurd, especially with the impending expansion of Domain Names. Nevertheless, the list of the most unfortunate names, e.g., Justin Case and Hazel Nutt, doesn’t contain many of these web based monikers (yet). Unlike these new-fangled proper nouns, researchers claim to have dated the English words “I”, “we”, “two”, and “three” back tens of thousands of years using computer models.

Classic Stilt

2009-03-02T22:42:00.001-08:00

These days I am flexible enough to work where I like; armed with TheGreenBow, BlogJet, and OpenOffice, I frequent a number of spots boasting free WiFi. One of my favourites is The Black Stilt. I have been considered a regular here, since the day I went up to order my favourite drink and found it had already been made for me. This foresight was (and still is) a tremendous blessing. (If you go, tip the staff well). An open design, plenty of comfy seats, excellent coffee, a wide array of snacks, and an eclectic mix of music makes for a lively atmosphere.

Lately, I have noticed that the staff have been in a classics phase, playing a lot of Dylan, Beatles, Bowie, et cetera. Among these, Neil Young has gotten the most air time, to my pleasure and delight. This exposure caused me to re-visit my own library, play some dusty songs and add some new ones. Prairie Wind and Living With War were two albums that I loved immediately and played many times. Prairie Wind told a story I could relate to and Living With War helped me process the mess Bush had gotten us into. Chrome Dreams II, on the other hand, has taken me much longer to warm up to. It is not a “bad” album, but lacks the depth of the other two.

I also went back to Rust Never Sleeps; you’ll seldom find another album with as nice an introduction and conclusion than My, My, Hey, Hey and Hey, Hey, My, My. Once I begin playing Thrasher I can’t seem to stop; I click repeat and marvel at Young’s lyric writing: “They had the best selection,/ They were poisoned with protection/ There was nothing that they needed,/ Nothing left to find/ They were lost in rock formations/ Or became park bench mutations.” Of course you can’t go wrong with popular albums like Harvest. Speaking of Harvest, I purchased Live at Massey Hall. This 1971 recording was finally released in 2007. Young’s solo acoustic performance showcases his amazing talent and features five “new” songs that would rock the free world months later with the release of Harvest. Young also provides back-story for many of the songs. The recording quality is quite good, though I felt that more applause could have been cut out.

Today, I was fortunate enough to scoop some floor seats for Leonard Cohen’s upcoming concert. I can only hope that Neil Young’s presence, too, will grace my city soon.

Qristina & Quinn

2009-03-02T21:31:00.001-08:00

Listening to Jian’s dynamic coverage (QTube on YouTube) of the East Coast Music Awards (ECMA) (Danny William’s defence of the arts on today’s show was particularly inspiring), made me think of Saturday night. I took my son to see Qristina & Quinn, a Celtic music duo. This, however, was no ordinary duo: Qristina, 18 years old, energised the room with her phrenetic fingers and Quinn, 13, supported her ambition with his steady, but intricate strumming. Both displayed great talent on their respective instruments, fiddle and guitar. The foot-stomping even extinguished my fatigue and compelled me to dance in my seat. You can watch a sampling on their YouTube channel, but nothing beats a live performance. They were accompanied by a percussionist, a bassist, and flutist. The flutist also played the Uilleann pipes. The subdued drone from the pipes propelled each note high into the vaulted ceiling where they swirled with Qristina’s elongated tones. I look forward to hearing more from both of them. Kudos to Daniel Lapp whose BC Fiddle Orchestra has inspired so many.

Under the Cover of Darkness 2 (Gaza: The Issues)

2009-02-24T00:48:00.001-08:00

In part 1, I noted that the roadblocks to a sustainable truce in Gaza were: justice, humanitarian aid and clarity in Gaza.

First, justice must be served because Israel has been accused of (knowingly) bombing civilian targets, e.g., the UN school and zoo, and using DIME (Dense Inert Metal Explosive), white phosphorous and flechettes (small darts released from shells), which are controversial weapons, especially when deployed against civilians. A number of organizations, institutions, and countries have begun investigating these allegations. Furthermore, an elusive, but by no means weak, notion has floated around that, despite what the courts decide, Israel acted unethically in the bombardment by using excessive force and denying humanitarian aid, which compounded to create unnecessary human suffering. So far Israel has not apologized but asserted that they have a moral obligation to protect their citizens, and indeed they do; however, they also have a moral obligation to abide by human rights legislation.

At present, very little, if any, humanitarian aid has made it into Gaza and very little, including injured children, has made it out — the carnations on Valentine’s Day were one exception. Again Israel deserves security, but Gazans deserve medical and humanitarian assistance, especially in such deplorable conditions. The verdict will not lie with the courts because excessive force remains somewhat abstract, despite the 100 to 1 mortality ratio, but will lie with public opinion. Currently, at least one organization campaigns against the budget request for military aid to Israel ($31 billion in Bush’s tenure and $53 billion in total plus $1 billion worth of fuel since 2004). Although there was a general discomfort at the violence of the bombardment, few people, and fewer nations, have condemned Israel. (However, Israel’s Ambassador to Sweden did have a shoe thrown at him.) Everyone has their own reasons: some do not want to be labelled a radical and others feel they do not have enough information to speak out.

For the hesitant ones, some anonymous action exists: in the States you can send a letter asking President Obama to reconsider sending military aid or you can send one to Sen. Kerry and Representatives Baird and Ellison thanking them for visiting Gaza. For those lacking information, Voices for Creative Nonviolence lists these sources (.pdf). Unfortunately, most mainstream media has been hesitant to appear radical, or at least unsympathetic to the Holocaust, but this appears to be changing. CBS recently produced a 60 Minutes segment that provided a balanced view of the issues relating to the West Bank.

Nevertheless, with respect to the Gaza bombardment, there was a media blackout. John Snow took an innovative approach and made an excellent documentary on the effect of the blackout. Unfortunately, media timidity manifested itself when British broadcasters refused to air DEC’s appeal. Tony Benn reacted by taking matters into his own hands and provided DEC’s contact info against the host’s wishes; furthermore, El Baradei, the IAEA chief, reacted by boycotting the BBC. Alex Thomson of the BBC plodded on and at times struck gold: check out how he handles Mark Regev here.

Time can bring perspective, but it can also fade issues into irrelevance, e.g., no reprimand or consequence came from the excellent reporting by Dan Rather and Human Rights Watch regarding Israel’s use of cluster munitions in Southern Lebanon. In the excellent segment by CBS, Livni states that she will remove all settlers to facilitate a two state solution (a separate Israel and Palestine); however, nothing so far indicates otherwise: wall construction, home destruction, and mass arrests continue.

As Uri Avnery provides an excellent breakdown of what may happen as a result of the election, it is clear that something must happen; hopefully justice, humanitarian aid, and media clarity coupled with Obama’s determination and Mitchell’s skill will result in something unthinkable — peace or at least a long term truce with open borders. If the strong desire of this Gaza survivor for peace is any indication, it may yet be thinkable.

Workshop Whimsy

2009-02-23T17:32:00.001-08:00

On Saturday I went over to Vancouver to attend a Geist workshop, The Art of the Short Review, which (as expected) turned out to be really worthwhile. It, like most things associated with Geist, was informative, succint, and fun. You should be witnessing some results in coming posts.

On the way over I got to enjoy the fruits of TransLink’s labours and Victoria Regional Transit’s (VRTS) improvements: Although the VRTS has a long way to go to match TransLink’s extensive array of frequent express buses and bus stops with digital screens that provide updates on coming buses, they now offer an express bus to the ferry that’s coordinated with arrival and departure times, so you no longer have wait outside for 15 minutes.

Much of the fun of travel, even on short trips, lies with the unexpected: after getting to downtown Vancouver I happened upon the City of Bhangra, a vibrant, intoxicating display of culture. While I have had some exposure to Indian music, I have had little (a few Bollywood dance numbers) to Indian dance; this, however, was graceful, athletic, and entirely different. (I wish that I could have attended the competition.) The festival also included drummers, singers, and visual artists. On an aside, one of the sponsors, DesiWear, (Desi refers to the diaspora of people originally from the Indian subcontinent) crafts some awesome t-shirts.

Oscar Irony

2009-02-23T15:00:00.001-08:00

As everyone has their own say about who won, who should have, who wore what, and who will still have a career (I wondered myself at what had happened to Brody) at the Oscars, more should be said about the eloquent introductions by past inductees — they were candid and heartfelt. Nevertheless, such displays of affection rarely take place in North America unless people are intoxicated, in crisis, or at a wedding (at which they may be both), which means that, although they were genuine, it was hard to receive them as such, especially in the hyper-real atmosphere of the Oscars.

Under Cover of Darkness 1 (Gaza: The Climate)

2009-02-20T23:15:00.001-08:00

As Israel’s bombardment of Gaza fades into the collective memory, perhaps seldom to be recalled, due process must take place: first, questions relating to war crimes and the use of unethical or banned weapons require answers, without restrictions; second, humanitarian aid needs to reach Gaza; third, transparency needs to prevail over mis-speak and propoganda (from both sides). Only after these basic, but extremely difficult, tasks get completed will an atmosphere prevail in which Mitchell can begin to work his magic.

Although a number of outstanding Israeli and Palestinian citizens have accomplished extraordinary things, a significant portion of the general population subscribes to distrust and hatred; furthermore, in North America especially, there’s a media ban, for all inents and purposes, on any criticism of Israel. As a result, it can be difficult to gain an informed opinion on the matter; in order to do so, I consult the opinions of Israelis who do not condone violence and alternative (non-mainstream media) stories about Palestine.

In the first category, Norman Finkelstein (a Jew and son of Holocaust survivors) presents strong and cogent opinions and Ilan Pappé (an Israeli historian who for political reasons no longer works in Israel) provides common sense and deep insight. Both are academics and experts worth consulting. Although both note that the kill ratio was excessive 100 Palestinians for every Israeli, Mark Steel expresses this fact best. Non-academic opinions are also important, e.g., Judith Stone (a Jewish woman who participated in the Rally for the Right to Return to Palestine). Kathy Kelly (a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence) also makes some excellent points and If Americans Knew provides an excellent breakdown of the confilct.

In the second category, alternative news sources, some can be a little extreme, but most are excellent and evoke strong emotions:

Now that you’re aware of some of the news sources out there, you may ask, “What can I do?” First, vote with your dollar by purchasing fair trade items (I’ve already mentioned Zaytoun olive oil). You can also, depending on your convictions, boycott Israeli products; for me it means not purchasing products by Coke, Timberland, and Biotherm (I already eschew McDonalds). Sending donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee (the charity whose appeal the British media banned) and Lights for Gaza (you get an awesome solar powered flashlight in a buy one/send one deal). Last, petition your elected officials. Be heartened that protestors have netted results in South Africa and Scotland.

Dollhouse

2009-02-14T23:59:00.001-08:00

Like many fans of Firefly I had hoped Serenity would create enough stimulus for further episodes, or at least a sequel; instead, I have buried this hope and relived what I can by watching Summer Glau in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Although I find some episodes tiresome, the show is pretty solid overall — it rests on much great acting (I was especially buoyed by the addition of Shirley Manson, pure-Scot and Garbage’s lead singer). Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Chuck, with Firefly alumnus Adam Baldwin. (At least, Fillion appears to have left that dreadful show; also, check out his MySpace page).

Anyway, this leads to Dollhouse, Whedon’s latest creation, which I’ve eagerly awaited. The premise of the story is that a number of people work for a company for one desperate reason or another. The catch is that their memories get wiped and they become dolls. These dolls then get programmed with amalgams perfectly suited for a specific mission, near-sightedness, asthma, and all. The show revolves around Echo, apparently the fifth doll, who exhibits the beginnings of self-awareness in her cloistered world. Of course, someone wants to expose the Dollhouse, perhaps due to an attachment to Echo, and someone else, Paul Ballard, wants to take it down. While some characters seem mechanical and others recall Firefly, it will take some time for me to fully assess the show and determine whether it lives up to its potential (great writing and plot conception). I suspect (and hope) that it will; Dollhouse airs on Fridays at 9:00 PM, right after The Sarah Connor Chronicles, on Fox.

Convalescing

2009-02-11T23:36:00.001-08:00

For the last two days I have been convalescing; that is, while confined to my bed I am completing crossword and Sudoku puzzles that I wouldn’t ordinarily have had the time for. On Monday morning I experienced those dreaded symptoms — the enormous weight on my chest and inability to breathe — that frequently get dramatized on TV and strike a particular fear into men. Yes, I thought I was having a heart-attack. It all began while I was asleep, dreaming that I had a pipe in my throat; I was restless and tossed and turned a number of times to try and dislodge it, but to no avail. I then got up and stumbled to the bathroom. On my return, my chest caved-in and upon reaching the bed I fell into a fetal position. Any attempt to move resulted in more pain, so I stayed still. After summoning the strength for a few pathetic screams I got my wife’s attention. She then phoned 8–1–1, the number for HealthLink BC (an excellent medical consulting service) and I whispered answers to a nurse in between convulsions. She advised me that I may be experiencing cardiac arrest and that I should phone 9–1–1. My wife did so and I spent an eternity, in reality a few minutes, wishing for the ambulance to arrive so I could gain some relief.

The firefighters, as per their union agreement, arrived first and were followed shortly by the ALS (advanced life support). They asked me a lot of questions and put a number of sensors on me. The trainee made a first attempt, but no reading appeared on the ECG screen, so the supervisor with sub-zero hands gave it a shot. Yes, if I was worrying about how cold his hands were, I probably wasn’t having a heart attack. This turned out to be the case, but they weren’t taking any chances. A second ambulance crew got me on the stretcher and into an ambulance. After some oxygen I began to feel marginally better but still had a heavy weight on my chest, so another trainee attempted to insert an IV. He was unsuccessful and so was his supervisor, it even took the emergency room nurse a few times (apparently I have numerous valves in my veins, which prevent the reverse flow of my blood).

As you can tell I ran across quite a few trainees, however, this was something I began to appreciate: the medical student, who was training to be a doctor, was very sensitive and thorough; and the blood technician, though his fingers were trembling, gained some valuable experience. Apart from the glee in the paramedics’ eyes at the number of veins in my arm, I was glad that so many were training to enter this essential field. The day passed with many pokes and prods, but in the end the excellent doctor could only tell me what it was not. I had not suffered a heart attack, a blood clot, disease, or physical trauma, such as a broken bone or collapsed lung; the most likely candidates were a muscle spasm or pinched nerve. In the end, I felt a little ridiculous for coming in, but the pain still in my chest made me think otherwise.

The paramedics were nice enough to check on me as they came and went through the day. One told me that no matter what had happened I was correct to call the ambulance given my level of distress; that made me feel much better. Another, later on, had described the harsh conditions of their job and lower pay compared to firefighters and the police. At first I enquired whether this was a result of danger pay, but was assured that paramedics face equal dangers on the job. It turns out that paramedics are considering striking to get pay equity and it makes sense they get it due to the danger of riding in the back of the ambulance, hauling the portly, and proximity to deadly diseases.

The experience was traumatic for my children as well: the picture above is Evelyn’s result of natural art therapy. (I refer to it as natural because no counsellor induced her to draw it and she correctly drew my feet hanging over the edge of the stretcher.) The next morning she came into my bed and watched over me while I slept. My son chose not to share my experience with his buddies, but came to visit me in the hospital. In the end I am left with the adhesive of countless sensors and Band-Aids, relief, and a deep hope that I never experience the real thing. Although if I ever do, I know my family and the medical system will be there for me.

Comedic Conjunction

2009-02-06T15:50:00.001-08:00

Last night a conjunction occurred, not between celestial bodies, but television shows. First, 30 Rock worked its way out of a relative slump (apart from episode five, Reunion, which was brilliant, the offbeat has become rather mundane this season, though only in terms of show’s regular radiance). Baldwin was remarkable as the Generalissimo, a perfect parody for Lemon’s own “diabolical” actions towards Dr. Baird. Jon Hamm, as always, dominated the screen with his suave magnetism; likewise, Salma Hayek’s star power cannot be underrated, since she also has breathed new life into the show.

Many time zones away another stroke of brilliance flashed through the airwaves, the Skins episode “Thomas.” The third season, which began with the gutsy replacement of nearly the entire cast, has gotten off to a good start; however, Merveille Lukeba with his quiet resolve, vulnerability, and transparent confidence adds a new layer to the show. First, he is what so many characters are not; black, subtle, and visibly skilled — most of the characters lack confidence and are offensive or unsure of their skills. Furthermore, his character adds a sure hand in uncertain waters, a true leader due to his sure goodness. I appreciated his kalimba and voice performance and Mamadou Cissokho’s Kora playing. When speaking about the show one cannot omit the rat-like Johnny White, played by the ubiquitous Mackenzie Crook, nor can one forget Dev Patel’s blossoming from the past series — Slumdog Millionaire nearly justifies all the Oscar hype (too bad Millions did not receive the same recognition).

Vindication?

2009-02-06T01:07:00.001-08:00

A vacuum has been created behind Bush, which comedians, editors, and cartoonists have been scrambling to fill:

Obama has been doing his part to add to the vacuum by using complete sentences and closing Guantanamo (fortunately Judge Crawford halted the last trial at Gitmo, especially since evidence of torture seems to have been buried) Nevertheless, much remains to be undone; given the size of this task and America’s relative inaction regarding Gaza, many, including Noam Chomsky, have proclaimed that nothing has or will change regarding U.S. foreign policy. Although direct talks have not taken place with Hamas despite early indications (and similar intentions towards Iran look less likely), diplomacy may still have a chance. Of course, Israel/Palestine is a mess, over 1,300 casualties, widespread destruction, and the possible use of DIME, white phosphorous, and flechettes in Gaza, leaving little ground for trust; furthermore, what foothold the ceasefire could have provided has been eroded by recent rocket attacks and the bombing of tunnels and farmland.

Nevertheless, Mitchell remains the best man for the job. Since marvelling at his work in Northern Ireland (and his 2001 report on Israel/Palestine), I have wondered why he hasn’t played a bigger part in past negotiations, for the sake of humanity and across party lines. Much, however, will depend on the climate; indeed, amidst some of the blustering at Davos, it was interesting that Qaddafi (of all leaders) presented an insightful argument for the one-state solution, in The NY Times of all places.

Although Israel/Palestine will continue to be a blight for Obama, I hope he will be vindicated from accusations of not exacting the change he proffered or straying from the foreign policy set down by Bush Sr. I still maintain that he has had to cave-in in these areas to consolidate his position, but that he will move further as he becomes more sure of his position. Meanwhile his fame continues to grow: now the Irish have claimed him and look-a-likes have gained fame. We can only hope that his accomplishments will equal his fame or at least be buoyed by it.

Future Now?

2009-02-04T01:42:00.001-08:00

Toyota recently boasted, in a four page advertising supplement for the Venza, “Tell people you’ve seen the future and it’s got cup holders.” In general, I dislike these supplements as they are designed to deceive the reader — they’re in the same font and publication style of the “host” publication and only differentiated by opaque qualifications, such as “Advertising Supplement” — but I read on due to their bold proclamation. What I found, however, was not what I had expected: there was no mention hybrid-electric, bio-fuel, ethanol, or natural gas. In fact, the fuel economy was quite poor, 22 mpg (8.7 tons of CO2).

I wondered how such a car could be the future — sure it had plenty of performance, safety features, and cargo room, but shouldn’t such a pronouncement be reserved for vehicles like the Prius? I also puzzled at the disconnect between Toyota’s environmental image and this ad; after all weren’t they in the top five? No! Unfortunately, Toyota is ranked tenth well behind Mini, Honda, and Chevrolet (yes, Chevrolet) in first, second, and third for highest average fuel-efficiency. How could this be the case as they produce the Prius and Tacoma? The answer is they also produce a number of fuel-hogs in their lineup of 55 models and the Prius, the world’s best-selling hybrid, has only accounted for 1 million cars over 11 years. Even compact cars such as the Yaris and the Corolla, now numbering 15 million and recently surpassing Ford’s Model T for second most-sold automobile (the Beetle remains first by a long shot), cannot tip the balance. I never thought that Toyota would be behind a GM corporation in anything but sales.

The source data for these statistics on average fuel economy is actually quite difficult to come by, so it is better to stick with compilations by CNN, above, and blogs, such as Automotive Traveler and Ecogeek. The only disadvantage in doing so is the overestimation of Mini, which really only produces one car, although twelve models are listed. It is best to compare the Mini with Lotus and stand in awe of Chevrolet, which nearly equals Honda in efficiency and has over three times as many cars in its lineup; however, if one included Chevrolet with GM’s other brands these figures would plummet since GMC and Hummer are ranked as the tenth and ninth worst fuel-efficient manufacturers respectively.

For an enlightening production of the general phenomenon of widespread fuel consumption watch Who Killed the Electric Car?, a much more even-handed production than the title suggests. Nader sums it up best, that companies such as GM are "going backwards into the future." Another snippet of society’s prevailing distrust of alternate propulsion was Top Gear’s staging of a Tesla running out of charge while Jeremy Clarkson’s noted, “Although Tesla say it will do 200 miles we worked out that on our track it would run out after just 55 miles.” Although Clarkson can’t help being pompous, BBC could have avoided such a stunt. Nevertheless, everything worked out: Tesla was happy with Clarkson’s effusive praise on the car’s performance against a regular Elise and I was happy to witness Clarkson trying to transect Vietnam on a Vespa in a later show. (He was taken down a notch or two, though all in good fun, on this “barbaric” form of transportation.)

LEGO Heart

2009-02-03T19:34:00.001-08:00

As a lover of Lego (I rarely regret the time spent with my kids constructing), I thoroughly enjoyed Christoph Niemann’s I LEGO N.Y. Here’s a few of my favourites:

Musical Richness

2009-01-31T00:30:00.001-08:00

Richard Bona was the first person I heard play the kalimba really well; he creates an ethereal sound by combining his falsetto voice with kalimba notes.

This video is On Her Way from Speaking of Now Live. Laura Barrett has been gaining popularity for her kalimba playing; however, to me, she presents a much less convincing sound than Bona due to her flat voice, which recalls a hollow Lili Haydn or a tamed Kimya Dawson. It may also be that she lacks the varied history that textured Bona’s voice.

Although a number of different takes, such as Jake Shimabukuro’s ukelele playing, have grown in popularity, living legends continue to be ignored in North America; perhaps, this is unsurprising due to the herd behaviour recently outlined by Thaler and Sunstein. One such legend is Ernest Ranglin who, like the blues players of the South that influenced so many but rarely gained widespread acknowledgment, helped birth ska music. He has been performing blazing, innovative, licks for years, which are imbued with the rhythms of his native Carribbean. One of my favourite albums is The Search for the Lost Riddim, for which he returned to Senegal 20 years after his stint with the Jimmy Cliff Band.

Inside North America few capture the essence of humanity like Lili Haydn; rich verse, such as the following from The Saddest Sunset, adorns her somber violin playing:

It's hard when no one hears you calling.
Who will catch you if you fall?
And though the waters are rising
We all leave and come in alone.
The love that you're longing for is your own.

It was great to see her performance on Californication. (View my brief review here.) In order to explore more of the world’s musical richness check out Mondomix (previously Calabash), Nat Geo Music, and Smithsonian Global Sound.

Discoveries

2009-01-29T21:58:00.001-08:00

This Sunday, thousands are expected to wake up early, take a couple of pounds of bacon and sausage from the fridge, and prepare a Bacon Explosion, the latest in excessive-fare (even replacing the turducken, which has been relegated to seasonal fare). Although many may amend their definitions for “rich” and “fatty” amidst the flash and glam of the Super Bowl, and perhaps justify their consumption by the large array of performances, a number of relatively mundane discoveries have been made recently.

Mark Aretz, an architect and renovator in eastern Germany, opened the door to an apartment that appeared to have remained untouched since 1988. He found a calendar on the wall turned to August 1988 and a variety of East German products; only one “western” product was found, a bottle of deodorant [all puns purposely omitted]. Apparently the occupant had to flee from the East German authorities and had abandoned everything, including a bottle of vodka.

In Istanbul archaeologists have discovered a grave that pushes back the date of first habitation 6,000 years (700 BC to 6,400 BC). The grave is located in a swamp and nearby they found evidence of houses constructed of tree branches.

At the AIA, Dr. James presented a paper which suggests that the Persians were the first to use “chemical warfare” against their enemies. The paper shows that Persians, in the 3^rd century AD, tunneled under the Roman city of Dura in modern Syria and ignited a mixture of bitumen and sulphur crystals to poison the Romans working in a counter- mine.

The Wrestler

2009-01-29T03:07:00.001-08:00

When I first read about The Wrestler in Who’s been nice …, I knew that it would be a demanding movie to watch; hence, I avoided watching it until I had the required reserve. The movie has a discordant tone much more in keeping with Murderball than Rocky Balboa: no pat answers or easy choices lay here. As a result the three story lines (wrestler and himself, wrestler and stripper, and wrestler and daughter) neither really mesh, nor really get resolved. The camera-work is as jerky and raw as Rourke’s movements. Rourke’s performance has been referred to as “a story of personal redemption” and “masterful,” yet it remains difficult to grasp how masterful his performance is unless one reflects upon it. This is because the hand-held cameras, gritty scenery, and close miking is unfamiliar, even disorientating — I can’t recall the last time I heard an actor’s exhale or saw an actor’s pores. Rourke, in his one long struggle, demands excellent performances from the supporting cast; I particularly enjoyed the contrast between Evan Rachel Wood’s vivid expressions and Rourke’s sepia starkness.

Furthermore, although the story-lines are clear the means are not, e.g., the viewer knows he will cut his hand on the deli-slicer, but assumes (and is led to believe) that it would be by accident. The same goes for other implements of self-mutilation, the razor blade and stapler. Nevertheless, the means lead only to partial redemption. This remains the real tragedy; thus, one wonders how things could have been different, e.g., will his daughter struggle with the finality she had hoped for? The soundtrack, full of one-hit-wonder hair-bands, adds to the surreal nature of the film. Springsteen alone encapsulates the wrestler himself. Springsteen with his return to the husky ballad captures the wrestler’s soul whereas the hair-bands merely represent the wrestler-as-performer’s culture. Although the number of loose-ends seems disturbing, the film is really worth watching on so many levels, the most important being the katharsis it provides.

Final Notice

2009-01-21T01:43:00.001-08:00

Few people would have had low expectations for Obama’s inauguration speech, and he did deliver; however, as far as Obama-speeches go it seemed to fall a little flat, lacking a measure of his patented passion, inspiration, and lustre. Perhaps this was due to a sober mood or the nervousness exhibited when he swore the oath; nevertheless, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. Final notice was served to Bush and a good inauguration speech was delivered, especially in contrast to the sermon (oops, I mean prayer) Rick Warren delivered. Here are some highlights he could have stressed more vigorously on a less solemn occasion with fewer security and time constraints.

The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms.
… and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

He placed the blame squarely where it belongs:

Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.

Furthermore, he implicated his opponents, his doubters, and the Bush administration:

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them.

Although I felt he spent too little time addressing the World, what he did say was encouraging:

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. … To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

The Countdown

2009-01-20T00:41:00.001-08:00

Although Bush may grant pardons until noon, it appears his last act before handing over power to Barack Obama (just typing that feels good) will be the pardoning of two border guards. Meanwhile the momentum that has been building since November reaches a fever pitch and fortunate participants get to thrive on the energy of the moment. For Obama the final leg of the journey began on Saturday when he travelled with his family from Philadelphia to Washington. Sunday was We Are One where spectators “got to hear the A-list stars that have gathered around the president-elect to share in the pixie dust of the day.” Monday, Martin Luther King Day, Obama honoured Luther King, helped paint a teenage homeless center and officially launched usaservice.org, and hosted bipartisan dinners with McCain, Powell, and Biden.

For some last minute fun, check out Bush’s Last Day and see true American enterprise at work. For the first time the National Mall will be open so the public can view the swearing-in ceremony at 10:00am. Then in the inaugural address, deemed to be 17 minutes long, he will meet our expectations and take his place in history. It will be interesting to see how Obama acknowledges Bush’s service, a traditional part of the speech; he may have to employ his best tact yet.

For some background information check out the Guardian for a good breakdown of his administration and an excellent interactive guide to America (America by race, wealth, and other indicators).

Unchecked Hegemony

2009-01-19T22:59:00.001-08:00

Despite his best intentions Bush has gone out with a whimper — the only legacy the “misunderestimated” president has established during his ‘farewell tour’ is the Bushism: he “articulates what [he] believes … and believes what [he] believes is right.” Bush, in his public displays, exudes a curious blend of arrogance and ignorance that demands much from the observer: Should he be taken seriously? Does he take himself seriously? Does he really believe that redemption lies within his grasp? Doesn’t he realize that the shoe throwing commemorates his last days in office much more than any saber-rattling over the Arctic? Nevertheless, Bush’s smugness, in many ways, is warranted: he has succeeded in doing things his way and getting away with it. At least, he wasn’t able to pardon himself from future prosecution.

North of the border, Harper exhibits the same smugness, though none of the same verbal lapses. He also prefers sweaters and kittens to aircraft carriers and flight jackets. Although he faithfully touts the Bush line, in domestic matters he roams unchecked. I am truly surprised to hear the opinion that Harper had no choice but to appoint senators — he’s too sly to be in that position. Now, as if to test the faith of his supporters, he’s actually stacking the Senate with Conservatives. He contradicts his own proclamations and legislation to hold power while supporters state that a coalition is undemocratic; in reality it is anything but “undemocratic.”

Ironically, in the case of Obama, I actually hope this free reign continues and that he does not get bogged down in the Senate, so wrongs such as Gitmo can be made right.

Hidden Affairs

2009-01-09T23:06:00.001-08:00

Since my last post (Sorry about the long delay) I have been trying to get a leg up on an unassailable wall: overwhelmed and paralyzed, I have been wallowing in apathy, well, nearly. I attempted to write numerous posts, but these now line the trash, since none were adequate in expressing my misgivings. At first I attributed my malaise to the fluctuating emotions and experiences that reign during the holidays, joy/sadness, giving/receiving, and people you miss/can happily miss. I only did this, however, to avoid facing the real reason: against the backdrop of teenagers being forced into sex and the migration of suicide production from the CB radio to the Internet, I was haunted by Gaza. For many months I have been reading about the denial of aid, the Free Gaza Ship’s repeated attempts to get in, volleys fired by the navy, and even accusations by the UN. The clarity of Chomsky and Mearsheimer only made the harsh (and unsettling) reality harder to swallow.

In the reports of civilian casualties and violence I have searched for widespread condemnation, in vain. The U.S., predictably, was silent and Brown’s condemnation was a singular affair and weak compared to Miliband’s repeated blustering over Georgia. Only Barenboim provided any hope; in fact, every time I have heard about the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, in which all musicians regardless of race or social position are equal, I have been heartened. The only side benefit of the attacks is the publicity that Waltz with Bashir has received; perhaps, more people will watch films like The Band’s Visit. These results are hardly concessions for the violence and the steady repression of Gaza, but they may foster some mutual respect and understanding.

In my struggle to live with such information, I realized a few things: North Americans have little context for such issues — we are so far from Rwanda, Darfur, Burma, and The Congo and our news thinks so as well. We are much more conversant with the Cold War; thus the wide publicity for the rampant saber rattling and postulating over Russia’s attack on Georgia. In terms of Israel, we are not only plagued by the Holocaust, but also corrupted by a rationale that wends its way through quiet conversations: God wills that Israel be a geographical reincarnation of Solomon’s kingdom. Few counter that there’s very little substantive evidence, archaeological or otherwise, for attributing such lands to Solomon, or David for that matter. In effect, the argument goes, the sovereignty of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and the West Bank should be compromised — at the very least, Israel should be granted its Auschwitz Borders.

Worse, however, was the feeling that the injustice somehow represented the human condition. While this notion continues to simmer below the surface of my consciousness the flipside, the arts, resuscitate me: the Fall issue of The Paris Review helped more than a little. Poems by the likes of Paul Guest started the thawing my soul, Marilynne Robinson provided a reality check, and Jean Hatzfeld helped me process the past horrors in Rwanda. In the end Barenboim’s vision may be the best, long the vision of dreamers like Lennon and Geldof. Whether it’s Beethoven or techno, which have no lyrics, or an song like Hallelujah, which transcends cultures and stands the test of time (it currently holds 3 top spots in the U.K. charts), doesn’t matter. Most important is the vision, the possibility of peace, the galvanizing effect of thousands joined hand in hand singing or humming one song until the fighting stops.

White Dyed Crimson

2008-12-19T00:43:00.000-08:00

In all the talk of the crisis, the cost of the war in Iraq rarely garners much attention; rather, terms such as "recession" get bandied about. Obama and others have linked the state of the U.S. economy to the war, yet these days much greater costs have been attributed to the war. Last January the NY Times revealed that 121 veterans had been charged with homicide in the U.S., and more have been/will be charged. Furthermore, the number of homeless veterans has been steadily increasing. As if all this weren't enough, Veterans Affairs makes it very difficult to get compensated for PTSD and has even employed some underhanded means to deny. This is far from the worst of it.

In Iraq, estimates of civilian casualties range from 100,000 to upwards of a million. No matter what the actual number is, any estimate in this magnitude is horrific. Fortunately, people have begun to realize this, and even politicians condemn the high number. Blackwater may even be held accountable and lose its contract as a result of allegations of 17 civilian deaths committed by its contractors. A very sinister cost, however, remains hidden: Anna Badkhen has written an article on the vast toll of rape in Iraq. As if the act of rape itself wasn't bad enough, its stigmatization in this region creates dire consequences for a number of victims. Somehow I don't think $300m in whitewashing on Iraq stations will help.

These horrors, however, somehow get diminished, even justified, under the wide umbrella of terrorism, at least the fear of it. Events such as the killings in Mumbai seem to re-enforce the terror of terrorism. Nevertheless, there is so much more to be afraid of: the crisis, our food supply, and climate change; in fact, fear is uncontrollable and omnipresent. North Americans appear to have attempted to encapsulate all causes of fear with terrorism; in other words, we have tried to fight all our fears with the War on Terror. Recently, the economic crisis has ripped apart any success this strategy had, and could even pre-empt other crises, such as climate change. The illusion of security has been shaken in a way that no Listeria outbreak could. Will we wake up this time and not flock toward whatever means of security we hear on TV? Nevertheless, we need to do more than resurrect the line of No Fear T-shirts and watch re-runs of Mountain Dew commercials to combat our herd mentality.

Helena Smith, in her excellent reporting, has shown that the riots in Greece, like those in L.A., were an eruption of an underlying simmering sentiment. A similar sentiment buoyed by high unemployment exists in many of the countries which "foster" terrorism. Aid distribution is changing this; however, the solution seems to lie with much less effusive ways of letting off steam, e.g., shoe throwing. This harmless gesture spoke volumes, especially with the possibility that Bush may pardon himself from any future criminal charges; don't forget the spy bill he introduced and the 35 articles of impeachment that he recently sidestepped. Our path toward peace/reality lies with human ingenuity and our need for expression and self-improvement, the only driving forces that have really gotten us anywhere.

New Interfaces

2008-12-18T03:17:00.000-08:00

Although I have shuffled through web browsers over the years, from Nexus to Opera, I never really favoured Internet Explorer. At first I just found it inferior to Navigator, then I got annoyed when Microsoft bundled it with 98, and then I grew really annoyed when the anti-trust suit case became mired in its own complexity. (At least the EU's decision had some bite). Finally, the large number of security vulnerabilities alarmed me, the latest of which has necessitated drastic action. Although a patch was eventually released, users were actually encouraged to switch to Firefox and Opera; furthermore, this internal flaw spanned versions from 5 to 8, which is still in beta. (Perhaps, instead of updating 6 with features taken wholesale from Firefox, Microsoft should have fixed some of its legacy code.)

Fortunately, the Web constantly evolves and presents users with a plethora of options. Check out the Guardian's Top 100 Sites for the Year Ahead to discover some of them. My favorite from this list, apart from the regular standouts like Clusty, is Cooliris. This browser add-on is an image based search engine, in which you scroll through a "wall" of images to find your match, news item, or product. This approach is truly innovative and really worth trying. Other innovations, more of which should be coming, refine searches by minority or interest groups.

To escape all this check out the working model of the Antikythera Mechanism:

Anticipatory Jitters

2008-12-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

Harper attracts the kind of attention normally accorded to the predators of the animal kingdom: onlookers remain fascinated by his efficiency even though they eschew his methods and hold sympathy for the victims. Harper, once again appears to be getting away with it. The Liberals had better employ some drastic evasive action.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that there is nothing underhanded or undemocratic about a coalition. They occur frequently around the world in minority governments; just not in our regular context of majority governments and the two party system across the border. Please ignore all discussion of "coups" (I still can't believe someone used this term) and "backroom dealings."

Speaking of across the border, I have been reading a stream articles concerned about Obama's emerging cabinet, specifically the Clinton/Bush Sr. blend of Gates, Albright, Holbrooke, et cetera. In addition to the Neocons/hawks, concern grows about "Zionists" such as Clinton and Emanuel. I am concerned about Obama's concessions regarding the economy, especially hisstimuli and auto industry bailout. Although I have already commented that Wall Street and the auto industry should face the consequences of squandered profits and poor decisions, the stimulus package of investing in highways really misses the mark. Yes, perform repairs; however, the real investment should be in LRT and other transit solutions, if he wants to meet his goals of independence from foreign oil.

I do understand that Obama cannot appear too liberal in this political climate saturated with fear. Nevertheless, many want assurances that radical change will still take place, especially in the midst of the Bush fallout (economic crisis and all). Obama has already indicated that his cabinet will serve him, but the Bush team has unnerved many. Obama responded by appointing Shinseki, Rumsfeld's nemesis, to Veterans Affairs. More positions need to be filled and he may even turn to the Republicans to get the right man for the job, e.g., Schwarzenegger for energy secretary.

Storm Front

2008-12-02T02:31:00.000-08:00

Just when Canadians thought that federal politics were destined to become pedestrian again, Dion springs talk of a coalition. In fact, this co-operation has been growing in the house since Harper first came to power. This news blind-sided Harper who seemed to have gotten caught up in all the boasting of his party's strong financial position. Ironically too late, Canadians now complain about the Conservative party's negative ads and their idleness regarding the economy. Nevertheless, they seem more ready to accept Dion's move, though how much so remains unclear. Meanwhile Harper, who is backed in a corner, contemplates severe actions, such as dissolving Parliament. I think the coalition would be beneficial for Canada: first, climate change and the economy will be taken seriously and second, although the Conservatives appear united, once a coalition comes to power they will be much less inclined to tow the party-line (many have already expressed their discontent at the PMO for causing the crisis) so new legislation on the environment and economy will hopefully be passed quickly. Furthermore, Dion will gain redemption and respect, (some reckon he already has).

Rarely Learning

2008-12-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

I am surprised by the number of failed initiatives by governments around the world in presenting digital information. Europeana, the latest to crash within minutes of launch, was perhaps the most ambitious: a comprehensive catalogue from over a 1,000 museums, libraries, and archives. Ironically, these sites fail due to the influx of traffic, except there's no denial-of-service attack. One of the first sites to fail (and never be resurrected) was evidenceincamera, which was slated to host an archive aerial reconnaissance photos from World War II. The promise of photos of D-Day landings and the Bismarck's sinking created a fever prior to launch. Although I applaud their design and conception, these projects need to be subcontracted to companies like YouTube that provide quick and reliable access to large volumes of information.

Muse : ik

2008-11-29T23:14:00.000-08:00

Earlier today I headed into one of my favourite cafés, The Black Stilt, and found it packed. I enquired about a few free seats but they were all reserved, so I stood at a bar Rumsfeld-style. After a bit, a young woman kindly offered me one of the seats I had enquired about, at least until her friend got back. I noticed she was working on some artwork and we got to talking. It turns out Cleo was making covers, pictured here, for her newly released CD, Muse : ll Ik. She had recently lost her job and needed some rent money, so she had a release party and made half her rent. I listened to it and bought one right away. Given the flurry of production she is still developing a MySpace page, but if you would like to purchase a copy for between $7 and $20 (I encourage you to do so) email me or post a comment and I'll get you a copy.

Cleo described her music as a combination of jazz, dance hall, drum&bass, and hip hop, which I think is pretty accurate. If I had to choose one genre it would be hip hop – she raps in a quick paced rhythm reminiscent of Matisyahu. The intricate compositions, however, make it difficult to stray far from the jazz designation. Her voice is an ethereal mixture of Shawn Colvin, Azure Ray, and Ani DiFranco; she also incorporates some Blige funk and Björk vocal effects. Although the production quality of all the songs is not equal, something a few tweaks on the mixing board will rectify on a second release, their ingenuity is. I really enjoyed Simple; the catchy guitar lick loops nicely with her fast flowing rap and the lyrics are filled with reflexivity and contemplation, e.g., "You sit there cynically pretending not to care about my lyrics" and "The West was better before my ancestors settled here." On Manifest she collaborates nicely with a male vocalist and adds strings to the funk beat. (It would work great if the short clip of throat-singing at the end was worked into the song.) Stairwell Sounds and Great Goddess profile the great range of her voice, from haunting to whimsical.

Odelicious

2008-11-29T02:02:00.000-08:00

Ode regularly tops my list for providing a disparate, yet comprehensive collection of views and opinions. In the current issue Paolo Coehlo relates an enlightened tale, Our Lady the Juggler and the editors compile the Top Bestselling Books Around the World by collating the top-ten lists of ten independent bookstores from around the globe. It contains a series of articles on the global economic crisis in which Noreena Hertz's Death of a Paradigm stands out. Noreena, a siren of reason, justifies her numerous credentials in her lucid and humbling analysis of the economy. She points out that the present affords a opportunity to set a number of schemata right; however, she notes, "That means the smartest politicians will be those who aren’t only willing to differentiate themselves from the laissez-faire past, but who are willing to engage in a transparent exchange of ideas about what kind of world, what kind of society, we want."

A good example, which even the most forward-thinking of politicians may have to rescue, is the American auto industry. Currently, it teeters like the statues of overthrown revolutionaries. These companies have not learnt, even the hard way. Ford, of the three, has perhaps learnt the most since it adopted green production techniques and buildings earliest, but it never has crawled out of the financial hole that these changes were intended to rectify. Chrysler, for a while at least, was insulated by the weight of Daimler; thus, GMC, independent and prospering remained brazen in its devotion to SUVs and trucks (and suffers for it). Nevertheless, remember that these companies reaped the rewards of these strategies for a number of years. Unfortunately, like most current economic paradigms they were unsustainable; thus, like all the sub-prime signing bonuses, profits have vanished.

First let us get some perspective. One point that I heard on a recent radio interview needs to be repeatedly stated: bankruptcy does not mean that car production will disappear and all related jobs will disappear in North America. Furthermore, it does not mean that the brands will disappear (think of Nestle, Interbrew, and the unsavoury Altria). What it means is that these companies will be purchased at a stock price for which they are deemed profitable and will be trimmed to make this a reality. Thus, the real issue revolves around pride, and American pride should not be tied to unprofitable behemoths from another era of economic evolution. They have had their day in the sun. They convinced North American governments to build roads for their cars, opposite to train companies, and instilled a mindset of the unconquerable horizon. What could be better than letting them fall to their self-appointed fate and carefully blowing on their ashes so a flaming phoenix arises?

artevo

2008-11-28T23:04:00.000-08:00

Today on my way through town, I was stopped dead in my tracks by a display of blown glass. I went inside the artevo gallery and discovered more than a few treasures. On my way toward the glass I fell in love, not some glib affair, but the enduring kind, with Aguiar's Trio XXXIV:

He applied oils and resin over a copper-leafed canvas to present a landscape both stark and vivacious, one captured on a photographic plate and in amber. After meditating on the piece for some time, I met Carolyn, the Gallery's manager, who demonstrated the light's play on a similar piece using the dimmer switch. Immediately, I wished to take Trio home and experience the range of emotion and hue for myself. She also spoke about some other works, not currently on display, in which he applied oils on a silver leafed canvas:

Aguiar's years studying art and working as a restorer have held him in good stead; his innovative works embody styles ranging from engraving to spray paint art. Each piece, a sublime creation, beckons for affection and adoration.

I learnt that the remarkable glass gracing the window was the work Robert Pierini and his son, Antoine.

That they achieve such astounding effects with glass leaves viewers with little recourse: to abandon their preconceptions and embrace they mystery. You must marvel your way through their websites and see some pieces in person to really discern this. My favourites are the flacons of Robert.

It is enlightening to discover such collections in Victoria. artevo also has locations in Calgary, their flagship store, and Toronto, just opening. I have already wandered into the gallery a few times to admire the Aguiars and Pierinis; however, their collection is much more extensive. The sculptures of Ottaviani and Frost demand particular attention. I also enjoyed the Buddhas of William Edward Rees.

Sovereignty Trumps Identity

2008-11-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

In the wake of a study that shows Tim Hortons should be included in the list of Canadian cultural identifiers, alongside toques, canoes, hockey (and lacrosse) sticks, and beavers, Canadians struggle to be removed from no-fly lists. This situation has been compounded by the decision of the U.S. to extend their jurisdiction to U.S. airspace; thus, a person on a list cannot fly through U.S. airspace. Apart from privacy issues, personal information of passengers is sent to the States, flying will be even more of a hassle, since few airlines will fly around U.S. airspace. Unfortunately, like Palin's pardon of the turkey, these decisions have been painted on backdrop of cultural irony. Fortunately, humour has flourished as well; I thoroughly enjoyed a piece on the bafflement of complete sentences.

Humanity's Power on Film

2008-11-24T12:51:00.000-08:00

In a matter of weeks, it will have been sixty years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was passed. National Geographic has produced an excellent illustration to commemorate the act:
Since 1961 Amnesty International has drawn attention to countless atrocities that contravene the declaration and this weekend they commemorated the charter with their annual Film Festival. I could only attend on Saturday, but was glad I chose this day since the Pearson College choir skilfully performed a number of carols and traditional songs before the first movie. USA VS AL-ARIAN, a story which subsequently has had a happy ending (he was released), details the incarceration of Sami Al-Arian, an SFU professor and outspoken Palestinian activist. I couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with the similarity between the strong-arm tactics of Florida's judicial branch and those found in less esteemed countries. The film does a good job of presenting the facts, as much as a film can, and like any good documentary does not neglect character development. The focus of much of the film is Sami's wife, Nahla, an inspiring and authoritative figure whose story is compelling and well filmed: on one occasion, on the verge of a breakdown, she turns to the camera and states that she's a poor actress and not acting for the camera. In stark contrast his wife and family, Sami is filmed in his prison cell; however, this background does not diminish the poignancy of his sentiments. At one point he states that the government is wearing down his family to get to him; tragically no one truly realizes what he meant until a malicious judge hands him more prison time for the plea bargain he'd had signed at the urging of all his family.

After the film Andrew Wender, who gave a detailed introduction on the Patriot Act and Bush's executive orders, fostered much discussion on the film and future of the U.S. justice system: How much can change under Obama? This film was followed by Justice Without Borders, an Amnesty production, which provided a good history of the International Criminal Court and some of its successes. The film also covers fairly America's initial encouragement for the ICC and its recent reticence. The last film, My Daughter the Terrorist, was a film I was fairly sceptical of: I wasn't really in the mood for an indoctrination film like Jesus Camp, though it's excellent in its own right, or its unintended (ironically so) counterpart Obsession. Unexpectedly this film was much less about two daughters who become brainwashed suicide bombers; these women are professional soldiers who train very hard. It is very touching how the mother deals with the separation from her daughter, especially at the end where she tearfully watches the same documentary you have just watched, the closest connection to her daughter she's had in years.

Ana de Lara's latest film First Winter Last is a semi-finalist in the Migr@tions contest. (You can view and rate a number of good films from around the world that address immigration.) First Winter Last documents the experience de Lara had in coming to Canada, in which she was called a "chink." De Lara notes that coming from the Philippines she did not know what one was, but sensed it was derogatory. I felt that this part of the film which takes place at the end was overplayed and detracted from the film. Nevertheless, the beginning, especially the animation sequence, was excellent, so the film warrants its average rating of 3.5.

Ari Folman's latest, Waltz with Bashir, masterfully deals with the impact of war, here the Lebanon War. As he notes in an interview, he will have done his job if he deters youth from going to war. He purposely presents this simple message and avoids glorifying war with the spectacular animation.

On the other hand, if you require some entertaining distraction turn to A Colbert Christmas. As expected this film is witty, satirical, and full of excellent performances by Elvis Costello, Feist, Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, John Stewart and John Legend.

Sennasational

2008-11-18T16:50:00.000-08:00

The news that Bruno Senna was testing with Honda, stirred up many emotions: loss, grief, and the inspiration of greatness. I watched once again the tragic footage of his uncle's death and various tribute videos, the best being this one:

Don't be put off by the opening text; this is a great tribute. The film opens with coverage of Ayrton in his car just before his last race, then spends some time on the crash itself, before flashing through highlights of his career. It's obvious from his demeanour and accomplishments that he was a great man, but the moment that encapsulates him best, I think, is when he pulls his car over in the middle of the race, gets out, runs to Eric Comas' car and presses the kill switch to put out the fire. The film ends with Senna's victory shouts at the 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix in which he overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles and won with only two gears, a task that left him so exhausted he had to be lifted out of the car.

Commenting on his last qualifying session for the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix Ayrton said,

I was already on pole, then by half a second and then one second and I just kept going. Suddenly I was nearly two seconds faster than anybody else, including my team mate with the same car. And suddenly I realised that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension. It was like I was in a tunnel. Not only the tunnel under the hotel but the whole circuit was a tunnel. I was just going and going, more and more and more and more. I was way over the limit but still able to find even more.

Then suddenly something just kicked me. I kind of woke up and realised that I was in a different atmosphere than you normally are. My immediate reaction was to back off, slow down. I drove slowly back to the pits and I didn't want to go out any more that day. It frightened me because I was well beyond my conscious understanding. It happens rarely but I keep these experiences very much alive inside me because it is something that is important for self-preservation.”

New faces and approaches

2008-11-16T03:32:00.001-08:00

As Obama breaks new ground by broadcasting his first address on YouTube and indicating that he will support an Israel peace plan that honours the pre-1967 borders, good news was to be had north of the border. British Columbians just voted in their civic elections, every three years, and made some pretty good choices. In these elections the small percent of the populace that actually votes (19 percent in the last election) usually favours incumbents. Whether it was the three elections in as many months (federal, U.S., and municipal), voter turnout was up and a few surprise candidates got into office. In Saanich, the fresh faces are Dean Murdock and Paul Gerrard, two candidates I had voted for last election; both are progressive and support initiatives, such as light rail. Unfortunately, Rob Wickson, the candidate I was campaigning for, didn't make the cut, but like Murdock and Gerrard, a second try in three years may result in success especially when its based on 7,000 votes he received this time around.

Getting it Right?

2008-11-15T21:47:00.000-08:00

Since my days as young lad in Scotland where I regularly ate venison, rabbit, and duck, as well as pheasant or grouse on special occasions, I've always eaten game whenever I can; thus, when I heard that some friends had brought back moose from the Yukon, I jumped at the chance to have some. The rich and intricate flavour of the slow cooked meat had a texture similar to pulled pork. Paired with Premices Côtes Du Luberon 2006, a crisp full bodied red, we had a veritable feast.

While I was over there Harvey showed me some books on the Saanich Tribes, e.g., Sencoten Legends and Stories. As I flipped through them I noticed some characters and diacritical marks that I didn't recognize, so I enquired about them. Harvey pronounced some guttural sounds and a long "sh" sound. Later I reflected on these sounds. These were the sounds that I'd heard attributed to a propensity for drink when I'd first arrived in Canada. This irony stung, particularly when I'd read that seized aboriginal lands had been returned. The seizure of these lands was described as a "difficult chapter" in B.C. history. I put Last Great American Whale on repeat and wondered how much we'd really learned in the last 100 years.

Switching Gears

2008-11-13T17:33:00.000-08:00

In the vacuum left by the U.S. election, I have been handing out fliers for some municipal politicians. My motivation is twofold: I support these politicians and am eager to increase voter turnout. Although civic elections seem dwarfed by wider global issues, their results determine the condition of our communities and the environment that our children learn in. There are two components, in Canada: a vote for mayor and council and one for school trustees. The Saanich Civil League also wants to increase turnout; they note that only 19 percent of residents voted in the last election. They have released a publication of the voting record of the past council on key issues, have a profile for each candidate, and candidates' responses to eight issues. Although there have been some staunch accusations of misrepresentation in the first publication, their result matches my impression from reading the local newspaper and my overall preference in candidates. Other resources are Saanich News's Introducing Candidates (similar coverage is available from the Black Press for other municipalities) and online minutes and newsletters from local community associations. In addition to these relatively unbiased resources, others, such as the Victoria Labour Council, endorses a number of candidates. This wealth of information that is easy to access and read leaves little excuse for voting by name recognition.

There is much less information readily available on school trustees. In addition, to some coverage in local newspapers, much of it encouraging people to vote for trustees, there are a couple of sites: VLC and StrongVoices (basically a website for two candidates that have teamed up). Other information is available, but not widely disseminated, such as the Victoria Strings Program list of trustees who support music programs. Essentially there are two things to consider in evaluating a trustee: how well they can manage scarce funds and what programs they favour. Shirley Bond's cuts make it even more necessary that trustees be particularly astute. The legality of school fees is an issue that John Young has spearheaded. This labyrinthine debate is better suited to lawyers, but after some examination of the evidence, he appears to be correct.

Obamamania

2008-11-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Obama fever that sprouted in all corners of the world thrives today: inauguration tickets go for thousands of dollars on eBay, for the first time and Disney invites Malia and Sasha to appear on Hannah Montana. Nevertheless, the fever's root, change or the hope for it, thrives as well; that is, these entertaining tidbits in no way replace substance. Obama has indicated that he will "Curb the role of lobbyists." (Bad news for AIPAC's stranglehold, I hope). He also wrestles with the illegality of Guantanamo (he may actually close it) and provides hope for Iran. Thus, Obama has exceeded expectations and justified the mania which remains much more than a hollow Hollywood production.

It Happened. What Now?

2008-11-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

Obama's victory has taken some time to sink in, a week exactly. I guess that in my subconscious I was expecting some Republican court decision or other tactic to overturn the result. This irrational fear stems from the last election result, the media's coverage during this campaign (recently, e.g., Khalidi), and the fact that the stakes were so high. Now that reality has dawned on me and I have assuaged my fears, I celebrate. Celebration is definitely called for: the only thing Obama did not accomplish was a supermajority in the Senate. Furthermore, even with Missouri undecided he has a stellar mandate: 53 percent of the popular vote and a victory very near Clinton's first term win (a win in Missouri would push him close to Clinton's stellar second term victory).

The day after the election I watched this photo essay of Obama's life, which leads to the next point: What now? This essay reinforces why Obama is such a good choice: I have repeatedly said that the Cuban Missile Crisis in the hands of most other men would have ended in annihilation. Obama is a similar case: his intellect, character, wisdom, and decisiveness are particularly suited to these difficult times. Bush has now been rendered even more irrelevant, at least now I can watch W. knowing that it is a chronicle of the past not a telling of the future.

Calzaghe's Conquest

2008-11-09T02:49:00.000-08:00

Calzaghe not only conquered Roy Jones, Jr. but he also conquered doubt. He has put the matter to rest: he is great and among the greatest (since the fight his name has been bantered around with Mayweather's). His combination of resilience and controlled fury silenced the early chants of U!S!A! and the ridiculous speculation of the commentators, e.g., their observation that Calzaghe's girlfriend put her hands in the praying position. Beginning in the third round Calzaghe repeatedly taunted Jones by jutting out is forehead, daring him to take a shot and leave an opening. Although Jones did make some incredible punches, like the uppercut in the sixth, he never rattled Calzaghe again. Even with Jones' constant banter Calzaghe still had time to wiggle his hips, run on the spot, and deliver 75 punches a round compared to Jones' 35 to 40. Finally in the eighth round the crowd, perhaps seized by the animal instinct of a potential kill, started to cheer for Calzaghe. I prefer to think that they had realized he was the kind of champion whose greatness transcends nationhood.

The Day the World (America) Changed

2008-11-04T21:46:00.001-08:00

I can hope again, and put away all the anxiety I've had since America didn't deliver in 2004. I am relieved: the chapter that began in Florida in 2000 has not only closed, but hope, honour, and integrity have surged back into America's veins. Talk about an emotional roller coaster ride! Naysayers kept me from being too bold in my hope and predictions, and I had prepared a scathing criticism, which has now been deleted, in the event that McCain/Palin won. Instead, America has accomplished a great feat; McCain said it best, "... his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving." The honour and grace that McCain delivered his speech with shows that America did it, not just Obama, "... and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth. This is your victory."

Obama also showed how capable he will be, "There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years ... ." The deep concentration in his face as he spoke about the challenges facing America, made me hope that he takes some time to truly celebrate, though I'm not sure his sense of responsibility will allow that.

He also really struck a chord with me, when he acknowledged the citizens of the world: "And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand."

Barack definitely is a Cicero and I expect that many will read and imagine his oratorical and political skills in a few millennia. Welcome to the new dawn.

Looking Good

2008-11-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

The American election with its Electoral College system can be difficult to comprehend, but, unlike the Canadian election, results are released as they are tallied, so it's more exciting to watch. With battleground states, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire won by Obama, various sources are predicting a convincing victory for Obama. This link is worth checking out, especially the Changing Political Map: move the slider and see how Americans have voted since 1948. (In 1972 and 1984 nearly all states voted Republican. After viewing footage of the long lines and early results, I am getting hyped, though not counting any chickens before they hatch.

The Big Day

2008-11-03T23:19:00.000-08:00

With the world focused on tomorrow's election, and having such a stake in it, it seems somewhat unfair that citizens of the world cannot vote; after all election fever has gripped Nairobi and other places just as hard as the States. Nevertheless, this has not prevented refugees in the Gaza Strip from calling random households in swing States and urging them to vote for Obama. Tomorrow is expected to have the highest voter turnout in one hundred years, let's just hope voters are informed. For those voters who need some help making up their mind check out Mike's Election Guide '08. Here's to the adrenaline and anticipation of tomorrow. Vote wisely!

Passchendaele

2008-11-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

I have admired Paul Gross for quite some time, mostly due to my wife's appreciation of Due South, and looked forward to watching Passchendaele as soon as I viewed the trailer. Gross faithfully depicts the ordinary by distancing himself from it, an ability which may stem from his multiple talents as a writer, director, actor, musician, and comedian. Thus, the impossible makes the ordinary seem more real. In this film I felt he went too far. He frequently gets launched ten feet in the air by artillery bombardment and survives; furthermore, the film is a little long, a little too detailed, a weakness that may stem from his familiarity with theatre and TV. Nevertheless, this film is worth viewing. He painstakingly depicts the multi-facets of war: racism and small-mindedness at home, as well as the usual love story in brutal conditions, although his is tainted with heroin addiction, filial love, and multi-ethnicity. He has produced a "documentary" that the audience can relate to; this result not only shocks the audience at the horrors of war, but makes them more palpable with its fiction. Thus, the experience haunts more than the average production. The film can perhaps be summed up by the final scene, in which the camera pans out from the front, a site of such horror and sacrifice: from one crater filled with corpses the scene progresses to multiple craters and to such a place that few details can be made out. I was left with the impression that these events were both very significant and somewhat insignificant. Our habit for war and the goodness such sacrifice has brought, at times, remains something I will remember, ponder, and dwell on this November 11th. We are complicated, something Gross portrayed masterfully.

Prank Call Levels Field

2008-11-02T01:03:00.000-07:00

The Master Avengers pulled off a master coupe in duping Palin:

This was perfectly timed as some people will likely become entranced with the immigration status of Obama's aunt, given the past fascination the media had with Wright. (Where was the coverage on Parsley?) I hope voters see the slight for what it is: another notch in McCain's negative campaign. I am sure there is some similar dirt in McCain's family that could have been released.

What's Next?

2008-11-01T22:48:00.000-07:00

Although my Halloween, pumpkins carved by my kids (pretty damn good job too), a bonfire, fireworks, and tequila, was nothing like that featured in the Martha Stewart Living that found its way into my house, the cover's title Everything you need for a bewitching Halloween got me thinking: Do I need a magazine telling me what I need? More to the point: Do I need anyone telling me what I need? However, this is so much the case. Consumers have gotten used to seeing Christmas ornaments in stores, fliers, and magazines before Halloween has passed. Stores used to at least wait until it was over. Now there is a consumer treadmill: Aug. 15 = Halloween, Oct. 15 = Christmas, Jan. 15 = Valentine's, Feb. 15 = Easter, Mar. 15 = Spring, May 15 = Summer, July 15 = Back to School. This is no joke, fliers for school supplies do appear in July. So it seems that North Americans can no longer live in the present and now pass through seasons of discontent, e.g., I can't enjoy a summer day at the beach I need to get my child ready for school. This constant motion in life seems to be more conducive to panic, although it may be an illusion since people would probably clock similar evacuation times to those of yesteryear. Hysteria (it rhymes so nice with Listeria) does seem to spread faster. Phrases, such as "live in the moment," "quality time," and "dial down" linger in these panic infused days and three would be terrorists can change what liquids can be carried on an airplane.

Since extemporaneous living, e.g., Gary Busey on Entourage, seems unfeasible, it's probably best just to think for oneself; that is, think about where stuff comes from and why? In Noam Chomsky vein, question everything. If you ever ask, "Do marketers really think I'll fall for this?", know they do. I should note that I am not (entirely) down on Martha Stewart Living, I enjoy and use their recipes; the features on dried bone marrow and cocktails in chemistry flasks were also redeeming. Hopefully we'll have had an Obamaween this time next year.

Obamageddon

2008-10-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Is Obamageddon the end of life as we know it? If it is, couldn't that be a good thing: no more war in Iraq or no more extraordinary rendition? I guess for the group that stated, "Saddam was like a boil that needed to be lanced," it wouldn't; instead Focus on the Family has released a Letter from 2012 in Obama's America. Although this is a serious attempt to stir up the Right, any validity is betrayed by their paranoia of homosexuality and abortion. A saner letter would focus on the benefits of universal healthcare, equality, not living in fear, peace treaties, and sustainable economic prosperity. Perhaps it is better to ask why the chicken crossed the road? and listen to Falwell's fabricated responses: "To get to a gay convention" or "That's why they call it the other side. Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken you will become gay, too."

I hope those who vote on Tuesday will realize that "This feast of beauty can intoxicate ..., just like the finest wine. Come on all you stumblers who believe love rules. Stand up and let it shine" (Cockburn, Mystery. 2006).

Rethinking the 3 Rs

2008-10-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

While watching the Bill Nye episode, Garbage, with my kids, I was struck by their inclusion of re-think with reduce, re-use, and recycle. 4 Rs are better than 3: even good products, such as the BigBelly Solar need to be rethought. This product holds the garbage of five cans, is clean and self contained, but offers no choice for recycling. Instead a similar product with multiple compartments for recyclables, biodegradables, and garbage could be used to divert waste from landfills. Only balanced thinking will balance equation of our consumption. Perspective can be gained by touring landfills with tomorrow's generation to see how they divert waste (paper bans) and capture leachate and methane. There's no easy path, but integrating disposal into a product's design makes sense. I again praise the efforts of RoHS and hope to see such standards spread through all industries.

Reckoner and Golden Fragments

2008-10-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

From the minute I bought the album, Reckoner has been of my favourites; Radiohead has now released each track of the song (guitar, bass, drum, etc ... ) separately, so you can mix your own track and upload it to their site. Some of the remixes are awesome, others hardly recognizable.

I seldom can pass up the release of "lost" recordings, whether they be basement tapes or others, and the Golden Unplugged Album was no exception. On the whole the recording quality is poor and better recordings could probably be found on fan sites; however, the album does have a few treasures. Satellite of Love not only shows off Bono's impressive falsetto range (I wonder if he can still hit them) and features the unyielding Lou Reed. Lucille and Lost Highway are fun country renditions, though Bono cannot traverse the genre of folk nearly so well; Stan Rogers would have done much better with the Springhill Mining Disaster. The crowd's refrain Sunday Bloody Sunday is heart-warming and Dancing Queen (with Bjorn and Benny of ABBA) is lots of fun. The fun continues with the trio of songs lead by a Larry Mullen Jr. who sounds like Joe Strummer. Overall this album is for the diehard fan and not one I will listen to often given its poor, and varied, sound quality.

Since their earliest collaborations Bela Fleck and Chick Corea have belonged together. Their musical intellects match, though for some listeners the experience can be like watching an Einstein at the chalkboard. The bright, cheery, staccato music they produce engenders the humour in their performance: they frequently dare each other to play first or outshine the other. This album also features one of my favourite Fleck songs, Sunset Road, a good listen for the sophisticate.

Algerian reflections

2008-10-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Perhaps McCain is "doing fine" despite a drop in the polls because he is counting on the Bradley, or Wilder, Effect; that is, he is hoping that the polls are out of sink with convictions, beliefs, and opinions. Although these effects have been broadly mentioned throughout the media, some counteract their conventional wisdom and Obama, himself, clearly understands that polls are fickle. McCain may also be confident because he knows that many voters are paralyzed by fear and that reason alone rarely prevails against it. McCain has done a good job of sidelining the major issues in a world that enjoys divesting risk through derivatives and hiding in ACDC's music. Palin made a gutsy and brilliant move by going on SNL and softening her image. However, some voters remain confused.

This would all be fine if we could hide from the $2.8T loss banks have suffered, the price of the Iraq War, and the moral degradation of sites, such as Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. We cannot. Consider this quote I gleaned from Dahr Jamail:

... for seven years, France has been a mad dog dragging a saucepan tied to its tail, everyday unaware that we have ruined, starved and massacred a nation of poor people to bring them to their knees. They remained standing. But at what a price! While the delegations were putting an end to the business, 2,400,000 Algerians remained in the slow death camps; we have killed more than a million of them ...
--Jean-Paul Sartre, "The Sleepwalkers," Les Temps Modernes, April 1962

Jamail, of course, freely amends this quote for Iraq: America for France, 4.7m for 2.4m and 1.2m for 1m. Although it will likely take a few more decades for the average voter to comprehend how we got here and how bad it was ( is), we do need change. It is not hype and cannot be for the worse.

Dialling Dylan

2008-10-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

Over the years Dylan's music has entwined itself in my life, so much so that I sometimes think of him as a distant relative; you know, the type of uncle or aunt that you see seldom, but that always seems to direct your life in some way or another. Dylan helped me process religious conversion and Blood on the Tracks brought me back from the despair of failed romances. He puts our pain, suffering and humiliation into a digestible form, yet, as a fan, he requires that you take him on his own terms. This is what so many missed when he turned electric. Thus, as soon RSS feed came on my screen that he was coming to Victoria, I went to bobdylan.com and got some tickets, five days before they went on sale at the local box office. The seats were good and so was the company, my brother-in-law, Jer; I was looking forward to this night.

Although I didn't enjoy all of his interpretations of the "classics" and the fact they were interpreted at all, I had to respect his choice: the master bard had a right to know better. All of this came to head when he finally moved away from the keyboard and picked up his guitar (actually when the roadie that so longed for stage-time gave it to him); the fans were munching on the few scraps they had been thrown, barely able to distinguish his playing on Just Like a Woman, when the song ended and they cheered for more. None came, not even one song during an encore; Dylan was once more difficult to pin down, an-iconic. Nevertheless, I didn't know any of the men in their late fifties that comprised his band and I wished for some frame of reference, so I yelled above the crowd to the die-hard fan in front of me who had been writing down a set list, "Wouldn't it be great if Robbie Robertson appeared on stage." The fan responded with some empathy, "You never know." You never do know, but the band had a solid vibe; if Dylan wasn't as well versed in the keyboard, that was o.k. It was good to commune with him once more.

Gold Nuggets

2008-10-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

I often wonder at Chance's machinations, how quick the beautiful can take up residence in one's being. Unfortunately, they often exit quicker than they entered, a quick gasp rather than a full breath. Fortunately, some stay and afford a modicum of stability. Recently, Chance struck while I researching my thesis chapter on groves; I found the book, Sacred Groves and Ravaged Gardens. The title held me at once, but the book is even more fascinating. It is Louise Westling's research on a handful of Southern writers. Look at how she begins the book, "When I was a young woman fresh out of college and sure my generation was going to correct the world's ills, my Kentucky grandmother, a model of the old-fashioned Southern lady, asked me if my friends and I believed in free love. That old term was far from our ideal of sexual equality and frankness ... That quaint idea made little sense to me for many years, though I puzzled about it as I tried to understand why the relations between men and women violated so many of my notions of cooperation" (ix).

The insights continue, "Yet nowhere else in American literature is there a group of accomplished women writers so closely bound together by regional qualities of setting, character, and time" (1). "If Welty celebrates womankind, Carson McCullers and Flannery O'Connor struggle against it" (5). "... he has performed the part of St. George by defeating a 'dragon' which threatened to kill Denis's heir--and, by implication, to violate some sacred family spirit. That dragon is also the intruding urban machine in the pastoral garden ..." (82-3).

She also includes some spectacular quotes and the breadth of her research is impressive:
A fair young body trampled to death--
This beautiful, glorious Lady of ours!
Bring spices and wine and all the spring's breath.
And bathe her with kisses and shroud her with flowers.

O breasts whose twin lilies are purpled with blood!
O face, whose twin roses with ashes are white!
O dead golden hair, at whose far splendor stood
Millions of true souls entranced with delight!
(Simms, Trampled to Death)

In a similar vein, the newly released, American and British Writers - The Spoken Word, appears to be an impressive collections that has received favourable reviews. These CD's contain audio clips from famous authors, including the only recordings of Virginia Woolf and Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Grim Reaper and Other Innovations

2008-10-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

Apple's recent letter, sent to threaten a local Victoria school over a trademark dispute, shows just how big corporate nets can be. Fortunately, for bloggers, they can now purchase libel insurance. The only downside, as with all insurance, is the cost of the premiums, which start at $500; however, this product not only legitimizes the blogging world, but also offers protection in it. (At what cost is the only question you must answer). Another similar move toward wider Internet distribution is CBS's decision to show archived content on YouTube. If you wish to watch a number of news broadcasts you can check out LiveStation, which regularly adds networks to its service. (Not all stations are available in every country, but it's a free service).

A very clever new book, worthy of occupying a spot next to the Geist Atlas, is The Grim Reaper's Road Map: An atlas of mortality in Britain. This tome maps how people died; that is, for each cause of death, the number of deaths is represented by a shade of colour. Thus, at a glance, you can determine in which neighbourhood (1,282 total) people are more likely to die of a heart attack or under the blade of a knife.

Grasping change

2008-10-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been packed with evidence that change is sweeping America: first, the release of September's donation figures, $150m (the previous record month was August with $65m; furthermore, 3.1m people donated in September and $50m has been raised so far in October); second, Colin Powell, breaking from his former master, Bush, and close friend, McCain, has endorsed Obama; and third, Obama not only went to Roanoke, the first Democratic Nominee since JFK in 1960, but also had thousands greeting him there. Nevertheless, Obama is no dummy and despite a strong campaign presence in other Republican strongholds, he has warned his supporters against getting cocky, "For those of you ... who support me and start reading the polls, I've just got two words for you, New Hampshire."

Final Debate

2008-10-16T02:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the last in a series of successful debates; I have really enjoyed the variety of format (standing, town hall, sitting) and the adaptive questioning, e.g., the negative campaign question, in these debates. Again in this debate McCain seemed to get mired in the mundane, while Obama rose above it. McCain's $300 billion plan sounds even weaker than when he introduced it in the last debate, which is apparent when he makes his rebuttal, "It doesn't help that person in their home if the next door neighbor's house is abandoned." Besides repeating his mantras, such as "Greed and excess" and "hurting and angry," McCain seemed out of touch. He repeatedly spoke of the American Dream, something which Obama realizes is now a pie-in-the-sky dream (and something that must be rebuilt), since the Bush years, rather than a dream to be realized by any immigrant. The result was that his mentions of Joe the plumber seemed irrelevant especially when Obama quipped, "He has been watching ads of Sen. McCain's." McCain constantly dealt out the low blows: Class warfare, Ayers, and ACORN. Obama was brilliant in his responses, e.g., "Even FOX News disputes it" and "I don't mind being attacked for the next three weeks." I have to take issue with McCain assertion that Biden was wrong regarding the Gulf War, for it is quite clear that Bush Sr. had given Saddam assurances that invading Kuwait was o.k.

Election 2008: What now?

2008-10-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Although some, mostly die-hard Harper supporters, argue that the extra 20 or so seats were worth the $350 million (a significant increase over the $277 million of 2006), it is difficult to determine if that is so. If you track the "progress" of the Reform Party>Canadian Alliance>Conservative party, a broader support base has surely been achieved; however, to think in such terms you have to be a proud supporter, a parent to the cause. In real terms, Western Canada, which used to be drowned out by the voices of Quebec and Ontario, has a greater voice since the 2006 election, but it is hard to make out what else the party is singing. This can clearly seen by the Conservative's campaign messages: they said that Dion had not changed his platform since the economic crisis, but had Harper? They said, "Don't take the risk" with Dion, but never stated what the status quo was; is it really about sweaters and kittens? So we ask, "What now?"

Will Harper be able to pass more legislation? No, he did just fine prior to the election. Instead, we will have to watch Baird embarrass us in places like Bali. We'll also watch Harper do whatever the U.S. president says; the only consolation is the huge leap in the polls by Obama, so there's less chance of a militant Harper. In Victoria, we'll have to hear about Lunn trying to place the blame on experts. As a side issue, I hope Lewis sees the folly of his decision not to back Penn, for Lunn got in for the fifth time without a majority. (Of course, some blame may be placed on Penn for abandoning the Greens in the first place, for many were hesitant to back a Liberal despite her track record). The biggest question is whether Harper will make a definable accomplishment. (After all, it's hard much the past surpluses have padded his economic performance). Will he really pass stiffer environmental regulations or just duck-and-run with Baird?

Technological encounters

2008-10-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Technology progresses so fast that many cannot catch up. For instance, the other day I was trying to explain the reasoning behind having 7000 songs on my iPod to a Luddite. In the end she said she was happy with her Walkman, or was it a Discman; however, she did dig my passion for music. She also liked the fact that you could play any song that came to mind instantly, match your mood to music, and be a DJ. For her, it was the task of organising them and the responsibility of listening to so much music frightened her. You got to respect that; I do spend quite a bit of time getting and organizing music. Although Pandora Radio, Last FM, and playlist makers help, iTunes on the computer (rather than the iPod) remains much more functional and intuitive, especially with Genius.

Second Presidential Debate

2008-10-07T23:47:00.000-07:00

McCain's opening statement that he would solve the economic crisis by buying up "the bad home-loan mortgages" sounded preposterous. What about prudent home-owners? or the already bankrupt? Where would the money come from? I think this was a tactical mistake, one which will probably negate the brilliance and poll gains of choosing Palin as a running-mate. I think the town-hall format actually worked against McCain, he seemed to forget that he had to impress many more people than were in the room. Furthermore, despite his familiarity with the setting, he couldn't refrain from high-browing and drumming "greed and excess," "bipartisanship," and "cronyism and special interest"(anyway, doesn't he mean Cheneyism?) into the audience. Also how can American workers be the "best importers"? McCain also failed because he provided no details on health care, rather he referred it to a commission because "we're talking about very complex and difficult issues." He did redeem himself at times with statements, such as, "one of them [programs with overspending] is defense spending."

Barack on the other hand rose above the fray, he did not shy away from prioritizing energy, Medicare, and entitlements and he rose above comments, such as, "You know, nailing down Senator Obama's various tax proposals is like nailing Jell-O to the wall." Obama stuck to the issues. Now the question is whether Americans will do the same. Timothy Garton Ash notes that Democrats score better on the economy (he cites Kinsley's post), but that "Americans are gripped by the politics of fear." McCain spoke of the need for the government to "give some trust and confidence back to America," but doesn't America need a dose of reality, out of which they can begin to hope rather than fear?

VP Victor

2008-10-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

The VP debate with its record ratings, viewers, and searches has sparked much analysis on who won: a few say Palin, based on the fact that she exceeded expectations while Biden just met them, and more, based on exit polls and speech content, say Biden. Nevertheless, the winner is Fey and SNL for their clever sketch:

With the gloves off, Tuesday's debate should be great.

Child Soldiers No More

2008-10-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

From the day the tickets went on sale, I have been looking forward to the concert Child Soldiers No More. The benefit began in the usual UVic fashion: a lesser faculty member introducing Turpin, who in turn introduced the guests of honour, Dallaire and Cockburn. As Turpin speeches go this one was pretty good and Mary Ellen Purkis, the dean of HSD, got much better as the night wore on. The show proper began with a short PowerPoint presentation, which provided some background on and heart wrenching photographs of child soldiers. When Dallaire made his entrance he received an exuberant standing ovation; his obvious discomfort with this display of recognition and appreciation made him all the more worthy of it.

He then outlined the history of the child soldier weapons system, and its capacity, which encompassed the roles of mine clearers, prostitutes, ambush decoys, front-line soldiers and messengers. 300,000 children are involved, many forcibly, in the world today; not only in Africa where their involvement is widely known, but also in countries like Colombia and the Philippines. He described its origins: how battle lines, rules of engagement, and defined enemies eroded after the Cold War. The horrors of war have become the horrors of humanity. Nevertheless, Dallaire sees the solution in the essence of humanity; only by recognizing the humanness of every human can we make progress. We can no longer categorize human suffering by their assets; we can no longer let the insecurity of one super power dictate the globe's actions. Old models, such as peace keeping, do not work in this world. Rather middle powers, such as Canada, who have no imperial aims can facilitate the Responsibility to Protect (R2P); furthermore, the empowerment of women and education can facilitate change. The most touching story, for me, was his account of the child soldier, who with a shaky trigger finger and the barrel of the gun in Dallaire's nose, released his finger from the trigger when he spied the candy bar in Dallaire's hand.

At first Cockburn's laid back demeanour and the bright opening bars of his first song, seemed incongruent with Dallaire's depiction of the world; his footnote about Flor de Caña being mistaken with Florida Canyons only deepened this misgiving. However, as his performance wore on, I soon realized that his banter was a gift and that this evening had an ebb and flow: the subject was too severe to absorb for three hours straight. I soon found myself immersed in his talent; yes, he still has his chops. Nice touches, such as his falsetto on Lovers in a Dangerous Time, also added to the evening, however, his passion for peace was never far away. Despite my enjoyment, I still had a nagging feeling that Dallaire wouldn't appear on stage with Cockburn, but this sensation was quieted by Cockburn's announcement, "Let us bring Dallaire, after all this is no ordinary evening." What ensued was fabulous; Dallaire recounted two stories while Cockburn provided background music. As Dallaire told his tale of seeing the same look in childless boy's eyes as in his own son's and another of the shame that had cloaked girls who were rape victims, I encountered the power of story. The cadence of his voice, which matched perfectly with Cockburn's lick, only lulled you enough to make the sting of the horror tolerable. Thanks to both these extraordinary people this issue is indelibly etched on the minds of many.

Debate Double Header

2008-10-03T00:39:00.000-07:00

I have been saturated by election fever, since Harper called an election. For me, it was a toss-up between watching the Vice Presidential Debate and the Leaders' Debate. After being spooked by Palin's radical leanings, I avoided her for a while; however, her "incident" with Zardari and interview with Couric won me back. Besides a role reversal of experience vs. lack, nothing spectacular happened for the nearly 70 million viewers. I did enjoy her barometer of the economy, soccer parents (I thought she would have plugged "moms" there) and introduction of "Hey, can I call you Joe?"

The Leaders' Debate, on the other hand, was dominated by May; on second thought, she didn't dominate as much as stand out. She wisely used the attention from the controversy of her inclusion in the debate to raise her profile and broaden her platform. I did enjoy Dion's pointed questions and comments to Harper, and to be fair Harper did well in responding to them. In addition, the debate was characterized by the good old fashioned Canadian technique of yelling over each other, which is absent from American debates.

Debate at U of M

2008-09-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

There was no decisive victor of Friday's debate, especially, in terms of composure, confidence, and craftiness. There was, however, greater differentiation in substance and tactics, ah ... , err, ... strategy. First, both have been pressured to speak in ways they're not comfortable with: Barack spoke twice of assassinating enemies and McCain about weaning America off of Middle Eastern oil. Second, McCain attacked much more than Obama's voting record. Third McCain's responses lacked substance, e.g., his rebuttal to universal healthcare: "I want the families to make decisions between themselves and their doctors. Not the federal government." As a citizen of Canada and intermittent user its health care system, I have never experienced nor heard of the government interfering in decisions between the patient and the doctor. McCain cannot be referring to abortion and euthanasia, since they are separate issues: the government interferes the same way in Canada as in the U.S., e.g., legislation and legal precedent.

Throughout he sounded like a broken record: "a new strategy," "a new strategy," "cut spending," "cut spending," "a maverick," "a maverick," "the surge," and "the surge." Other favourite McCain moments:

"I have a long record and the American people know me very well and that is independent and a maverick of the Senate and I'm happy to say that I've got a partner that's a good maverick along with me now."

"The next president of the United States is not going to have to address the issue as to whether we went into Iraq or not. The next president of the United States is going to have to decide how we leave, when we leave, and what we leave behind."

"There is social, economic progress, and a strategy, a strategy of going into an area, clearing and holding, and the people of the country then become allied with you. They inform on the bad guys. And peace comes to the country, and prosperity. That's what's happening in Iraq ...".

This quote sounds very much like Jack in season 2, episode 7 of 30 Rock, "Tracy, I don't have to understand their world in order to help them. It's like this great country of ours, we can go into any nation impose our values and make things better. It's what Bush is doing all over the globe."

My favourite Obama's response, "And, John, I -- you're absolutely right that presidents have to be prudent in what they say. But, you know, coming from you, who, you know, in the past has threatened extinction for North Korea and, you know, sung songs about bombing Iran, I don't know, you know, how credible that is. I think this is the right strategy."

Hopefully more voters will discern McCain's limited scope over the next two debates. Obama can make this readily apparent by referring to climate change and Bush's order to send special forces into Pakistan: "Now, you don't do that. You don't say that out loud. If you have to do things, you have to do things, and you work with the Pakistani government." Does he mean that as president you give the o.k.? At least Bush restrained himself when it came to Israel bombing Iran. In terms of McCain's numerous trips to Waziristan, Iraq, etc ..., what could he have actually gained from them? His observations were either made from a helicopter or through the shoulders of his body guards from within the Green Zone. McCain states, "... the consequences of defeat would have been increased Iranian influence. It would have been increase in sectarian violence. It would have been a wider war." Isn't this what has happened? Isn't this what numerous analysts warned about? McCain has to concede that victory may not be attainable and realize that admitting to a mistake and making reparations for it makes sense:

Extreme ways

2008-09-24T14:15:00.001-07:00

Since Gary Younge states, "Obama knows that at any moment he could be outed by anything from a preacher to a fist bump or a magazine cover," it is surprising that more has not been made of McCain's affiliation with Rod Parsley.

This extreme preacher spoke of America's "historical conflict with Islam" and has said that, "America was founded in part with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed." McCain has referred to this man as his mentor and has not severed his ties with him, yet where's the fuss in the media? Although Jeremiah Wright possesses the same furor as Parsley, his delusions seem trifling by comparison.

The Guardian maintains that the Bush administration "has moved away from the idea of a 'war on terror'" and that McCain alone is locked into a "monolithic view of an ultimate military victory that others have rightly discarded." This assertion makes McCain and Palin, who actually voices what Bush is thinking, even scarier. Consider Bush's speech at the UN, which, like his 2002 speech, outlines the progress made against terror and simplifies history: although Petraeus has distanced himself from the War on Terror, Bush seems very much to be still there. We need to gain some perspective; the world, which as Stuart McLean recently noted, "is a good place ... full of good people." If McCain is elected, North America and much of the world will not gain this perspective. I hope Obama can find the assertiveness and clarity he possessed in the 2004 debate to establish this fact: