Anthems of a 19 Year Old

Tegan and Sara AGAIN!

2005-02-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

WAAAHOOOO!!!

So as i clicked finished on my last post i checked out the T&S site only to see this post

"February 15, 2005

Just announced: Tegan and Sara will be opening for The Killers in April and May. Dates will be in both the US and Canada. More info will be posted soon."

WAAHOOO

could it be? Another possible chance that T&S could come to edmonton???? YES INDEEDY!!!!! Fingers crossed they stop in Edmonton again because that would be by far the best combo in the history or amazing combos!!!!!!!

did i mention "wahhooo" just when u thought me Tegan and Sara names on msn would be extinct... YOU thought TOO SOON!

-J

(possibly so excited AGAIN!!!!! Look at post below...)

T&S Concert & Flu

2005-02-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

"Sniff... Sniff... Cough... Wahoo"

Ahh long time no see. I gotta say I do still love my blog, it’s always there for yah even if you’ve neglected it... your few readers however... well the blog is still there though. Plus it doesn’t complain or ask for anything in return... except well id be pretty ticket is some blogger gave me a hideous layout with hearts and black and red font.

My neglect comes with a good excuse sickness – Tegan and Sara concert – sickness – sickness. A) people who go shopping when their sick should be shot. The only thing they do is spread their disease around. Working in retail I have to continually wash my hands worried that the countless sick people that into the store during flu season will spread their disease. They fondle the merchandise and peruse the shelves – do they ever buy anything? no. Why? Because they are sick, they don’t care about decorating their home, they are just so tired of being sick they get bored and think, HEY i’m healthy enough to leave me home... WRONG. You are not, stay at home, get the rest of your family sick, I don’t know you, and I don’t want your germs. So it’s inevitable with my endless hand scrubbing that I would get sick. I would however understand it if they were shopping because they needed to buy a present or some urgent reason why they would leave their homes, but that’s never the case. So to all you sick people who go to movies, and go shopping, or to a restaurant while your sick STOP it you selfish wank.

Moving on...

Tegan and Sara "Waahoo"

Last Wednesday was the Tegan and Sara concert at reds. It was fantastic it was the first time I had ever sent hem play live which is amazing because I have admired them since their hit “The First” got radio play. So Matt and myself trot out our houses around 5pm to go pick up the tickets that we ordered online months ago. When I got there the lady at ticket master said If I would have been a minute later my tickets would have been printed out at Reds, and given away to another customer... kind of a bullshit system if you think about it, and I still doubt that, that would be the case. So with the tickets in hand we headed to West Edmonton Mall only to look at the tickets to see the doors opened at 8pm. Since it was around 5:30 at the time I suggested we waited and went to Matt’s house to kill time there. Instead we went to the Mall thinking it would be better to kill time there... we were wrong. We ate yummy subs and then walked around mindlessly – since both Matt and I are broke it was a bit tedious. Now I really wish we went to Matt’s house just because walking around and then waiting in line only completely drained us of all energy (damn I’m getting old). We met some friends in line who were there and ahead in line (yes we butted I’m an ass get over it). We only had to wait about 30 minutes in line before they started to let people in. Little did we know reds went through the first 20 people in line and took their tickets ahead of time to stop people from budding sop when we got to the security the guy bumped us to the back of the line. So I was pissed right off, since the lined had progressed about 200 people back. So we waited about 30 more minutes again, by the time we made it back our other friends told us he took the tickets of the people behind us – so the guy was just having a power trip, and wanted to be an ass. That’s Red’s for yah.

The crowd in reds was pretty diverse, packed with teenage Emo kids and some older people around my age. So by this time I was getting pretty pumped, Reds played clips from America’s Funniest Home Video’s on their big screen while we waited, and finally Lindy came out to play. Now I don’t really understand why some band’s pick the openers they do. By rights an opener should get people pumped, not be too long, but long enough to expose their music and vibe to the crowd, entertain them for the time it takes to do so, and still get them pumped for the show ahead. Lindy did none of these things. There was little stage charisma, and their musical style seemed like wannabe Belle and Sebastian, the band itself spent more time looks at their instruments and the floor than conversing with the crowd. Their set seemed long and drawn out, leaving the crowd to converse with themselves and wonder when their suffering would end. Well, actually that’s been a little harsh; they weren’t horrible they just seemed like one of those bands that would be better via CD. SO by the time they were done, I was completely drained, having been standing for 4 hours now, and being old and sick. It was pretty neat to see both Tegan and Sara come out to watch Lindy play their set. I was so surprised to see how short they both were, which only made them look more cute. Plus you could completely get the vibe that they don’t think their huge celebrities with ego, they had no problem coming out to watch their opener. So once they got on set all my tiredness and aches went away and was replaced with musical bliss. All I have to say is wow. I was so happily surprised at how great they sounded live, even better than they do on album. They seem to be able to play anything from electric guitar to keyboards and acoustic. Both the twins switched in and out during their set between instruments. Reds however has some sound issues and their techies had some mic issues, so the fact that they sounded amazing over all that I was extremely impressed. They carried themselves on stage with perfection. They have immense charisma with their band mates and themselves. Plus they carry and aura towards their fans that they are truly grateful for the support and had mentioned many times throughout the show that, that was indeed the case. Apparently that show was the biggest crowd they had played too that was just them headlining, which I thought was pretty neat. I also thought it was pretty cool when someone yelled out a song request from the crowd and mentioned it was their Birthday, so Tegan got everyone in the crowd to yell happy birthday until she saw everyone yell. Comparing them to other female artists I had seen live they treat each and every fan as if they would treat a friend, they have absolutely no ego, which makes their live shows quite enjoyable. Especially because you don’t need all that crap, you don’t need rehearsed “talking to the crowd bits” they talked naturally, and once they played you saw their passion for the music which must be so hard to do night after night playing the same songs. They do it in a way that you believe that they make music that they love, and it makes u love it even more. I would love to see what a cd with the production quality that Jennifer Lopez gets staring T&S because their live range was amazing, and it just doesn’t show on their albums.

Their set was a mix of new and old, with quite a variety. They also finished the show with a song I had never heard before which was a treat. All in all I give it a 5 star show. not only am I thankful I got the chance to see them live, but also that there is someone out there so talented that actually has a fan base that allows them to make music. They are only going to get bigger and bigger, whether or not they ever make a huge success in the Much Music world. Go see them now. Check out their site for the rest of Canadian tour dates, and get all your friends to go with.

Official Site

ps. “I told u so” – Grammy awards (friggin U2)

-J

Gone, FANITO, good-bye

2005-01-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

"Did you get your hair cut??"

There's something missing and i can't quite put my finger on it...

Well actually i can, i got rid of the Reviews section on the side bars. Frankly i hadn't done a review in forever and everytime i clicked on my site seeing it look like i never update BUT i do!! There are countless cd's and movies ive seen/heard since Spiderman 2 and Bjork which never really went up. Mainly because reviewing is kind of an asshole thing to do. There are so many cd's i love and i think thats all there should be said and all the cd's that are crap well it isn't my place to say. Music is different for everyone, some people breathe it in like air, and others well use it for background noise. So to critique music for everyone is as a whole is insulting.

Also the style column will also be gone, i love fashion but honestly is kind of lame. :)

-J

Awards Awards Awards

2005-01-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

Tis the season to watch award shows

The nominees were just released for the 77th annual Academy Awards.. so get you movie bug in gear and your popcorn popped.

This year my hype for such things have been pretty... well under whelmed. I watched some of the Globes but found all the glamour and happy shiny people accepting awards to be very boring. There hasn’t really been a film this year that I’ve been excited about... other than Incredibles and Harry Potter (just lost all credibility right there didn’t I?)

And anyone else surprised that Fahrenheit 9/11 got snubbed? However 2003 released Tupac Resurrection got a nod? A big Congrats to Morgan Spurlock for Super Size Me. J

Amoung other things I love Jim Carrey, the guy has so much talent yet never gets noted, and you always see him sitting their in his suit and tie. The guy hasn’t won a damn thing, and I find it extremely frustrating, mostly because I thought Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind would get him his recognition he richly deserves.... AHhhh BUT he’s Canadian... those wanks don’t need awards. Plus Ace Ventura and Dumb and Dumber the guy has at least 12 more movies to go to work that heart burn off.

NOMINATION COUNT
11 - The Aviator
7 - Finding Neverland, Million Dollar Baby
6 - Ray
5 - Sideways
4 - The Incredibles, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
3 - Hotel Rwanda, The Passion of the Christ, The Phantom of the Opera, The Polar Express, Spider-Man 2, Vera Drake
2 - The Chorus, Closer, Collateral, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Motorcycle Diaries, The Sea Inside, Shrek 2, A Very Long Engagement
1 – As It Is In Heaven, Before Sunset, Being Julia, Born Into Brothels, Downfall, House of Flying Daggers, I Robot, Kinsey, Maria Full of Grace, Shark Tale, The Story of the Weeping Camel, Super Size Me, Troy, Tupac Resurrection, Twist of Faith, The Village, Yesterday

STUDIO COUNT
20 - Miramax
13 - Warner Bros.
6 – Fine Line, Fox Searchlight, Universal
5 – Buena Vista, Columbia, Dreamworks, Paramount
4 - Focus
3 – MGM, Newmarket, Warner Independent
2 - Sony Classics1 – Fox0 – New Line

Moving on...

Tis the season to throw popcorn at your television

This is my yearly routine... put off looking at the Grammy nominees till last minute so my hopes that the awards actually stand for something are shattered slowly. Watch the awards get pissed off by the second award change the channel – but just like watching reality TV (plastic surgery birth stories ohh my) you can’t help but watch. Like open heart surgery, you can’t help yourself even though it hurts like a bitch. So I watch then i'm pissed for the next three days, forcing my friends to hear countless rants about how even the industry who pumps out the garbage and mass produced ass of music are so full of themselves they need an award show to proclaim there greediness worldwide. yet somehow down the line the name “Grammy” started to mean something... weird.

So here’s my two cents....

First Off to bat...

Song Of The Year (A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

Daughters
John Mayer, songwriter (John Mayer)Track from: Heavier Things[Aware Records/Columbia; Publishers: Sony/ATV Tunes/Specific Harm Music.]

If I Ain't Got You
Alicia Keys, songwriter (Alicia Keys)Track from: The Diary Of Alicia Keys[J Records; Publishers: Lellow Productions/EMI Music Publishing.]

Jesus Walks
Miri Ben Ari, C. Smith & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West)Track from: The College Dropout[Roc-A-Fella Records; Publishers: Konman Entertainment/Gimme My Publishing Co./Hip Hop Since 1978 & Mapleshade Productions.]

Live Like You Were Dying
Tim Nichols & Craig Wiseman, songwriters (Tim McGraw)Track from: Live Like You Were Dying[Curb Records; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing/Big Loud Shirt.]

The Reason
Daniel Estrin & Douglas Robb, songwriters (Hoobastank)Track from: The Reason[Island Records; Publisher: Spread Your Cheeks And Push Out The Music.]
____________________________________

WTF is Hoobastank doing on this list... someone please clarify this for me. I get it, put the ROCK EDGE on the list, but a) Canadian b) Canadian c)BAD CANADIAN!!!!!!!!!! This friggin song is like shoving needles in my heard that are labeled “needles” just so as I don’t get confused. Kanye west I get, he went out there made a rap song that didn’t involve ass shaking, and money, and has made an intelligent rap album... Alicia keys, she has that vibe that the Grammy’s love she’s pop soul. Also John Mayer, a decent talent for popular music just enough under the radar to be credible but just under to be expected. Tim McGraw the country vote. We’ve hit then all country, rap, R&B, Pop... but where the fuck is ROCK? Even with my hatred of Linkin Park they would be more suitable.

Not a lot of surprises otherwise, a lot of NO Doubt and Kanye West, the sappy nods to Ray Charles and Norah Jones (Old school flavor of the month). I'm actually pretty surprised to see Bjork on the list at all for best female vocals, and of course she will lose to Norah Jones or Gwen Stefani.
____________________________________

Best Hard Rock Performance (For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)

Megalomaniac
IncubusTrack from: A Crow Left Of The Murder[Epic/Immortal]

Some Kind Of Monster
MetallicaTrack from: Some Kind Of Monster[Elektra Records]

Feelin' Way Too Damn Good
NickelbackTrack from: The Long Road[Roadrunner Records]

Duality
SlipknotTrack from: Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)[Roadrunner Records]
SlitherVelvet Revolver[RCA]
____________________________________

The only person close to be deserving on this list is Incubus. This is what I find so annoying about this award show, they do not congratulate people who are out there making original music. They play it safe, and HONESTLY what the hell is Nickleback doing on that list. Like I can think of countless people out there making better rock music, Matt Good, Metric, Strokes, HIVES WHERE ARE THE HIVES???
____________________________________

Best Rock Song (A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Rock, Hard Rock & Metal songs. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)

American Idiot
Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool, songwriters (Green Day)Track from: American Idiot[Reprise Records; Publishers: WB Music Corp. & Green Daze Music.]

Fall To Pieces
Duff, Dave Kushner, Slash, Matt Sorum & Scott Weiland, songwriters (Velvet Revolver)Track from: Contraband[RCA; Publishers: Velvet Revolver Songs, Slash & Cash Publishing.]

Float On
Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci, Eric Judy & Benjamin Weikel, songwriters (Modest Mouse)Track from: Good News For People Who Love Bad News[Epic Records; Publishers: Ugly Casanova, Tschudi Music & The Best Dressed Chicken In Town.]

Somebody Told Me
Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer & Ronnie Vannucci, songwriters (The Killers)Track from: Hot Fuss[Island Records; Publisher: The Killers Publishing.]

Vertigo
Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge & Larry Mullen, songwriters (U2)[Interscope Records; Publisher: Universal Polygram International Publishing.]
____________________________________

Best Rock Album
(Vocal or Instrumental. Includes Hard Rock and Metal.)

The Delivery Man
Elvis Costello & The Imposters[Lost Highway Records]

American Idiot
Green Day[Reprise Records]

The Reason
Hoobastank[Island Records]

Hot Fuss
The Killers[Island Records]

Contraband
Velvet Revolver[RCA Records]
____________________________________

I’m really pulling for Green Day or the Killers. Velvet Revolve is a joke, as is Hoobastank, all very unoriginal and underwhelming. So as my hopes go out to Modest Mouse I know full well that U2 will take it.

____________________________________
Best Alternative Music Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)

Medulla
Björk[Elektra/Atlantic]

Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand[Domino Recording Co.]

Uh Huh Her
PJ Harvey[Island Records]

Good News For People Who Love Bad News
Modest Mouse[Epic Records]

A Ghost Is Born
Wilco[Nonesuch Records]
____________________________________

This being the last nod to alternative/rock music... which compared to how many awards there are for Rap/R&B/Pop in comparison it’s really a shame. So I ask, why can’t Franz Ferdinand be best rock friendly? Or Even the Strokes(granted their album was out last year). With so much talent out there, this list makes North America look like a sham. BUT HEY at least they arent as bad as the JUNOS!

On a side Oscar note, check out efilm critics contest... pick the winniers get some DVD's.

So there yah go, feel free to send me your angry e-mails "HOOBISTANK IS COOL YOU JUST STUPID*

ahem.

-J

A mix bag- Global Warming, Sreet walkers, and apologies.

2005-01-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hang your Head in Shame

So Sorry I haven’t posted in a while I’ve been in one of those blogging slumps. Everything going on in pop culture and news has gotten me either very enraged (abuse trial) so much so that any post I would make would end up sounding like...

“DAMN MILLITARY BASTARDS!!!! They step in line when its time for the killin but not the blame! GGRAAARR!!!”

It’s kind of funny because Christmas is the best time for bloggers, that’s when the hits are high and the readers and posts are popping up lefts and right. So you find yourself with a whole new sack of readers, who if your lucky save your address in their favorites. So once January comes around they may check your blog every week or so, but 80% of the time people lose the blogging spirit around this time. So people soon delete you off their links as they think “lazy wanker!” SO I am fighting the urge to succumb the curse of the new blog.

Linkage

So here’s some interesting linkage for yah Simon Hoegsberg's latest project. Over three months he stopped 150 strangers and asked them what they were thinking the second before he stopped them. The website posts 55 of those people and thier photographs. All of the quotes are taken directly from the interview, and the interviews took place in New York, Denmark, and Copenhagen. I thought it wad quite the interesting read. You can really get a sense of the persons comfort level and you can tell they are caught off guard which makes them more willing to speak openly. Plus it makes me think of walking downtown Edmonton with my Ipod, and your brain starts thinking the most mundane, and out there things. An interesting read.

Global Warming

No this isn’t a rant where I debate whether or not my generation will see the end of the world due to global warming. An international team of scientists have been doing a study to find the effects of the “Great Dying” with theories and evidence proving that it may have been caused from global warming.

With global warming being on everyone's minds lately, it doesn't surprise me that this theory is being explored.

Anywho that is all for now. Big hugs to all the readers.

-J

quizes quizes quizes

2005-01-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

Time to kick in the hardcore quizzing... Well soft core yet amusing nonetheless.

You Are a Pundit Blogger!

Your blog is smart, insightful, and always a quality read.
Truly appreciated by many, surpassed by only a few.

What kind of blogger are you?

*blush* WELL it's not like that is entirely OFF... hahaha, im just kidding. I do have to admit just like chocolate, sex and the city, and cocaine addicts of the world im a bit of a druggie for quizzes. Ever been curious what animal u were in another life, PROBLEM solved emode/tickle is at your side. Hey don't let that stop u there, what about your friendly feline, possibly a famous opera singer in the last life....

___________________________________________________

"pundit noun {C} -
a person who knows a lot about a particular subject
and is therefore often asked to give an opinion about it:
- a
political/foreign-policy/sports pundit"

___________________________________________________

Sooo i had to look it up, scholar doesn't mean smart right?... Just the willingness to want to be smart, a devotion to the book of confuddlement.

-J

Fiona Apple

2005-01-06T01:44:00.000-07:00

Extraordinarily stupid Sony

The wait has indeed been too long, Fiona Apple has a fan base that spans the world, all who admire her strength, and musical talent. Not only is her music brilliant but she is one of the last females in the music industry who are smart and live for music. Her last two albums went platinum, and her fourth release is being anticipated like a plump pregnant woman wait to get the bun out of the oven. Since 2003 we've been promised her next album, and it looks like we will never. Sony has reported that they have shelved Fiona's album because it isn't radio friendly. Sony has also remarked in saying that there isn't a visible single on the album. Fan Dave Muscato has started the ?Free Fiona? campaign to petition Sony to put out the record. Muscato launched the http://www.freefiona.com/ website and so far has gathered more than 13,000 signatures protesting the non-appearance of the album.

This is what happens in the music industry tallent gets shelved so that the teeny boppers who are imitated the tallent can get out thier tricycle and be made into whores. No worries though make-up and computers can hide the pure neglect and ignorance of labels. So he musically starved people of the world look deeper, or fade away proclaiming the 70's were god, and the new age of music to symbolise our demise for quality.

annoyed -J

Donations

2005-01-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

No Time Like the Present

The Canadian government has decided to double its relief assistance toTsunami relief to a whopping $80 million dollars.

Which makes me proud to be a Canadian, but think of this...

Canada has the population of 32,207,113 (July 2003 est.) people, so thats about $2.50 per Canadian.

The Canadian Red Cross has so far received an unbelievable $34 million dollars in donations. That's over $1 dollar per Canadian in private donations.

So if your one of the Canadians who hasnt yet donated, im possitive u can spare 20, dollars out of your pocket. Maybe instead of going out for lunch, or buying that DVD, you could put it to some real good. Cause think, what if everyone gave a little.....

Canadian Red Cross

Unicef

SEA-EAT Blog Great For information on the crisis

-J

Top Albums of 2004

2004-12-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

"Ohhh dear god it can't be!!!!!"

NOT another blogger posting their pretentious TOP albums of the year list... I know your saying to your saying to yourself, "BUT where are the credentials, their is so much music how could u possibly have heard it all the music out there to make a valid list!!!!!! THE INSANITY!!!" ... well you may be saying something close to that. So instead of a "TOP" albums of the year, here's a list of some of CD's that I've been quite fond of in the last year. Some you may have heard already, some not.

In no particular order

A Girl Called Eddy - A Girl Called Eddy

Tegan and Sara - So Jealous

The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives

Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News

Bjork - Medulla

Zero 7 - When It Falls

Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand

K-Os - Joyful Rebellion

Alright, so thats the list. Im extremely in love with both the Bjork cd and the newest Tegan and Sara album. I know alot of people may be groaning at the Franz Ferdinand mention, however the great success of the album and the whole sellling out/one hit wonder talk is extremely overdone. It's a great cd, and never has a dull moment. Lets hope it doesn't get to thier head.

Looking at the list now, alot of the artists aren't new to the scene, most of which are on thier third or forth album, and have never been this good. So third album curse be-damned. So color me pumped for the upcomming year. Things like new Mars Volta, and Bright Eyes, and Fiona Apple, all signs that my ipod will be very full in the year to come.

-J

ps. as allways all spelling mistakes are entirely intentional. :)

Merry Christmas Pictures

2004-12-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL

A little Christmas treat.

Life moves so fast, so take a second to enjoy it.

To everyone thank-you for reading, and i hope your holliday is filled with all of the above.

-J

ps. excuse the warpedness of the pictures main reason i'm re-doing the blog - no room

Comic "Patches"

2004-12-23T01:13:00.000-07:00

The results of boredom and blog searching.

woo doggy.

-J

New York Kids & HIV

2004-12-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

In my recent internet wonderings i came across this article on BBC's web site.

As Jacklyn would later discover, those who tried to take the children off the drugs risked losing them into care. The BBC asked the Alliance for Human Research Protection about their view on the drug trials.

GUINEA PIG KIDS Tuesday, 30 November, 2004 1930 GMT on BBC Two (UK) Spokesperson Vera Sherav said: "They tested these highly experimental drugs. Why didn't they provide the children with the current best treatment? That's the question we have. "Why did they expose them to risk and pain, when they were helpless? "Would they have done those experiments with their own children? I doubt it."

Power and authority When I first heard the story of the "guinea pig kids", I instinctively refused to believe that it could be happening in any civilised country, particularly the United States, where the propensity for legal action normally ensures a high level of protection. But that, as I was to discover, was central to the choice of location and subjects, because to be free in New York City, you need money. I've had many ACS case workers tell me: 'We're ACS, we can do whatever we want' David Lansner, family lawyer Over 23,000 of the city's children are either in foster care or independent homes run mostly by religious organisations on behalf of the local authorities and almost 99% are black or hispanic.

Some of these kids come from "crack" mothers and have been infected with the HIV virus. For over a decade, this became the target group for experimentation involving cocktails of toxic drugs. Central to this story is the city's child welfare department, the Administration for Children's Services (ACS). The ACS, as it is known, was granted far-reaching powers in the 1990s by then-Republican Mayor Rudi Giuliani, after a particularly horrific child killing. Within the shortest of periods, literally thousands of children were being rounded up and placed in foster care.

"They're essentially out of control," said family lawyer David Lansner. "I've had many ACS case workers tell me: 'We're ACS, we can do whatever we want' and they usually get away with it." Having taken children into care, the ACS was now, effectively, their parent and could do just about anything it wished with them.

'Serious side-effects' One of the homes to which HIV positive children were taken was the Incarnation Children's Center, a large, expensively refurbished red-bricked building set back from the sidewalk in a busy Harlem street. It is owned by the Catholic church and when we attempted to talk to officials at Incarnation we were referred to an equally expensive Manhattan public relations company, which then refused to comment on activities within the home.

Dr Rasnick is internationally renowned for his work on numerous diseases, including cancer Hardly surprising, when we already knew that highly controversial and secretive drug experiments had been conducted on orphans and foster children as young as three months old. We asked Dr David Rasnick, visiting scholar at the University of Berkeley, for his opinion on some of the experiments. He said: "We're talking about serious, serious side-effects. These children are going to be absolutely miserable.

They're going to have cramps, diarrhoea and their joints are going to swell up. They're going to roll around the ground and you can't touch them." He went on to describe some of the drugs - supplied by major drug manufacturers including Glaxo SmithKline - as "lethal". When approached by the BBC, Glaxo SmithKline said such trials must have stringent standards and be conducted strictly in accordance with local regulations. Battle of wills At Incarnation, if a child refused to take the medicines offered, he or she was force-fed through a peg-tube inserted into the stomach.

Critics of the trials say children should have been volunteered to test drugs by their parents. Regina Mousa's grandson (left) is HIV positive and in a foster home When Jacklyn Hoerger later fostered two children from the home where she used to work with a view to adopting them, she discovered just how powerful the ACS was. "It was a Saturday morning and they had come a few times unannounced," she said. "So when I opened the door I invited them in and they said that this wasn't a happy visit. At that point they told me that they were taking the children away. I was in shock."

Jacklyn, a trained paediatric nurse, had taken the fatal step of taking the children off the drugs, which had resulted in an immediate boost to their health and happiness. As a result she was branded a child abuser in court. She has not been allowed to see the children since.

In the film Guinea Pig Kids, we follow Jacklyn's story and that of other parents or guardians who fear for the lives of their loved ones. We talk to a child who spent years on drugs programmes which made them and their friends ill, and we discover that Incarnation is not an isolated case. The experiments continue to be carried out on the poor children of New York City.

_______________________________________________

This amoung many other reansons is why i am glad i dont live in the states anymore. I couldnt believe it at first that people could do this, in a world where people are believed to be free.

Makes me very sad and angry, especially the fact that most of these children are the poor racial kids around the corner.

-J

The History of :Vinyl

2004-12-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

So Blade and everyone are probably going to kill me, but since i will no logner be 19, in about 2 weeks or so, i thought it was time to change up the blog. On my search i came upon this article on BBC's web site on vynel that i summerized key points and i thought i'd share.

A History Vinyl

1877-Self taught success story Thomas Edison is experimenting with a new telegraph devise when he accidentally runs indented tin foil under a stylus. The resulting speech like noise encourages him to develop an instrument that can both record and reproduce sound. By the end of the year Edison has produced the first working phonograph able to 'store' and playback sound.

1881 Charles Tainter at the Volta Lab makes the first lateral-cut records, but without any apparatus to play them back.

1888 Emile Berliner a German immigrant to the States invents the gramophone which used a 7 inch disc which was manually turned at around 30 rpm and had about a 2 minute record capability. The discs are made by a process that involves acid engraving onto a zinc master, the Groove is a laterally cut spiral on one side only. The advantage that the disc has over the cylinder is that it is possible to mass-produce a hard rubber record from the original press

1889 The Columbia Phonograph Co. is set up as one of the thirty three franchises to lease graphophones to businesses. With little success they decide to record music and lease them to fairgrounds, where they became immensely popular as the first nickel juke boxes.

1890 The first nickel "juke boxes" help keep the recorded music industry alive during the depression years. Some cylinders have multiple listening tubes coming out of them and were so popular they took huge amounts of money.1894 Emile Berliner's new US Gramophone Company make and sell 1000 machines electric-powered and hand-powered and sold 25,000 records.1894 Guglielmo Marconi invents the spark transmitter with antenna (radio) in his hometown of Bologna, Italy.1895 Edison begins mass production of the phonograph and its cylinders, and updates the original design by adding an amplifying horn to increase the sound output.

1904 The first double-sided discs became available to the public.1906 The "Victrola" is bought onto the market and becomes the best selling and most influential record player of its time.1909 The "Nutcracker Suite" by Tchaikovsky is recorded on 4 double-sided discs and sold as a complete package. This becomes known as an album because of its resemblance to a photographic album.

1913 Edison releases his Diamond-Disc players and recordings.1916 Theodore Case starts to develop a sound-on-film recording system for motion pictures.1917 The first "Jazz" record "Livery Stable Blues" is recorded by the ODJB Original Dixieland Jass Band from New Orleans.

1920 KDKA becomes the first commercial radio station.1921 Sales of records begin to decline as a direct result of radio.1921 Independent record companies win the right to make lateral cut records, a technique previously owned by Victor.1925 Electrical amplification is introduced for recording and playback. Developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories the technology is sold under licence and allows the recording of a much larger frequency range.

1927 The jukebox was introduced by the Automatic Music Instrument Co.

1928 the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) buys out the Victor Talking Machine Company to form RCA Victor and converts many of the record factories into radio production houses1929 RCA began making 33 1/3 rpm "transcription" discs of vinyl "Vitrolac" for the use of radio station pre records

1930 Widespread radio broadcast causes a decline in the manufacture of records as radio delivers free music

1931 Alan Blumlein develops the "binaural" (stereo) recording at Bell Telephone laboratories1921 Thomas Edison the inventor of recorded sound dies

1940 Production of records halted by the advent of World War II and the lack of shellac due to the invasion of South East Asia by the Japanese.The replacement of the base material was discovered from a plastic resin derivative of petroleum called vinyl

1940s The first DJs emerge as entertainers for troops overseas. During WWII, persons armed with a turntable, a pile of records, and a basic amplifier would entertain troops in mess halls, spinning Glen Miller, the Andrews Sisters, and Benny Goodman. It was much easier than sending an entire band overseas1943 The first V-Discs were shipped from the RCA Victor pressing plan
t in Camden, New Jersey

1949 Todd Storz from the KOWH radio station sets up a Top 40

1951 First Jukebox able to play 7 inch 45 rpm records

1956 The Chrysler Imperial in-car turntable 16-2/3 rpm record player with 7-inch ultramicrogroove records developed by Peter Goldmark - the man who invented the 33-1/3 rpm long playing (LP) record format

1958 RCA introduces its first stereo LPs

1961 EMI sign The Beatles

1964 Record sales in the UK up 60% on 1960

By 1960 the golden age of vinyl had arrived. The shellac 78 was, by now, virtually defunct and the LP and single formats, supported by affordable turntables, amplifiers and loudspeakers were working well in the marketplace. The consolidation of dependable sound reproduction in the home and a burgeoning youth market meant that record presses were working overtime to keep up with demand. However the classical market, having led the way in the new binaural stereo market, had begun to decline. It was time for the youth market to take advantage of the technological advances and move them a few steps forward.

________________________________

The first music is put on record: cornetist Jules Levy plays "Yankee Doodle." Inspired by a visit to Thomas Edison's laboratories in Menlo Park, New Jersey, a prominent American mechanical engineer named Oberlin Smith conceived the idea of recording the electrical signals produced by the telephone onto a steel wire. Elvis Presley born 8th January 1935 and died in 1977 after selling 41 million albums, recording 107 Top 40 hit songs, while making 33 movies. Bing Crosby who also died in 1977 recorded 1600 hit songs, sold 500 million records and made 61 movies.

We've come a long way, has all this technology improved our sense of sound technology, and has the music industry changed. Many people complain over how artists have been turned into products and the spectrum of talent is drifting, but to some extent it ahs always been a business about making money from music. Not the other way around. Speaking of vinyl i had read somewhere that when the White Stripes released their last album to critics they released it on vinyl first proclaiming that any reviewer that doesn't own a player shouldn’t be credible enough to review their album. That and it makes stealing music and putting it on the net much harder. Anyway, as far as long ass posts go this has to be one of the biggest yet, i swear im trying to trim them down.

-J

fast food

2004-12-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

Fast Fat

So i recently got food poisoning from a local pizza place which has to be one of the worst feelings I've had to date. Not only are you huddled by a toilet like a drug addict, but the aches, and throbbing, and dizziness all of which make for an extremely unpleasant 48 hours. It's no surprise to me, and it seems everyone I talk too, has had the same sickness at least once in their lifetime. So it's come to be expected, frankly im just sick of it entirely. Sick of the gross feeling you get after you bite into that McChiken, or even Taco Bell. I've never been big into fast food, and i guilt trip myself after eating it, so i went on a fast food search. Prevention.com has an interesting article about what's good and bad in fast food. We're leaning more and more into the healthy side of fast food, but even most restaurants healthy choices way heavy on the heart. So not only are we subjecting ourselves to food which we have no idea what is in it, but we're also subjecting ourselves to fact that it may not be as clean as we would like to think. So really, fast and cheap has it's drawbacks, making me think less and less about what's convenient and more about what's smart.

As I was looking and reading what I could find on fast food I came across this site. It's hard to tell if it's funny or really disturbing. So within the last 2 days i've heard from people the word Mcdonalds, Wendys, Quizno's, and Pizza Hut many times each, which only makes me think, just make it at home. At least if you get sick from something you made you know who's hands touched it, and why.

-J

ps. It's never easy being cheesy

HIV

2004-12-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Alright, well i came upon this article, and was instantly saddened by it. In my last art class we were discussing people who are in love and decide to get a tattoo of their lovers name on their arm. We laughed at the stupidity of people, and how people can never truly understand, or can see through love. We believe three things, that love is pain, the Romeo and Juliet stigma that true love is pain, and sacrifice. Or we believe that it doesn't exist, that love is a fairy tale that only the truly dillusional believe. Then there are the believers, who live it to the core, and think that once you find it, it's like neverending joy.

The Modern Day Romeo and Juliet

As Govt ponders making HIV tests a must before marriage, one woman has taken the plunge - eyes wide open

BROUGHT together by a mutual friend four years ago, Siti had no idea she would fall so madly in love with Adam (not their real names).

She did not know then that she would eventually marry him. Two years later, she decided to marry him and have unprotected sex - despite knowing that he was HIV-positive.

Never mind if it was like making a suicide pact. Perhaps it was his honesty which moved her. She was prepared to contract the virus.

Why?

'I didn't want him to feel he was different or any lower than me. I wanted to share his suffering. There was already a lot of stigma attached HIV sufferers out there...

'It would be different if I was tricked into this. But I did it knowing full well all the consequences.
'And I'm very proud and happy that my husband has been truthful to me all this while,' Siti told The New Paper on Sunday.

Said Adam: 'At that time, I didn't know better. And she told me that she accepted me, and wanted to share everything with me, even my suffering.'

He added that it was a mutual decision to have unprotected sex. The possibility of her becoming pregnant or of their children becoming infected was not considered.

She was diagnosed HIV-positive last year. Yet, you won't find much regret in Siti, as she happily recounted their romance.

Read On...

____________________________________________

Stupidity? Moral? Legal? Love? All things popping into my head right now. First of all, was this woman plainly stupid, did she willingly go into this as a suicide. It could be that she got so caught up in the romance that all reason left her. Was it morally right for her husband to allow this? Should government get involved putting restrictions on people, many countries consider having unprotected sex with someone infected with HIV suicide. But frankly this isn't romantic, her life is not only going to be shortened by this, but it effects her friends and family. Not only considering if the marriage lasts, there is going to be countless side effects form the disease.

Foolishness, in my eyes. Romeo and Juliet were teenagers. These people are not.

-J

Art - Cheese - Laptops

2004-12-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

Another post.. already, ohhh so sue me im addicted. Actually i was checking out my usual sites when i ran across this story.

Secrets in Paint: Chemist finds ground glass in Renaissance works

PARIS - Ground glass may have been the secret material employed by European Renaissance painters to create colours of remarkable brightness and translucence.

Barbara Berrie, a chemist working for Washington's National Gallery of Art, made the discovery while analyzing three paintings by 16th century Italian masters: St. Catherine by Lorenzo Lotto, The Alba Madonna by Raphael and Christ at the Sea of Galilee by Tintoretto.

After harmlessly scanning the paintings under an electron microscope, Berrie discovered clusters of silicon, oxygen, sodium, calcium and aluminum ? all indicative of glass particles.
She discerned small quantities of the glass in a translucent green paint and two kinds of yellow paint used by all three artists.
While art historians knew that smalt blue was made of ground cobalt glass, this discovery shows that artists added it to a much wider range of tints. The find expands the scarce knowledge experts have about the actual techniques of the Renaissance artists.

Berrie's findings will be published in the Dec. 11 issue of New Scientist, the British science and technology weekly.
Written by CBC News Online staff

It's interesting to me the fact that glass was widely used in paint, and even more so the extent that artists used everything they had in order to achieve color. My guess being possibly the glass reflects light more, only adding to the illusion where needed. I am so intrigued by it, i plan on researching more into it. So look for a more indepth blog in the future retaining to this subject.

“You’re a godsend, a saviour.” “No, I’m a postman.”

There are some things you wish and prey you could forget, George Bush's re-election, Hot pants, and Leonardo Dicaprios infamous scene in Titanic with him shouting the phrase “I’m the king of the world!” A lot of our pop culture being derived from music, movies, television it seems only fitting that we see a poll contrived by 2000 British filmgoers rating the worst of the worst.

Bring on the Cheese.

Top 10 cheesiest lines in film:
1. Titanic – “I’m the king of the world!” (Leonardo DiCaprio)
2. Dirty Dancing – “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” (Patrick Swayze)
3. Four Weddings and a Funeral – “Is is still raining...” (Andie MacDowell)
4. Ghost – “I love you.” “Ditto.” (Demi Moore)
5. Top Gun – “You can be my wingman any time.” (Val Kilmer)
6. Notting Hill – “I’m just a girl...” (Julia Roberts)
7. Independence Day – “Today we celebrate our Independence Day.” (Bill Pullman)
8. Braveheart – “They may take our lives...” (Mel Gibson)
9. Jerry Maguire – “You had me at hello.” (Renee Zellweger)
10. The Postman – “You’re a godsend, a saviour.” “No, I’m a postman.” (Kevin Costner)

Laptops : A New Fertility Risk

"Men who regularly balance their laptop computers on their laps when
working may be jeopardizing their ability to have children, according to a new study from fertility researchers at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

The potential risk comes from the heat generated by the laptop computer and the close position of one's thighs when balancing the computer on one's lap, the researchers found. This heat is transferred to the scrotum, where the temperature can rise several degrees, putting users within the danger zone for testicular dysfunction..."

Quite funny, anything and everything is gonna kill yah. Next their going to be saying forks and spoons give off deadly residue when u eat which causes cancer. All of this makes me wonder though, what about hot tubs, or showers, or wearing jeans hot out of the dryer. All in all, live like a hermit, and you'll be safe.

But yes that is it for today. Look out, sometime this week i'll be posting my top Christmas albums.

much love

-J

Same Sex Laws

2004-12-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Alright so ignore my previous post. As most know the reasons behind the decision, I think in order to stay normal it is key to keep posting. Plus I've come upon a few stories that I’ve found rather interesting.

First off...

Same Old Sex.... Marriages

Congrats Canada! On same sex marriages, i'm rather pleased that the government is catching up with the rest of the world. However, I find the fact that it’s taken this long, and has had these many issues with getting resolved a bit ridiculous. This is why religion and government shouldn’t mix. Frankly if I was a strong Christian and I was against gay marriages, that’s dandy but since i'm not gay my opinion has nothing to do with the lives of others.

With that said, our PM has said they will look further into the bill in January.

GAY MARRIAGE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
Here is the legal status of gay marriage in
Europe and other parts of the world:

Belgium: Legalized gay marriage in
2002.
Britain: Plans to introduce legislation soon authorizing civil unions
giving gay couples legal recognition with most of the rights enjoyed by married
partners.
Denmark: The first country to legalize same-sex unions in 1989,
later giving couples adoption rights. Other Nordic countries followed in the
1990s.
France: Allows civil unions since 2000.
Germany: Introduced civil
unions in 2001.
Italy: Does not recognize same-sex unions.
The
Netherlands: Became the first country to legalize gay marriages outright in
2001.
Portugal: Lesbian and gay couples who live together acquire the same
rights as heterosexuals in common-law marriages.
Spain: Like most Roman
Catholic countries, Spain does not recognize gay unions. But some northern
regions, such as Navarra and the Basque country, recognize gay common-law
couples and accord them rights of spouses.
South Africa: Recognized gay
rights in its constitution after apartheid ended in 1994. Activists are
preparing litigation to have the common law definition of marriage extended to
include same-sex couples.
Switzerland: Its largest city, Zurich, started
recognizing registered gay couples last July. Geneva also recognizes same-sex
couples, although grants them fewer rights. Swiss authorities are considering
whether to introduce a national law to harmonize treatment throughout the
country.

This information is valid up till March 2004, whether or not there have been changes in policy since then in the following countries i have yet to see. It's interesting that the Netherlands was the first to allow same sex marriages. I wonder is people are still bent out of shape over it? Doubtful, so i wonder why we are now?

Anyway, all this gay marriage talk reminded me of a story i had read awhile back from Plastic(link in links section)

Texas mom dresses the role (of queen hick)

“It was supposed to be a bit of good-natured, silly fun interjected into the
Homecoming Week festivities of a small East Texas school district. But thanks to
one vigilant parent and one of those ultra-conservative legal foundations, all
that silliness will be coming to an end. And, according to the parent and the
legal foundation, the kids in the district have been spared from becoming victims of the Great Gay Conspiracy. The school district in question is located in Spurger, Texas and the idea was something called TWIRP, which stood for "The Woman Is Requested to Pay". TWIRP Day essentially reversed social roles for the students in all the grades, setting forth rules such as the girls had to invite the boys to the Homecoming Dance at the high school and girls paid for the sodas at lunch in the school cafeteria. It had been going on for as long as anyone could remember in Spurger and was a tradition. Oh yeah, one of the aspects of TWIRP
Day was that the boys dressed as girls and the girls dressed as boys. But, when
Delana Davies, a parent of a 4-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy in the
elementary school, read about the cross dressing, she suspected more than just
good-natured fun was taking place:
"It's like experimenting with drugs. You just keep playing with it and it becomes customary. ... If it's OK to dress like a girl today, then why is it not OK in the future?"

It's amazing to me how naive people can be. We're so concerned with sheltering what were scared of while we freely allow children to be inflicted by violence poverty and disease all over the world. Once again where do our values lie. Alberta is known for red neck hicks, but frankly the worst is the house wives who live in their television addicted to soap operas that are so detached from reality that they're blinded by humanity. We openly advocate men who joke about having sex with two women, we laugh as late night show hosts, and sitcoms display gender roles. Makes me wonder, is Delana Davies just another joke? i hope so.

Alright moving on...

Damageplan Shot in Columbus Ohio during Concert (courtesy of CBS News)

(CBS/AP) A gunman charged onstage at a packed nightclub and opened fire on
the band and crowd, killing top heavy metal guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott
and three other people before a police officer shot him to death, authorities
and witnesses said. Police spokeswoman Sherry Mercurio identified three of the
victims of Wednesday's shooting as Abbott, who played for the Texas-based band
Damageplan, and two other men, Nathan Bray, 23; and Erin Halk, 29. She
identified the gunman as Nathan Gale, 25, of Marysville, Ohio, 25 miles
northwest of Columbus. She said there was no information on a motive or any
connection to the band. The gunman had a hostage in a headlock and seemed to be
preparing to kill him when the officer, James D. Niggemeyer, managed to shoot
without injuring the hostage, police said.
Amanda Stankus, 19, who attended the show with Couch, said she initially thought the shooting was part of the show. "I just saw the guitarist fall down, and we decided to get out of there," she said

How very sad, for smaller bands it really makes u think what precautions are available for safety in this type of situation. There may have been a vendetta involved, but what about obsessed fans, or issues with drinking, drugs ect. Very sad indeed....

Anyway thats that for now, i'm thinking i need a comments option in my Blog but im utterly confused as how to add it now that i've lost all Blogger official code. If anyone out there knows a solution let me know.

Much Love

-J

2004-12-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

I've decided that for the time being i can't update this site, purely because my heart isn't in it.

I do intend to pick it up in the new year. The hollidays are just far too much to handle right now.

thanks for reading

-J

2004-11-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

My sister sent me this forward today, and i thought it was pretty neat. Since most people use hotmail, and thier limit blows i thought this was the easiest wasy to share. I believe they are either chalk, or spray paintings done on the sidewalks of New York city. All i have to say is neat.

-J

Sexuality in Music

2004-11-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

So i’m officially obsessed with the “yeah yeah yeahs.” Like the mass of music snobs who have joined the bandwagon, I’m afraid I have succumbed to sheephood. So as I’ve listened to their CD “Fever to Tell” I’ve found there are huge up’s and downs in the album. The initial song “Rich” is great, it starts everything off with a bang. It has a great mix of sounds, and experimentation, leaving you with a great punk indie song. However the CD has it’s downfalls, it’s a bit in shambles as to balancing the experimentation and the redundancy, with the more subdued and fucking great songs. Basically the good only shows how much less great the meager is. Anyway, I’ve completely got off topic, my point is, that even the love songs on that album are amazing, like “Maps” (one of the best indie love songs to come along in a long time) and “Modern Love” all are top notch. So it made me think, the yeah yeah yeahs can be crude, hard, sexual, brash, aggressive, passionate, and cathartic. Even some of the songs like “Man,” and “Tick” which really do nothing for me have a sense of power and sexuality. I see so much shit on television that is trying to pump sex into you to look edgy. The thing is people don’t realize that, that is no longer edgy, once you’ve seen a thousand ass’s shaking in the air, and hundreds of lyrics depicting women as sex objects your gonna get tired. Frankly “Fever To Tell” has more sex appeal than the newest Nelly, 50cent, and Britney Spears album put together because Karen O does it in a way that you are surprised and it really makes her intriguing and the band exciting. The album itself, seems like a midway point between either something brilliant that is going to blow everyone away, or the best of the worst to come. We’ll see, but I'm so happy to finally hear someone other than peaches and Christina Aguilera talk about sex.

So watch out I think this Is going to be the next thing, women talking about sexuality that isn’t degrading to either sexes, but is smart and youthful without turning themselves into the next whore of the music industry. Look at Madonna for Christ sakes, the only reason she’s been able to withstand the publicity is because she may be crude at times but she follows it up with being smart.

Speaking of sex, once again the Americans are in an uproar over another NFL scandal involving ABC trying to promote one of their television shows by pepping up the crowd in a segway with women in towels and suggesting interracial sexuality. It’s HIGHlarious to me that Americans can get so pissed off about one thing, and blindly ignore another.

I am American
I am disgusted by blatant sexuality in sports even though Football is basically a testosterone filled aggressive spots catered to men.
I will watch as beer commercials and advertisements show women flaunting and shaking their asses while men dance around them.
I am disgusted by seeing a women’s breast even for a split second, however I am perfectly fine with leaving my children home alone to when more than 50% of television on Saturday nights show porn.

I think you get the idea. Frankly either get proper guide lines that effect EVERYONE or stop bitching because i'm tired as shit about hearing in every news paper, and news station about another goof up. Granted I doubt it wouldn’t have made much press if It wasn’t for the entire Janet Jackson “scandal” none the less get over it. When did moral values become something we could turn on and turn off in a flip of a switch when it becomes convenient for us.

Anywho, that’s the rant for today, hope u like the new picture headers.

-J

Dolla Dolla Bills yo!

2004-11-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

An American woman Deborah L. Trautwine, 51 has had all charges dropped against her after she went clothes shopping and paid with a fraud 200 bill. Not too interesting you say, well the bill depicted newly elected president George bush with the pin number dubya4u2004 on it, and when you flipped the back showed protesters outside the white house holding up signs like “I like broccoli” and “USA deserves a tax cut.” Now what confuddles me is how dumb people are. Both Mrs Trautwine and the store clerk did not notice the fraudulent bill, and the store clerk proceeded in giving Mrs Trautwine $100.58 in change. Jesus, no wonder Bush is president you can slip anything by Americans now a days.

SO thats basically it for now. :) tootles

ps. and as allways all spelling mistakes were purely intentional

-J

Tipper/Bush

2004-11-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

It has been a sad week. Personally I don’t like to express emotion in blogs in order to escape the teenager angst, by not dribbling oppression in every post. However, my heart is broken. Many things adding on one by one. First off the American presidential election which I believe everyone has an opinion about, and is either livid and confused or ignorant and happy. Which is the wiser it’s getting harder and harder to tell. For myself, it makes me Distraught thinking that a man that has caused so much pain, and destruction has another an even longer sentence to live out daddy’s dream. The only thing is, that it’s gone further than some male egotistical need to get out the measuring tape to who has the biggest balls. Frankly Kerry wasn’t a strong enough candidate to beat bush.... but have you noticed that’s all people are saying now a days? It’s Kerry’s fault that Bush got elected (not entirely of course) but whenever the subject arises, it is a focus point of the election. It has noting to do with Kerry, it’s the American citizens who will eat whatever is easiest to swallow. These people are walking head first into a war that isn’t just millions of miles away, but between neighbors and coworkers. You are who you vote for, is the mentality, people characterize their families Republican neighbors, homosexual Coworkers, Jewish bankers, ect. The world is so very neat and organized, we have a name and a category for everyone, so that we can better understand who they are without ever having to look deeper than a “hello.” That is why Bush won the election. It’s easier to believe that “You are who you vote for” especially if you succumbed to the brainwashing that Americans receive daily. No, there hasn’t been another attack on America, since 911 “See, he may have gotten off on the wrong foot but he kept us safe!” What’s interesting to me, how little New Yorkers voted for Bush, maybe because they had to live through it, they saw the neglect and a leader camouflaged as a human being. Frankly it makes me sick, to know that the rest of the world, no matter how much they despise Americans still are greatly effected by Mr. President. not only that Americans have great things to look forward too, like the decay of same sex marriages, and the women’s right to vote, as well as segregating schools by religion, and of course redistributing health higher and higher up the food chain leaving it to trickle down to even more wealth. As well as more massive abuse to the environment, and speaking of abuse, healthcare, and civil liberties will soon be next on the chopping block. As for foreign policy we can expect great things, like getting deeper and deeper into Iraq quandary and most likely exploration into more lethal grounds like Iran or North Korea. With all that Americans can sleep safe knowing that they fully went head in to this mess, and will forever know that the deaths in the next for years wont be on Bushes hands, but on the hand of every single person who checked his name on a ballot. Fun times, fun times indeed.

So with that entire mess out of the way, only adding to the crankiness that is me lately, my mom got rid of our welsh corgi (Tipper) two days ago, leaving me with great shame and misery. Leaving me with the feeling that people who don’t either A) Stay at home full time, B) Live on farm or somewhere with huge space that isn’t within city limits; should own dogs. It’s not fair for them to be alone all day cooped up in a tiny space, sure they get used to it, but once the amusement of a new pup wears away, unless you are fully committed for the next 20 years (or however long they live) don’t even think of going down that road. Most people I know have a hard enough time committing to a cell phone for 4 years. Anyway, it’s very saddening, and the whole subject makes me feel less and less humane each time I think about it.

So that is basically it for today, I’ve recently been listening to the new Sparta CD, it’s really a lot fucking better than anything they previously released in my eyes. So give it a listen if you get a chance. Also, I’m a GIGANTIC fan of the New Tegan and Sara, which you have no choice to go out and buy/download because I will pester you until you do.

-J

ps. As always all grammatical and spelling errors were completely on purpose.

Thirteen, Sex/Religion, Updates, Kats

2004-10-29T13:33:00.000-06:00

I have come to the conclusion that I have made it out of the maze of confusion and dread with only mean scratches. What am I talking about you ask? I recently watched the movie “Thirteen” with my sister. Of all stages of life besides the stage of death, that has to be one of the worst. Until watching this movie full of depressed, confused, and lonely people it didn’t dawn on me that I am nothing like that. I am indeed one of those “shiny happy people,” sure there are ups and downs, but life I much more calming, and reassuring. It can be almost nurturing, and endearing. it’s like you have to pay the toll, a balance sort of thing. In order to become a worth while good person, there are milestones you have to survive. Like from toddler to child, or more interestingly from teenager to adult. If you come out alive and well, and you endure everything you have to, you get the bliss of adulthood. If you survive the midlife, and the desperation brought in by you 40’s then your Senior life will be joyful. But if you do not, you get a prolonged confusion and doubt, and the tension never leaves. Even with birth, a mother has to carry all these doubts, before pregnancy, and the pains and hormones, and trimesters don’t help to only add to the pressure, yet if the mother concentrates on the goal, she if left with life. So it got me thinking, ying and yang, there isn’t one good thing I can think of that isn’t brought on by bad, or consequentially brings bad. Sp enjoy your gift cause your grace period of joy only lasts a second before something new is brought in to test your strength and agility.

So now that, that little rant is don’t with, a few updates, one being the new site URL. I felt the old one was far too hard to remember even for myself, plus I didn’t much like it. So anthems it is. I also added a new blogger to the long list of two, so check it out. PLUS, I have two goodies, a new poll, and a brand new review.

An intersting study was done a few motnhs ago about the relation of religion and sexual behaviour... Take a gander...

Sexuality & Religion

Do your religious beliefs affect your sexual behavior? A survey on sex, religion, and infidelity conducted by Euro RSCG Worldwide took a peek into the bedrooms of five countries--the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, and China--and found that more than anyone else, Americans' sexual behavior is very much influenced by their religious views. A substantial 39 percent of Americans said they agreed that "my religious beliefs factor into my sexual behavior," while at the other extreme, a very meager 3 percent of French respondents agreed and an overwhelming 91 percent disagreed.

No other nation surveyed came close to the United States in terms of allowing religion into the bedroom. The nearest was the United Kingdom with 16 percent in agreement. In Germany, just 6 percent agree that religion influences sexual behavior. "If the last few years have proved anything, it's that sex and religion are highly charged subjects that need to be handled with great care," said Ira Matathia, managing director of the New York office of Euro RSCG Worldwide, in a news release announcing the survey findings.

Perhaps the most surprising finding of all was that fully 15 percent of the Chinese respondents said that religion plays a role in their sex lives. Chinese authorities have long discouraged religion (and, for that matter, sex) so it's striking that even 15 percent acknowledged this was true for them.

Other findings about sex, religion, and infidelity:
-- The Chinese are by far the most likely to think that monogamy is the natural state for human beings: 70 percent of them agree, compared with 57 percent of Americans, 44 percent of the French, 42 percent of Brits, and 40 percent of Germans.

-- Almost 60 percent of Britons think it is normal for a 30-something to have had 10 or more different lovers over the course of his or her single years. This compares with 52 percent of Germans, 49 percent of Americans, 30 percent of French, and 17 percent of Chinese.

-- Oddly, 23 percent of the Chinese think that extramarital affairs in which no one gets hurt are acceptable. Compare this to 11 percent of Brits and 9 percent of Americans (the French and German samples were more in alignment with China than with the United States or the United Kingdom - and some research shows that extramarital affairs may be entirely natural).

-- In all the countries except the United Kingdom, higher proportions of men than women are tolerant of extramarital affairs that cause pain to neither party (although, in a study by GEWIS Institute for Social Research, the proportion of men and women who cheat are fairly similar - 59% vs. 53%). (information via "Plastic" - see links)

"A substantial 39 percent of Americans said they agreed that "my religious beliefs factor into my sexual behavior," How many of that 39% believed that shouting 'Oh God! Oh God! I'm Coming!' counts? And how many are not telling a "white" lie? Especially thinking how many may be confussing thier morals with religion. Especially whereas in other countries like China there is a better understanding of the idfferent between morals and religion.. just a thought.

______________________________________________

Hypo- Allergenic Kitty's

Speaking of "pussy.." Allerca Inc has developed a new breed of hypo-allergenic cats. No more sneezing, no more runny nose, no more watery eyes, all for a starting price of only $3500. Note: despite the steep price tag, AllerCat will not make you coffee, fetch you beer, clean the house, it will however most likely pee in your shoes, scratch your leather chaires, and purr. Love sold seperatly.

Fun Fact - "In relation to thier body size cats have the biggest eyes of all mamals" - dope!

Allright, well thats all for now.

-J

Secret Ballots.

2004-10-25T10:29:00.000-06:00

Ever since the plane hit the two buildings and the government in America has been denounced saviors there has been an uproar of people taking their political stance. Politics has turned into an American religion, if you are a republican you are prosecuted - not in the way that you may think. Whatever you stance is, it seems to be on everyone’s mind, are you a "left wing vegetarian pot smoking hippie" or a "right wing uptight war loving mongrel." i think a lot of the separation has deepened since 911 when Bush declared "protesting to be an unpatriotic thing to do!" Personally i believe stranding up in front of everyone because you believe so strongly in bettering your country is one of the most patriotic things a person can do. So as you hear stories of bystanders and protesters getting unrightfully imprisoned, or segregated from their community because of their beliefs, as an outsider ( Canadian) you start to think how ridiculous Americans really are. Here is a group of people who all want the same things, its just their ways of getting it are drastically different; if in the end it turns out that all your dreams and wants for your world have come, and your living in a Pleasantville utopia, you wont really care the road it took to get there. So when i read this little article in the progressive it made me laugh, and cringe at the stupidity that is the American government.

October 16, 2004Three Teachers Evicted from Bush Event for Wearing "Protect Our Civil Liberties" T-ShirtsAbout 20 years ago, the former editor of The Progressive magazine, Erwin Knoll, wanted to make a point about the lack of free speech in shopping malls. So he and a few colleagues and friends distributed copies of the Bill of Rights in a mall in Madison, Wisconsin. They were arrested for doing so.A recent action by three teachers in Oregon reminded me of that perfect snapshot of lost freedom.

On October 14, they decided to attend a Bush rally at the Jackson County Fairgrounds near Medford, where they teach. They wanted to see their President, and they also wanted to stand up for First Amendment rights, since they had heard on NPR that the Bush campaign was curtailing such rights all along the trail.

So they came up with an ingenious idea. They obtained tickets for the event, and they made and wore T-shirts that said, "Protect Our Civil Liberties." Alas, they were not allowed to hear the President. In fact, they were threatened with arrest.I talked with two of the three teachers, Tania Tong and her sister, Candice Julian, both of whom teach special education to elementary school children in Medford. The third is a student teacher named Janet Voorhies, who works with Tong.

"We didn't want to come up with anything that was offensive or antagonistic," says Julian, who says it was her idea to have the shirts say, "Protect Our Civil Liberties.""We were concerned about stories we had heard about people trying to go to participate in rallies and being denied access because they had paraphernalia that said something about Kerry," Tong explains. "We wanted to voice our opinion in a way that wasn't degrading to anybody. The shirt was really kind of benign."

They picked up their tickets the day before the event, but even there they had a hard time. The woman handing tickets out raised a question about Julian being from Ashland, a liberal town. "She asked me if I was going to protest or whether I was going to vote for Bush," says Julian. "And she said, 'I'll give you the ticket if you don't protest.' "

Julian agreed that she would not disrupt the event.On October 14, they proceeded to the fairgrounds. They showed their driver's licenses and tickets at the first checkpoint. Campaign officials "were scrutinizing our T-shirts," Julian says, but they let the three in.

At the second checkpoint, which consisted of a metal detector staffed by the Secret Service, more questions arose.

"People came up and said, 'Do you know this is a Bush rally? We're concerned about your T-shirts,' " recalls Tong.

"We asked them why.

"They said, 'We don't want anything that's going to cause a disruption.'

"Then they asked, 'Are you going to vote for Bush?'

"And I said that I was undecided and my sister Candice said she was choosing not to answer because it's a personal decision."

The campaign officials said they could go in if they could guarantee they would not make a scene, Tong says. "We assured them that we did not come with any intention of being disorderly, so they said fine and said they respected our differing opinions," she recalls.

At that point, the three teachers assumed they were in, and that they could take their seats and listen to the President.

No such luck.

"As we were walking over to sit down, a woman grabbed me by the arm from the back and grabbed my shirt," Tong says. "She said she would have to look under my shirt for offensive language. I told her she wouldn't find any there. She still looked. Then we walked about two more steps and a man came up and asked to see our IDs again and then made a comment abut my sister living in Ashland. But he gave us our IDs back, and we proceeded to sit down."Campaign officials did not leave the three alone, however. They followed them to their seats, and when Janet Voorhies got up to go to the bathroom, she was tailed, Tong and Julian say.When Voorhies did not return promptly, they became concerned and got up to see what was going on.

"A guy had Janet by the elbow and was leading her away," says Julian."And he said to us, 'Give us your tickets.' "

"We said, 'Why?' And I put the ticket behind my back, and one of the guys who had been following us ripped it out of my hands."

Seeing what happened to her sister's ticket, Tong put hers down her pants, she says.Campaign officials then told all three women to leave.

"They said it was a private event, for invited guests," Tong recalls.

"We said we were invited because we were given tickets.

"One said, 'You don't have tickets anymore.'

"We said, 'We did until you ripped them out of our hands.'

"And we asked him, 'Are you offended by our shirts?'

"He said our shirts were 'obscene.' "

Tong and Julian say that about ten men, including Secret Service officers and sheriff's deputies, proceeded to surround them.

"They weren't letting us move anywhere," Tong says. Campaign officials told law enforcement, "These people need to leave," she recalls.

"We asked what would happen if we didn't, and the police said we'd be arrested for disorderly conduct," Tong says.

So the three teachers headed away.

"They walked us out past the parking lot and said if you come back, we're going to arrest you," Julian says. She told one of the men, "I just wanted to see my President." And he said, "You're just going to have to watch him on TV,"

"The more and more I think about it the more and more I'm really ticked off," Julian says. "I should have the right to exercise my First Amendment rights. We were of no risk. The Secret Service had already screened us, and they had let us through. It had nothing to do with security. It had everything to do with us having differing views."

Tong is equally angry. "I'm just shocked that the statement on our shirts is even controversial," she says. "I thought that was one of our founding principles and that we have certain rights and freedoms that should be protected."

The Bush campaign and the Oregon Republican Party did not return calls and e-mails for comment.

Deputy Michael Hermant of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department says he doesn't know who was involved in this incident. "There were so many agencies there you couldn't believe it," he says. "Agencies from out of state, out of county, every available agency within the county, plus Secret Service. I have no way of knowing" who escorted the women out of the event or why."I can't imagine why the campaign would have asked them to leave," says Dave Fidanque, executive director of the Oregon ACLU, who stresses that the event was on public property at the county fairgrounds. "For a Presidential campaign to eject people who are not being disruptive seems out of character with the America I know."

--Matthew Rothschild
_____________________________________________________

I love how many people asked the three teachers if they were voting for Bush or not, like the idea of a "secret balllot" has been lost. There’s also a good article about Police officers shooting pepper balls at demonstrators you might want to take a gander at. You may have to keep an open mind at the fact that, when they say "they didn’t provoke police brutality" that 40% of the time it isn’t necessarily true.

So i recently found out for my Christmas gift from my mom im getting a trip to New York City, the excitement is overwhelming, i can’t wait to go to the galleries, and eat the food there, and sightsee. So if anyone’s gone, e-mail me I’d like tog et recommendations on where to do, what you liked, ect ect. I also recently picked up the book "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" By Susanna Clarke, it's rather good so i suggest you to pick it up NOW before the Christmas rush, because it’s super cheap @ Chapters. I also keep hearing everywhere that Mrs. Clarke is on her way to winning the Pulitzer for it, but i find it puzzling because i thought she was British - anyone ahs the answer cause i sure as hell don’t know what the heck people are talking about.

Anyway, thats all for now.. ( GO ME two posts in a 10 day span!!!)

-J

2004-10-19T14:43:00.000-06:00

So long time no post. I know I know, I did the one thing I hassled everyone else about, I abandoned the blog. Is it the loss of a need to protest my own opinions and put them up on that high pedestal we call the PERSONAL WEBSITE, or is it just that the passion to blog is gone. Either or, I’m back in black.

So winter has finally hit my humble city, which unlike every other year, its actually one of the most beautiful snow storms I’ve seen in awhile. All the snow flakes look like marshmallows falling from the sky, and the trees all are surrounded in white, it’s very Charles Eaton. I can hear the bells already, working in retail I get an early burst of the Christmas cheer, it seems that’s all that’s on everyone’s mind lately; which makes me sad because we’re renovating our house this year. So no white lights, no tree, no little villages displayed in every corner. We’ll be lucky if we have a room to sleep in let alone to spread the Christmas vibe in. I find it funny though, that Halloween hasn’t even passed, and we’ve been forced to put all of Halloween trinkets on sale because people are so quick to jump onto the next thing. It’s something that boggles my mind, we get so wrapped up in holidays and celebrating that we completely exhaust ourselves so by the time the holiday hits, you cant wait for it to end. So this year I’m not succumbing to the hype, i'm not going to get so warped up in presents and food and decorations because it’s been so overdone. I was amazed when I looked around the boxes and boxes of STUFF we had stored away in our house that it seemed to clutter an already full mind.

I will try and update more, I’ve just been swamped. I apologize...

Heres a little Frost for yah, it felt very necessary for the season.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep

A retail Story

2004-08-03T11:06:00.000-06:00

Anthems of a Small business retailer

As many of you know already I work in a small retail store owned by my mother. We sell home accessories, and giftware that’s a little upper-class but not extremely expensive. We have a little of everything and even though I may complain, I love it dearly. This morning however, it put the finale straw in my belief that people have no good taste. The death of the private business, the last nail in the coffin of that little shop on the corner that always has friendly workers, and customized help with be hammered in by The Bay, Home Sense, and Wal-Mart superstores. Today as I opened the store an older lady came into the store, and what may seem like a meager event actually has deeper roots. She enquired about some fake apples in the window on display, I told her the price $3.70 each, she gasped at the price. I looked at her puzzled as she walked off laughing and shaking her head at the price. As she left the store she said “NO, No thank-you I’ll just go to Wal-Mart it’s the same thing.” A lot of the time I check out other prices and things at other stores, and I’ve come to realize this is a pointless task. Stores like Wal-Mart for example get suppliers who have discontinued items, so a lot of the time you’ll be getting the things that are about 6 year old, and as styles change, as do our tastes. A lot of their stock is dated, as well as sometimes it will have flaws, or it will be of cheap quality. I have nothing against people who want to decorate their home and save a buck, however this is the clinch. People are so jaded now only the select few can see the quality and design in objects. We are so used to hearing Trading Spaces say, “DESIGN this room with only 1000 DOLLARS!!!” Well, that room will last you about half a year before the ruffles start to rip, and the seams start to show. If you half ass a job you are most likely to do have to do it again and again until you do it right. So that cheaper carpet you’ll have to replace sooner, making the cost of that cheaper rug double, triple, quadruple. So what drives me up the wall is when people come into my store that carries the quality items and profess “this store reminds me a lot of Home Sense.” If that statement were at all true I would quite my job in a second.

Merchandise and the death of quality versus quantity

Here is how a store works for those who aren’t familiar. A new store is opening in TinyVille USA. This store needs product so the owner will go to Gift shows that showcase suppliers. They will have everything from bedding to clothing. It’s the job of the owner to contact suppliers and hunt them down to find the best product for them. When successful they will order product with these many rules in mind

Watch for minimum orders (meaning sometimes if you want pillows in you store you can order just one you need to order 1000 dollars worth)
Wach for shipping costs (the supplier never compensates for shipping so you have to usually count that into the price you retail and object for)
Reliability (how long will it take the goods to ship, how they expect payment ect.)

So now, you order the best spankin new pillows from the best company and your ready open for business. As you wait for your order to come in, you see across the street a new Urban Barn (better quality than Home Sense yet a super chain) open across the street. You wait and wait for you product and soon a package comes. However it’s smaller than you expected you open it and its only one bedding sheet, you phone the supplier and they say they are out of stock. Upon more research you have to cancel you order, and soon learn that the supplier sold their product to their big superstore and for LESS! Why, because instead of buying for one store they buy for all across the United States/Canada. The little stores order gets pushed to the side because the bigger order holds priority. So not only does the little store have to work around the bigger store selling merchandise that’s cheaper, but they also have to find suppliers who wont sell to those big stores. This of course is all the risk of business, you rely on your main customers and the fact that you don’t sell the cheaper merchandise and that your help is more customized and personal. The thing is, people don’t care anymore. As long as it looks alright in their space they don’t care where they get it from. There is this stigma that everything in the little store will be more expensive. Well, that’s not always true. They are more willing to haggle with you to get a sale, and are more willing to go out of their way to make you happy and build a relationship with their customers. When I go shopping for a car, or a pair of designer sunglasses I don’t go to The Bay thinking “It’s the same as the Channel pair I was eyeing.”

The sad thing about it, soon there wont be many of these small business left that give character to a city/town. They are the jewels in an outfit – they add the unique look, and are highlights. The small coffee shop that always serves fresh muffins that you can smell from a block away, or the older lady and her grocery store who is dedicated to it night and day which is the only place that carries those strange looking fruits will all soon be gone.

“The little shop around the corner” is a dying breed as the only people we can blame are ourselves, when we will no doubt be asking “Isn’t there any good stores anymore, other than the Bay?????????????”

________________________________________________

SHOPPER: "We should bomb Foxbooks."
KATHLEEN: "It's not their fault. The truth
is, the world is just... different....."

"Soon we'll just be a memory. In fact, someone, some
foolish person will probably think it's a tribute to this city, the way it keeps changing on you, the way you can never count on it, or something. I know, because that's the sort of thing I'm always saying. But the truth is, I'm heartbroken."

________________________________________________

-J

Art

2004-07-22T13:30:00.000-06:00

Influential Artists
and the
Role Art Plays
in our
Modern Society

Our world is evolving from the expansion of technology to the now wide spread integration of computers and the internet into everyone’s daily lives. We are moving more and more into a world dictated by computers and architecture and art is moving into the past. You see homes now built using industrial spaces, and raw materials like granite, limestone, steal, and slate. Everything is becoming quicker and more compact, we ourselves dress in cottons like in the 40’s but now they are mixed with lycra, and spandexes, hemp and everything under the sun. Making our clothes last longer, cheaper and better for everyday use. With all these advanced how have we advanced artistically? Right now were the closest we’ve been in 20 years to a nuclear threat and people are being split by the United States and their war hungry president. It seems just the time fr artists to step forward and lead the revolution of more liberal modern thinking. Like in the sixties to seventies we had Duchamp, Kandinsky and Warhol all who till this day names are known throughout. Can you name someone who has inspired the public in a way that Duchamp did with his “Fountain?” When we go to art galleries now it’s not to see who is leading the way in 2000 its who was leading the way in 1914. Is it that art in the 1900’s was so evolved that now all the barriers to be broken have been, making art passé. Is it that we have no purpose for art, or is it that they do not exist, or simply that the scene is so small know that only the elite know about it. You rarely ever see local artists in art galleries getting a headlining show. Are art galleries purpose now only to cater to the dead. Or to showcase tapestries and quilts? The last showcase I heard that had mass appeal throughout the world was when Professor Gunther von Hagens performed a public autopsy for 500 hundred people. Like in the Victorian age, people paid 12 dollars a head to see one from start to finish. I personally believe that there is a conflict between artists and the rest of the world. Many new artist feel they need to work and supply art for homes, and décor purposes. Where are many other who are trying to build borders to break them find themselves without work and without a fan base. I just see its drifting away, especially as we move into 2010 where the kids who are taking high school and Jr. High now are being stripped of art classes and music classes. The need for art is dwindling. In the Victorian ages art was a symbol of class. It was a widely talked about subject, like how we talk about television. Even artists like Picasso who made art depicting the poor farmers and the underclass was still considered political therefore was new and interesting. However man artists weren’t appreciated in their time, but I doubt that 40 years from now we will be celebrating artists in 2004. We will be seeing more and more graphic artists using computers as a new medium, but the Carlos Alfonzo’s of our day are a dying breed.

I'll be posting a poll to get your views on this subject promptly. Feel free to e-mail me if u find any bugs on the site, or any views on anything i post.

-J

No debt

2004-07-13T22:04:00.000-06:00

TAKE A BOW! Take a bow Ralphy, for you are the first premier to eliminate a provinces debt. He can now sleep happy knowing that he destroyed our funding for education, and health care and roads. I know a lot of you would argue, So no debt is better than debt? Well I tend to agree and disagree with that point there, Ralph has always promised to relive us of our debt, and has met his promise but what’s more important to you? Having solid schools and hospitals with full staffs and beds? Or a system on the brink of closure and no debt? I guess I’m skeptical because in order to fill the gap made by his demands we are going to have to do a complete rebuild (which may bring lights of hope or debt or to evade debt nothing will change at all). I’m just sick of people in power so stuck in leaving a legacy and a name that overrides their duty to their people(*cough* bush*cough*). My guess we won't see the money rolling in anytime soon.

But hey! I’m just some CRAZY hippie kid with feeble and idealistic morals.

On the bright side at least our health care system is going into the dark ages.

heath care

2004-07-05T11:43:00.000-06:00

Hi all, well I’m sure you’ve all noticed the web site has been having some loading issues. It seems that Blogger is having some server problems, to my extreme annoyance you may have to refresh the page 3-4 times for it to open (F5). If the problem isn’t fixed soon I will be looking for somewhere to move my Blog. Sorry for any inconvenience.

The cover of the business report magazine this month I found extremely interesting, they quoted that 51% of people are in favor of a two-tier healthcare system. When I saw this I swear I almost died. People are confounding to me, they say everything goes full circle and that once u have pie you want cake, and once u get cake all u can think about is pie. Well it’s sad to see us moving towards an American way of life in more ways than one. People have this notion that private health care will bring more choices and more money to health care. This is completely wrong, like the states only the rich will strive, less and less money will go to public health care due to at first the low costs of private. Private health care costs will go up, until our public waiting times will be triple due to lack of funding and our private will be so expensive that no one considered middle class will be able to afford it. So I ask you, who are the 68% of Quebecers and 57% of Saskatchewan’s and Manitobans? I seriously question these statistics, and hope that they have been slandered some how. Its so infuriating, I can’t image being a senior and having to spend all my money on medicine and due to the lack of support by the government not having enough money to buy food for the week. There are so many people in Alberta struggling the LAST thing we need is a quick way out! Trust me and that’s all privatized health care is, a nice mess for our generation to clean up 15 years from now.

Anyway, on a happier note, Spiderman 2 review up, and I suggest everyone who hasn’t seen it go see it, its worth it to see it on the big screen.

So Sorry

2004-06-28T16:38:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone. Sad to say it’s been awhile since my last update, i have written up the next style report, and i have 5-6 reviews that are done ready for the posting!!

The next few days are going to be hectic, I’ve been busy working, working around the reno's, making Perogies and celebrating Matt’s an my 2nd anniversary! (hip hip hurray!!!)

SO definitely expect something this week. Check out Blogs Canada,i was just added to this list of Canadian Blogs. They have some really awesome/interesting unique blogs in there (like kanwars)

Ps. VOTE

pps. VOTE IN MY (new) POLL

much love -J

Schools

2004-06-17T14:21:00.000-06:00

Okay, so quite a few new additions to the site. I'm on the verge of trying to figure out a way to add an artist/music section. Basically write-ups on each artist, bios and links to concert listing ect. As well as that I’ve added a new style section, essentially depending on whether or not I like the flow of it, I will add style advice and my basic knowledge of fashion (do’s and don’ts).

The last couple of week’s teachers have been in meetings deciding whether or not they should go on strike. The last vote 80% were in favor of a strike. This boggles my mind, like the strike that happened 2 years ago this one won’t end well. Education in Alberta is a sham; we willfully put our children in the hands on teachers so they can mold them. If I look into my past I look at teachers like Mrs. Raven Jackson, my art teacher who got me into art, and changed the way I look and perceive the world around me. She was one of the strong women who worked in Education who had compassion and truly loved her job. There isn’t enough praise in the world for teachers like Mrs. Murphy, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Samson ect. Teachers I know who taught me there’s nothing more important that sticking up for your opinions, and that everything in the world isn’t in plain sight, there are no clear paths, but in order to find them you have to look beyond them. All preaching aside, I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have those people in my life when I needed someone. So many parents, like mine are forced to work full time. We live in a society where we want someone else to clean up the problem, tie in the lose ends, and we want it quick and cheap. When those cheap lap dogs don’t fulfill, then there is hell to pay because they don’t live up to our unrealistic expectations. It’s the reality that bus drivers make more money than teachers, and that 90% of the population knows they are underpaid but don’t care to protest their opinion because it will come out of their wallet.

I was flabbergasted last week when the department head of education told A Channel that class sizes in Alberta weren’t rising. At Centre High I had class room sizes of 43 students. So many of the teachers don’t grade anything other than tests because they have such a heavy work load (meaning more original assignments are being taken over by exams, 80% of a students mark is dictated by a scantron). This year for diplomas they pushed them up by two weeks, cutting two weeks from class time, so that they teachers could mark the Diploma exams and not get paid for it. The government is basically saying, do it faster for less, and they don’t compensate for these changes in the actual finale exams. Teachers have the added stress, of pilling double the amount of work on students, so they can just hit the bare basics of the curriculum.

I know many of you are out of school, moving on the second year university, or first year. But the changes they make at the bottom will soon affect the top. I cannot stress enough HOW vital voting is, especially for those teachers who have been fighting Ralfy forever. You can also contact your Member of Parliament send letters, sign petitions.

On a lighter note, Paris Hilton apparently has a new book comming out, possibly "10 steps to being a call girl without the agency" or "Bolemia for Beginners" and comming soon her new album, i know I'M waiting on pins and needles for that gem! *uhg!!*

The Story of Mouseland

2004-06-07T14:16:00.000-06:00

A friend sent me this story and i thought it was pretty cute so enjoy!

THE STORY OF MOUSELAND

The Story of Mouseland as told by Tommy Douglas, New Democrat,1944

It's the story of a place called Mouseland. Mouseland was a place where all the little mice lived and played, were born and died. And they lived much the same as you and I do. They even had a parliament. And every four years they had an election. Used to walk to the polls and cast their ballots. Some of them even got a ride to the polls. And got a ride for the next four years afterwards too. Just like you and me. And every time on election day all the little mice used to go to the ballot box and they used to elect a government. A government made up of big, fat, black cats. Now if you think it strange that mice should elect a government made up of cats, you just look at the history of Canada for the last 90 years and maybe you'll see that they weren't any stupider then we are.

Now I'm not saying anything against the cats. They were nice fellows. They conducted their government with dignity. They passed good laws -- that is, laws that were good for cats. But the laws that were good for cats weren't very good for mice. One of the laws said that mouse holes had to be big enough so a cat could get his paw in. Another law said that mice could only travel at certain speeds -- so that a cat could get his breakfast without too much effort.

All the laws were good laws. For cats. But, oh, they were hard on the mice. And life was getting harder and harder. And when the mice couldn't put up with it any more, they decided that something had to be done about it. So they went en masse to the polls. They voted the black cats out. They put in the white cats.

Now the white cats had put up a terrific campaign. They said: "All that Mouseland needs is more vision." They said: "The trouble with Mouseland is those round mouse holes we got. If you put us in we'll establish square mouse holes." And they did. And the square mouse holes were twice as big as the round mouse holes, and now the cat could get both paws in. And life was tougher then ever.

And when they couldn't take that anymore, they voted the white cats out and put the black ones in again. Then they went back to the white cats. Then to the black cats. They even tried half black and half white cats. And they called that coalition. They even got one government made up of cats with spots on them: they were cats that tried to make a noise like a mouse but ate like a cat.

You see, my friends, the trouble wasn't with the colour of the cat. The trouble was that they were cats. And because they were cats, they naturally looked after cats instead of mice. Presently there came along one little mouse who had an idea. My friends, watch out for the little fellow with an idea. And he said to the other mice, "Look fellows, why do we keep electing a government made up of cats? Why don't we elect a government made up of mice?" "OH," they said, "he's a Bolshevik. Lock him up!" So they put him in jail.

But I want to remind you: That you can lock up a mouse or a man but you can't lock up an idea.

So i know your saying to yourself “But... don't we elect people?" or "Cats? What? Where am i?"

Moto of the story "vote in the guy whose interests are the same as yours." or basically JUST VOTE for the love of all things sane!!!!!!

p.s. Good luck to everyone writing tests this week!!!!!

2004-06-01T17:20:00.000-06:00

As we’ve all seen and heard at least a billion times American Idol is the “cats meow” when it comes to television ratings and popularity. I’ve never been into the whole Idol competition, deeming to find hidden talents and singing voices which will litter the industry with mini Celine Deon’s. So this morning as I ate my breakfast cereal watching Regis and Kelly the recent winner was on, beaming with confidence and humor. As I listened to her beautiful voice there was obviously no doubt why she was the winner yet, it was saddening. For those select people who still buy and listen to music greats like Nina Simone, or Jeff Buckley there is an aura of passion and soul I their music. Granted all the old greats didn’t write their own music but it was theirs. Nobody could profess that Marvin Gaye’s early albums didn’t break barriers and move millions to this day. So now with the mix of reality television; the Prozac of television they also mixed music. This is by far another nail in the coffin that was music. It shows how little we care about true music as an art form. The way we judge music artists looks, and “coolness.” No matter who wrote that music and no matter if its just adding to the chain of copycat artists. For example Celine Deon’s last hit album was sponsored by Chrysler, her big single “I could drive all night” was written for a car company to sell more cars. Plus when you buy Celine’s album and take the CD out of its case a nice full-size Chrysler logo is staring you in the face. No one can deny she can’t sing, no one can deny that her voice isn’t altered, or that she writes and comes up with the concepts of her albums. What we can’t deny is the manufacturing of music. It’s everywhere, ever since the 80’s and 90’s the trend has only gotten bigger and the artists less significant. The 80’s brought on the power hair bands and the copycat wannabe’s but you could look back and think, of at least 10 reasons why the 80’s wasn’t a complete waste of time. Even the 90’s had it’s gems, with Pumpkins, and Nirvana, but the leach was adapting from Spice Girls to Linkin Park. Has the thought ever occurred to you as to why they don’t ask the Idols whether or not they can write melodies? Or why they don't have song writing competitions not Elton’s greatest hits? Or do you ever see them being asked “What is music to you? Why even bother creating things, what can you bring to people?” Well the answer to those questions would be, “I love to entertain and bring people closer together.” I would bet you 500$ that 90% of the Idols each year would answer that the same exact way, so why do we watch each week? We know the answers and the outcome, the same cookie cutter musicians. Well look at the top artists on the Billboard countdown, the few artists that are praised for possibly saving music rarely ever stay on the Billboard top chart for long. 50 Cent, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Usher, and Nickelback; all from different genres who if asked don’t really have different answers to the “What can you bring to people” question like the Idols. I cannot even sount the number of times i've heard Britney Spears say shes an "entertainer" not a "musician," darling leave the entertaining to Vegas and get out of our record stores.

I can’t help but feel that the music snobs/appreciators are the naive ones now, to assume that there is someone out there, the next Nirvana or Johnny Cash that will save us all and rescue the music industry. Soon enough Radiohead, Bjork, White Stripes, and Fiona Apple to name a few, will be done making music. The way the industry is progressing and the few new great artists who are able to break through due to slumping sales and big hits from Britney and Cristina only show that it’s a sad future to come. Now u can argue that there will always be people there to take the place of the greats, but that won’t happen since Record companies aren't signing new artists like they did in the 70's. Back then there were no PR agents, or image consultants, you couldn’t alter your voice and change you appearance with surgery, it had to be natural talent and appeal. So for now at least I have hope that things will change and people will start to care about the art and not the package.

I suggest we all take a look at what we put into our heads, our mental environment. Something like music that we listen too ad idolize has a huge effect on us. Do you eat McDonalds 24/7? Then why do we listen to shit all day long?

Kanwar aka "the wise one" in my Blogger Loggers updated his blog its pretty interesting and very intelligent stuff so id suggest you all the check it out.

ps I will also be adding a lil quiz up in the next few days, just trying to find a host.

-J

Super Size me

2004-05-28T10:16:00.000-06:00

Every morning my daily work routine consists of me getting up, going to the store, open all the lights and the computer, then i go next door to the cafe and order a salad and a Snapple, and sometimes a cookie for later. While im waiting for my food i usually pick up "Vue Weekly" the local independent news paper that talks about pop culture, movies music local gigs. Today they had an interview with the creator of "SuperSize ME" a new documentary that is recently out in theatres across the world. The premise is a man who only eats McDonalds for one whole month. Some may gaps and hurl and the thought other may think "who the hell cares!" Well the who the hell care people are why he made this film. It's definitely worth a look, and i found the interview with "Vue Weekely" to be intriguing so i will post it for all non Edmontonians to read. Keep in mind the interviewer for this one was a complete wanker.

VW (Vue Weekly)- Did you have any idea what you were getting into, did you?

MS (Morgan Spurlock) - No, i had no idea! (Girlfriend vegan chef) Alex was kind of the only one. I got the idea on the couch, and i turned to her and say "I got an idea," and she said, "You are not going to do that!"

VW - You weren't exactly a dedicated McDonald’s customer before-hand, were you?

MS - I could eat McDonald’s maybe once every month, usually when I'd travel. You know when, you're stuck in an airport and you gotta choose between a Cinnabon and a McDonalds, it's really not much choice.

VW - I thought so. When you had the first Super-sized meal you seemed genuinely shocked by its gargantuan proportions....

MS - On yeah! It's huge. For me, i live in New York city, and if I’m going to go out and get a cheeseburger, I’m gonna go somewhere and get a good cheeseburger. I was out in Los Angeles and Southern California, taking pictures, and i went to my favorite burger place in L.A.I love Tommy Burger - It’s a little shack on the corner or Beverly and Rampart in east L.A., where they’ve been making these burgers for, like the last, 58 years, and it's great. These great, meaty burgers, the tomatoes are even thicker than the meat, they put chili and cheese.... It's fantastic. So for me, I’m going to go to a place that makes a really great burger.

VW - What was the worst part of the McDonalds diet: the grease, the sugar... or all the caffeine?

MS - I think it was the combination of all of it. I was so depressed over the course of this diet. I'd never been so depressed in my life. And then, probably the worst of all was the impact it had on my sex life. For my sex life to suddenly fall apart like it did was really difficult.

VW - And how are you doing now?

MS - Everything’s back to normal,. I pay more attention to what i eat and how i exercise than i ever have. I finally lost the last four and a half pounds; my weight is back down to normal. The bigger effect on my body now is i can gain weight quicker and easier than i ever have. I asked my doctor about this and he’s like “Well you gained all that weight and you body made all these additional fat cells to store all this fat. Now you've lost the weight but the fat cells didn't go away. They are still in you body wanting to do what fat cells do."

VW - You actually got a physical addiction to this diet. As sick as it may sound do you still jones for a McDonalds?

MS - When i smell a Big Mac, my mouth to this day will water, immediately. But I can’t eat it. It doesn’t taste like food. it tastes completely manufactured, this fake thing that flavored to taste like food. The French fries are smoked plastic to me. If I drink the sodas, like, a fountain coke, for hours afterward, in my nasal passages, I just breathe this chemical aroma. And if I take a bit of a Big Mac, actually chew it, there this McFIlm in my mouth, this gummy kind of aftertaste.

VW – Lots of Super Size Me is frankly frightening. What was your most personal scary moment?

MS – For me, personally, my personal journey, the scariest day was Day 21, when all the doctors told me to stop. That was by far the scariest part in the whole movie. Because when you have three doctors telling you “you should stop because we don’t know what’s going to happen to you” that’s really scary.

VW – And the scariest cultural moment?

MS – By far, the most disturbing thing in the whole movie is the school lunch program. because these kinds – parents have no clue, parents have no idea what their kids are eating. We are feeding kids garbage in schools, you know? They are going there and setting them up to make mistakes for life in terms of their eating habits, and its awful. Here’s the place where kids, from five to 18, 13 years of their life they are going to spend a third of that time at school. So shouldn’t we not only be teaching them in a classroom, but in the lunchroom? Shouldn’t they be learning what great food is? And people are like “ no, no we should give them choices!” NO we shouldn’t! We shouldn’t be giving a 12 year old the choice between ice cream and asparagus. We as adults who care about our kids, need to make the decisions for them. Our priorities are completely out of whack. It’s so wrong... and for me, that’s where we need to focus our efforts, that’s where we need to change.

VW – So, have you changed your business card from “filmmaker” to “fats food activist?”

MS – The thing is, by making this film I’ve put myself in the position of really having an obligation. You know, doing everything I can do a) get the film out there and b) push some things forward that the film brings up. I want to do everything I can to make sure people see this movie and are able to go out and be able to make a change if they believe they can. For me, right now, my biggest goal is to get this movie out there, to parents, to educators to schools, to as many people as I can across as many continents as I can. Because this is not just a U.S problem anymore; now that our fast food culture has permeated the world and our lifestyles are starting to permeate all four corners of the globes, this film needs to get out there for everyone to see. I believe I have an obligation now to see that happen.

VW – And have you received any response from the Golden Arches themselves?

MS – No. Well, they made an official statement after Sundance where they said, you know, “This film isn’t about choice; it’s about one filmmaker’s irresponsibility.....” typical spin. Anything they could say to take creditability away from the movie. But six weeks after that, they announced they were eliminating Super Size options – “and by the way, it has nothing to do with that film whatsoever.” Last week, they announced they’re going to launch their new “Go active” adult happy meals. When are they going to launch this? May 6. When does the film launch nationwide? May 7. So it’s just another incredible, bizarre coincidence that has nothing to do wit the movie. Finally in my opinion, their actions are starting to become somewhat admirable. They’re making small steps. More has to happen, but these are very encouraging steps, in my opinion.

VW – But on the other hand, why bother trying to change McDonald’s If you can convince people just not to go in the first place?

MS – That’s six of one, half-dozen of the other. The thing is, this movie could have happened anywhere. This movie could have happened at a Burger King, this movie could have happened as a Wendy’s at a Taco bell. I could have gotten as sick at any fast, casual chain in the country. I could have gone to an Olive Garden; I could have gone to an Outback. We as a culture, we overeat and we under exercise, and that’s the core of the movie. I picked McDonalds because they’re iconic of our food culture and they influence every other chain. Ever other chain emulates their business practices. So, I wanted to pick the one company that could most easily institute change. Everybody else is going to follow suit.

VW – You were inspired to make this movie by stories of kids suing McDonald’s over their obesity. How do you feel about that sort of lawsuit, suing a company for selling you unhealthy products?

MS – I’m not a litigious person. But I live in a country where people have the right to a fair trial if they believe they have just cause. So I, as an American, believe that if you have just cause, then I support you right to go out and sue somebody – again, if there’s a reason, if It’s not somebody just out to get a paycheque. Every case that’s been brought before a judge up to now has been dismissed; that’s why we have judges. They pass something in the Congress right now which is very funny. It’s the “cheeseburger Bill.” House Resolution 336, the Personal Responsibility of Food Consumption Act. It’s great. What this bill does is make it illegal for you to sue a food company for making you overweight or obese. My feeling is, it’s not a legislator’s job to do that to begin with. We have three branches of government for a reason. We have judges whose sole job is to interpret the law. SO let the judge do their job. Why do we need this legislation, then? Because the corporations are seeing that they have problems, because they are very, very afraid because they have made themselves targets. Through their marketing practices, through the catering to kids, they’ve made themselves vulnerable. And as much as your five dollars or my five dollars means a lot to get someone elected, it’s corporations’ money that goes into their coffers that’s a lot more important. So these bigwigs in D.C. have a lot of relationships with thee fast food companies. Is this going to pass the Senate? I hope not. It’s going to be an interesting road.

______________________

What i found so interesting about the whole interview was the points Morgan made about the tolls it took on himself. I cannot even imagine having that sick feeling u get after eating McDonalds or Taco Bell for an entire month. Its just another proof that advertising and corporations have the control here, “HEY does anyone remember that legislative act that was going to be passed about the fat content being showed in all restaurants... I sure as hell don’t!”

Anyway, the Garneau will be showing “Super Size Me” from May 28th, to June 28th. Super Size Me's web site has all local listings so check it out.

:)

2004-05-26T18:06:00.000-06:00

Poll + Blog = giddy jenny

That mayjor con to freedom of speach - Morons.

2004-05-25T21:56:00.000-06:00

THIS JUST IN, PEOPLE ARE MORONS!!!!

On one of my message boards someone posted this link. Granted its not a new thing, people putting serial killers, or incidents of tragedy on pedestals. I just found this quote with this picture next to it to be the most blatant ignorance I've seen in a good long while.

"Lynndie is HOT in boots...I like this...I'm sorry but I just do. I CAN'T STOP LOOKING AT IT!!!!!!!"
Hello idiot, I think he missed the part where there was a naked prisoner on the other end being raped of all his rights.
"If anyone out there thinks they can do a better job in Iraq...then shut up and go there yourself. Lets see if YOU got the guts cowards! LYNNDIE FOREVER!"

I love it when people justify abuse because of hard situations, so is it also justification for a husband to lock his wife in a bedroom and torcher her in his house because he was under pressure from his job? Same idea, okay so they are two different extremes but when broken down there can be similarities, and of course neither is right. There seems to be something wrong when we have to condone violence of any sort just because we were never sent into a war. Humanity seems to have a fine line, I guess its easy to destroy another world, and destroy yourself with it.

McDonalds vs. Greenpeace

2004-05-25T15:24:00.000-06:00

We live in a society today that is starting to look down upon activists, and people who aren't afraid to act out for what they believe in. Now im not talking about the activists in brazil or around the world who use violent acts in order to get their word across. So in all the anti Iraq protesting and all the upsets activists face its nice to hear every once and awhile that they win the battle. Greenpeace took McDonalds on, for three weeks they protested outside McDonald locations protesting their use of GE food, in particular chicken.

"Activists in New Zealand undertook a four-week public campaign which targeted McDonald's stores throughout the country with chicken-suited activists and a Ronald McDonald look-alike who staged a mock resignation. The clown was later arrested for blockading the 'golden arch' gates of McDonald's Wiri Distribution Centre. The campaign urged McDonald's to take a position on GE feed."

Due to all the publicity and public concern McDonalds has been stating saying their next two shipments will be from a non-GE contaminated region of Brazil. It's nice to see New Zealand take a step forward, and its only time till Americans, and Canadians start caring about the feed used in our poultry, and the hormones used in our fish.

Greenpeace Article

-J

New Layout!! I know i know..

2004-05-21T12:45:00.000-06:00

So i've been playing with this layout for the last 3-4 days and I've come to realize that i despise it, pretty much everything about it. So i'm in the stage of designing one myself from scratch. Im afraid though that im still quite rusty with all the html work. It's one of the most frustrating things, when you know what you want, yet cant really describe it in order to find tutorial help you on the internet, or if you do the person who wrote it is a complete moron and hasn't tested his codes yet.

________

So i was surfing the web the other day and i came across an article about a new game coming to the ps2 and the xbox. I was pretty flabbergasted. Fight Club is soon to be turned into a game. Now the irony doesn't stop there, wait till you read the synopsis...

"In the world of underground fighting, fists do the talking and the fight isn't over until someone goes limp, taps out, or is beaten. Players will be engrossed in this gritty, visceral world by fighting as one of the many characters from the gripping film. Fight Club, a "no-holds-barred" fighting game will portray the brutality of street fighting while encompassing the action and story elements from the movie with intense visuals, untraditional moves, and bare-knuckle destruction.

"Fight Club is set to deliver a fighting game that will portray the experience of a realistic fighter that incorporates many elements from the Fight Club movie," said Luc Vanhal, VU Games' North American President & COO. "Genuine Games has stepped up to the plate to develop a fighting game that will capture the raw intensity of street fighting that will appeal to movie fans, hardcore fighting game fans and casual gamers alike."

Now I don't know whats worse the idea of some numbskull creating thinking "HEY I got an idea" or the fact that they probably had to ask Author Chuck Palahniuk so they could use the name and characters in Fight Club.

The whole synopsis of Fight Club is not people kicking the shit out of each other for fun its about the hopelessness people get into due to the fact that our lives have no meaning. The main character deals with emotional abandonment, and since he is at a loss for his emotions he fights to let go of everything he has in order to regain himself. It has strong themes of anti commercialism and like many idealist before and after like Adbusters it's about the Willy Loman American Dream. So with all that in mind, they decided to make an EXTREME fighting game out of it. It's baffling to me, and personally no matter how good the game is I have HUGE doubt that this game will have the same message, and that I will ever be able to give the author and the movie as much credit as I did previously.

All I have to say is it's sickening that people are so willing to lose all artistic credibility for the all mighty dollar. Whats next Fight Club the reality TV show, please hand me my gun if so.

-J

FCC and CBSC versus Freedom of Speech

2004-05-17T22:49:00.000-06:00

This morning I was thinking a lot about Howard Stern.... I swear! Right now he is facing huge pressure from the FCC due to his violations of their broadcasting code. Howard Stern has been quoted saying that these restrictions are being brought down on him due to his opinions of President Bush and his opinion of the war in Iraq. Howard is facing huge fines up to 50,000 each, as are the companies that broadcast his show. Many American radio stations are now using a "dump button," which allows them to edit or bleed any offensive language or impropriate subjects they feel should be discarded before it hits the airwaves. The FCC has stated that they need to protect the 7 year old under age children who find Howard's shows appealing which is setting a bad example, and is considered inappropriate and slanderous. Now in all honesty that excuse is getting old, children who were born in the 90's have been influenced since birth by McDonalds and Barbie's which is considered to be "healthy" for a child's metal environment. If you compare the age in which children encounter their first sexual experience (not including masturbation) from 10 year olds' now, and thirty years ago there is a difference of at least 11 years. So the public is aware of the new pressures of being a child, and how little time they have before they become corrupt. The FCC may look like they are being responsible to their audience and to the American public, but it is just another big facade to please sponsors who feel uncomfortable with Howard's opinions on a war they paid for. It becomes a scary thing when our freedom of speech is dictated by sponsors, granted I realize I am a Canadian, but how many radio broadcasters out there can u name that are willing to go out on air and say "Nickleback is the next Spice Girls of Rock" or "Ohh man, Ralph Klein shouldn't be in power! (...and why)"

Sponsorships and payrolls aside, I'm not saying their shouldn't be guidelines on what is and isn't filtered through the media. I don't think it is appropriate for someone to say slanderous comment towards religions, cultures, or sexes. Or condone violence or talk about how you think "Christina Aguilera has one of the nicest asses you've seen in awhile" at 7am. I do think though there are such grey guideline as to what is and isn't appropriate that DJ's or Journalists have a weight on them as to not be too risquÃ© in order to protect their pocket book. There is such a huge fear now of fines and even loss of license's which is eliminating political free speech even though it is expressly protected by the First Amendment. The fuzziness of the various definitions of decency and indecency, acceptable and unacceptable speech suggest something else: If you can't sufficiently define what you're regulating, maybe you shouldn't be regulating it. The FCC and CBSC should stop worrying about parenting our children and concentrate on they real issues at hand, the fact that our culture is being taken away from us, and being hidden by buttons in order to make way for more Walmart and McDonald's adds.

This topic isn't new, but it's definitely something that is important, and there needs to be more public awareness as to how much should be filtered and shouldn't. I think people have just sat down and let the corporations take a hold of them, which is alright to most. We make so many excuses in our society, and we like to keep a blindfold on to what is happening outside our bubble. It's easier to ignore a problem than deal, that's our society's biggest problem we are so willing to give up and let someone else deal with it.

Thats my big rant for today, i know i'll be pondering it all day.

I've been listening to a lot of Constatines lately, and it's just one for those bands that break down musical barriers and make something fresh out of something overdone. They mix so many different types of sounds that it almost reminds me of the Pixies in the way that they let the music speak for themselves and not the genre. Another band that gives me that feeling of energy and creativity is Broken Social Scene, mixture or rock, blues, jazz and Sigur Ros style of eccentric shifts in tone; if you haven't yet give them a listen.

-J

New!!!!

2004-05-17T12:48:00.000-06:00

So i've decided to ditch xanga and blog it now. This is basically a test post so i don't really have much of anyhting to say. :) Ill be playing with the settings and posting some of my past reviews.