...that, among other things, I happen to be of First Nations heritage on my maternal grandfather's side?
I mention this, because it gives me some rationale for linking to this.
To this day I have almost very little knowledge of what Grandpa's life was really like growing up. Not one to talk politics, I also have little idea what he would have thought about the residential schools settlement. Or what he would have thought about Archbishop Lavoie suggesting that the priests and laypersons who worked in those schools were victims of...long working hours.
I know what I think though.
I think somebody needs to do a little extra praying.
(btw I realize this post represents yet another departure for this magnificently disjointed and unfocused blog. Among other things it's not about hockey. Or Bouchard-Taylor. Sorry. Stuff happens. I'll get around to these items someday.)
Friday, February 1, 2008
Sunday, October 7, 2007
on not blogging...or, on blogging...about hockey
Remind me why I set up this blog thingie?
To write? To render my feeble brainstorms public? To ruminate about what's been pissing me off/inspiring me/etc. in the world of politics?
That latter one was my main source of inspiration.
More recently though I've found it harder to say what I really want to say.
As far as opinionated bureaucrats with attitude go, I'm no Ottawonk, I guess.
Also, the circus that is the Liberal Party of Canada is just... it takes me beyond my ability to take the high road, and since I didn't intend for this blog to become an outpost for intrapartisan potshots (which I have no right to make anyway, not being intraparty), I think the healthiest thing for me to do is to back off wringing my hands over federal politics together.
The Bouchard-Taylor commission has been predictably embarrassing/hilarious, with only occasional gusts to enlightened which, I fear, will likely go unnoticed in the final report. I have a treatise-in-progress on this, which will go up sometime in the coming weeks.
Music's on hold for me.
That leaves hockey. Happily, this has become a rich source of blogging interest for me. I've spent quite a bit of time yacking here the last few weeks, and I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit that I loved it.
So...point of discussion.
What the hell is Tom Kostopoulos doing getting power play time?
To write? To render my feeble brainstorms public? To ruminate about what's been pissing me off/inspiring me/etc. in the world of politics?
That latter one was my main source of inspiration.
More recently though I've found it harder to say what I really want to say.
As far as opinionated bureaucrats with attitude go, I'm no Ottawonk, I guess.
Also, the circus that is the Liberal Party of Canada is just... it takes me beyond my ability to take the high road, and since I didn't intend for this blog to become an outpost for intrapartisan potshots (which I have no right to make anyway, not being intraparty), I think the healthiest thing for me to do is to back off wringing my hands over federal politics together.
The Bouchard-Taylor commission has been predictably embarrassing/hilarious, with only occasional gusts to enlightened which, I fear, will likely go unnoticed in the final report. I have a treatise-in-progress on this, which will go up sometime in the coming weeks.
Music's on hold for me.
That leaves hockey. Happily, this has become a rich source of blogging interest for me. I've spent quite a bit of time yacking here the last few weeks, and I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit that I loved it.
So...point of discussion.
What the hell is Tom Kostopoulos doing getting power play time?
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Me still blog here....
...have been drawn to other, non-computer-related things of late. Frankly it's healthy that I haven't been around this sitemuch lately; I spend enough of my days drooling before a monitor as it is. I don't post from a berry or my cell and (for obvious reasons) won't consider attempting to post using my office terminal, so it's evening-hour posts or nothing for me.
I did visit the e-group today for a chat about the Ontario electoral reform vote coming up next month. Is it me, or is the absence of chatter in the MSM about this vote a little creepy? I know there was a spike in columnist disdain (see: Potter, Andrew) when the Citizen's Assembly released it's recommendation earlier this year, but otherwise, not so much out there. Oh well, not like it's anywhere near as important as Lindsay Lohan, eh?
In other news, with Patrice Brisebois under contract I am now anxiously awaiting confirmation that Rick Green and Gaston Gingras are coming out of retirement....
I did visit the e-group today for a chat about the Ontario electoral reform vote coming up next month. Is it me, or is the absence of chatter in the MSM about this vote a little creepy? I know there was a spike in columnist disdain (see: Potter, Andrew) when the Citizen's Assembly released it's recommendation earlier this year, but otherwise, not so much out there. Oh well, not like it's anywhere near as important as Lindsay Lohan, eh?
In other news, with Patrice Brisebois under contract I am now anxiously awaiting confirmation that Rick Green and Gaston Gingras are coming out of retirement....
Friday, July 20, 2007
Some things better left under development...
So today I decided to scrap a pair of follow-up posts to this little diatribe. A couple of lessons about blogging: first, if you have doubts about the veracity of your own logic, you're probably right; and second, if you can't finish a blog post in one sitting then it's best not to let it collect dust for too long. With these now-deleted posts I managed to violate both rules. Plus they were just plain poorly written. Guess I needed my vacation more than I thought.
There really isn't that much to read into this. I just wasn't happy with what I wrote. It's not the first time, certainly won't be the last.
On to other things....
There really isn't that much to read into this. I just wasn't happy with what I wrote. It's not the first time, certainly won't be the last.
On to other things....
Saturday, July 7, 2007
I'm still here...
...in fact I have a rapidly growing stack of posts saved as drafts-in-progress - an interesting test of the hypothesis that if you have no clue whether the technology you're using works or not, the only way to find out is to try it.
Meantime, I thought I'd share a letter I sent to the National Post the other day, in response to a typically annoying editorial rant about the alleged excesses of liberal celebrities. Not surprisingly, it didn't make the cut....
"The Editors of the National Post this morning seem unusually unaware of the hypocrisy of their words ("Don't Ask Us - We're Just Musicians" - 06 July,2007). Quite secure in their moral and intellectual superiority, they congratulate the Arctic Monkeys and other rock groups who've chosen to opt out of the Live Earth concert series, and encourage other, less "humble" artists to take note, do the right thing and muzzle themselves for what would surely be the betterment of society.
"That popular artists would choose to use the platform afforded them by their celebrity and public reach to promote the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, rather than Scientology or their preferred brand of eyeliner, is presented as evidence of decay in public discourse.
"This line of argument is getting old, and undermines a key principle of the notion of a marketplace of ideas - that what is true and right rises above what is false and wrong, because the aggregate of consumers will be able to tell fact from fiction.
"In that sense, it should matter far more that the findings of the IPCC are typically vetted by over 600 scientists and reviewed and approved by over 100 national governments - including Canada -before being released to the public, than whether or not the Arctic Monkeys play Live Earth.
"This is not to pooh-pooh on the Arctic Monkeys, by the way. They are well within their rights to recuse themselves from this particular marketplace. Just as Ronald Reagan (or Ahh-nold)was within his rights to stand for governor of California. Just as Todd Rundgren is within his rights to advocate on behalf of the National Rifle Association.
"The point is, they have the right to use whatever particular advantages they have to whatever end they choose. As do the editors of the National Post, by the way: their access to this platform - the editorial pages of a national newspaper - is an advantage they have in the marketplace of ideas that has little or nothing to do with whether they are uniquely qualified to use it.
"What the Post editors fail to realize is that ordinary people are increasingly noticing that those who occupy the traditional platforms of opinion leadership -the Lou Dobbs, Margaret Wentes, David Frums, Lowell Greens, etc., of the world -are not necessarily in those positions by divine right or ubiquitous talent. And they're turing elsewhere - to late-night TV, to the blogosphere, and to the celebrities whose pet causes mirror their own.
"One would suspect that the editors of the National Post should be more rattled by the rise in competition in the marketplace of ideas than they are irritated by Barbara Streisand. They probably aren't. They should be."
Meantime, I thought I'd share a letter I sent to the National Post the other day, in response to a typically annoying editorial rant about the alleged excesses of liberal celebrities. Not surprisingly, it didn't make the cut....
"The Editors of the National Post this morning seem unusually unaware of the hypocrisy of their words ("Don't Ask Us - We're Just Musicians" - 06 July,2007). Quite secure in their moral and intellectual superiority, they congratulate the Arctic Monkeys and other rock groups who've chosen to opt out of the Live Earth concert series, and encourage other, less "humble" artists to take note, do the right thing and muzzle themselves for what would surely be the betterment of society.
"That popular artists would choose to use the platform afforded them by their celebrity and public reach to promote the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, rather than Scientology or their preferred brand of eyeliner, is presented as evidence of decay in public discourse.
"This line of argument is getting old, and undermines a key principle of the notion of a marketplace of ideas - that what is true and right rises above what is false and wrong, because the aggregate of consumers will be able to tell fact from fiction.
"In that sense, it should matter far more that the findings of the IPCC are typically vetted by over 600 scientists and reviewed and approved by over 100 national governments - including Canada -before being released to the public, than whether or not the Arctic Monkeys play Live Earth.
"This is not to pooh-pooh on the Arctic Monkeys, by the way. They are well within their rights to recuse themselves from this particular marketplace. Just as Ronald Reagan (or Ahh-nold)was within his rights to stand for governor of California. Just as Todd Rundgren is within his rights to advocate on behalf of the National Rifle Association.
"The point is, they have the right to use whatever particular advantages they have to whatever end they choose. As do the editors of the National Post, by the way: their access to this platform - the editorial pages of a national newspaper - is an advantage they have in the marketplace of ideas that has little or nothing to do with whether they are uniquely qualified to use it.
"What the Post editors fail to realize is that ordinary people are increasingly noticing that those who occupy the traditional platforms of opinion leadership -the Lou Dobbs, Margaret Wentes, David Frums, Lowell Greens, etc., of the world -are not necessarily in those positions by divine right or ubiquitous talent. And they're turing elsewhere - to late-night TV, to the blogosphere, and to the celebrities whose pet causes mirror their own.
"One would suspect that the editors of the National Post should be more rattled by the rise in competition in the marketplace of ideas than they are irritated by Barbara Streisand. They probably aren't. They should be."
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Memory Almost Full
I also owe y'all a review of Macca's latest album, don't I?
The short version is that Memory Almost Full, went set alongside his body of studio recordings over the past ten years, shows conclusively that age, maturity - and, yes, tragedy - have sharpened, not dulled, his creative prowess. Make no mistake, this one's special.
Forget the commercialism of the Starbucks deal. Like Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Flaming Pie, Run Devil Run and (to a lesser extent) Driving Rain, this album stands on its own merit.
Ironically, the only track I'm not particularly fond of is the one chosen as the North American single - "Ever Present Past." Not that it's weak, but it's not as representative of the mood of the album as the other tracks.
The opening track - "Dance Tonight" - has taken hits from some critics for being too cute. Y'know what? It is cute. Swallow it. Apparently written whilst entertaining his young daughter with the mandolin, it is cute, but it's also fun - happily, and urgently, fun.
Urgency. Paul's best work has always been characterized by a rare sort of emotional urgency: ballads like "Hey Jude," "Let It Be" and "Maybe I'm Amazed;" rockers like "I'm Down," "Helter Skelter," "Hi Hi Hi" and "Band on the Run," even folksy little ditties like "Blackbird," "Put It There" and "Calico Skies" - they are written, and sung, with an edge. You can tell when Paul McCartney is on and when he's mailing it in - think of the contrast, on his smash 1982 record Tug of War, between the heartbreaking ode to John Lennon "Here Today" on the one hand, and the successful (but entirely forgettable) "Ebony and Ivory."
On Memory Almost Full, that emotional urgency is evident in every track Perhaps on a certain level, the urgency within him is greater than ever: now 65, Paul McCartney is no spring chicken, and the voice has deepened and roughened a bit since 1997. The vocal performances are excellent - not lazy, not strained - but they convey an almost unsettling vulnerability: songs like "Gratitude" and "House of Wax" in particular sent shivers down my spine.
Other highlights: "Mr. Bellamy," whose protagonist joins the pantheon of funky Macca characters created over the years (Eleanor Rigby, Uncle Albert & Admiral Halsey, Rocky Raccoon, Jenny Wren, the nameless girl from "She's Given Up Talking," the Famous Groupies & the Lead Guitarist Who Lived in Epping Forest - to name a few); "Only Mama Knows," an amazing rock melody; "Nod Your Head," which more than one critic has compared favorably to "Why Don't We Do It In the Road"; and the closing medley, particularly "The End of the End," which will be remembered as possibly the most powerful lyric he's ever written. For those who are inclined to splurge on the Special Edition CD or the extras package on ITunes, "Why So Blue" is the best of the bonus tracks by far.
Honestly, it's impossible for me to write this as anything other than a fan. So you can take what I have to say with a grain of salt if you wish. But a quick scan of the reviews available online shows I'm not alone in saying this one is special. Here are a couple of examples. A quick hop oer to wikipedia shows that the buying public is paying attention: in the states, Memory Almost Full is finishing its fifth straight week in the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Not bad.
As I write this, "House of Wax" is playing on the ITunes player. And it still gives me shivers. Yeah, this one's special.
The short version is that Memory Almost Full, went set alongside his body of studio recordings over the past ten years, shows conclusively that age, maturity - and, yes, tragedy - have sharpened, not dulled, his creative prowess. Make no mistake, this one's special.
Forget the commercialism of the Starbucks deal. Like Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Flaming Pie, Run Devil Run and (to a lesser extent) Driving Rain, this album stands on its own merit.
Ironically, the only track I'm not particularly fond of is the one chosen as the North American single - "Ever Present Past." Not that it's weak, but it's not as representative of the mood of the album as the other tracks.
The opening track - "Dance Tonight" - has taken hits from some critics for being too cute. Y'know what? It is cute. Swallow it. Apparently written whilst entertaining his young daughter with the mandolin, it is cute, but it's also fun - happily, and urgently, fun.
Urgency. Paul's best work has always been characterized by a rare sort of emotional urgency: ballads like "Hey Jude," "Let It Be" and "Maybe I'm Amazed;" rockers like "I'm Down," "Helter Skelter," "Hi Hi Hi" and "Band on the Run," even folksy little ditties like "Blackbird," "Put It There" and "Calico Skies" - they are written, and sung, with an edge. You can tell when Paul McCartney is on and when he's mailing it in - think of the contrast, on his smash 1982 record Tug of War, between the heartbreaking ode to John Lennon "Here Today" on the one hand, and the successful (but entirely forgettable) "Ebony and Ivory."
On Memory Almost Full, that emotional urgency is evident in every track Perhaps on a certain level, the urgency within him is greater than ever: now 65, Paul McCartney is no spring chicken, and the voice has deepened and roughened a bit since 1997. The vocal performances are excellent - not lazy, not strained - but they convey an almost unsettling vulnerability: songs like "Gratitude" and "House of Wax" in particular sent shivers down my spine.
Other highlights: "Mr. Bellamy," whose protagonist joins the pantheon of funky Macca characters created over the years (Eleanor Rigby, Uncle Albert & Admiral Halsey, Rocky Raccoon, Jenny Wren, the nameless girl from "She's Given Up Talking," the Famous Groupies & the Lead Guitarist Who Lived in Epping Forest - to name a few); "Only Mama Knows," an amazing rock melody; "Nod Your Head," which more than one critic has compared favorably to "Why Don't We Do It In the Road"; and the closing medley, particularly "The End of the End," which will be remembered as possibly the most powerful lyric he's ever written. For those who are inclined to splurge on the Special Edition CD or the extras package on ITunes, "Why So Blue" is the best of the bonus tracks by far.
Honestly, it's impossible for me to write this as anything other than a fan. So you can take what I have to say with a grain of salt if you wish. But a quick scan of the reviews available online shows I'm not alone in saying this one is special. Here are a couple of examples. A quick hop oer to wikipedia shows that the buying public is paying attention: in the states, Memory Almost Full is finishing its fifth straight week in the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Not bad.
As I write this, "House of Wax" is playing on the ITunes player. And it still gives me shivers. Yeah, this one's special.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
On the subject of intelligent political discourse
Is there a reason for Antonia Maioni?
Because honestly, I can't think of one. From her vapid postings on Maclean's 50 (sample quote from her comment on the Quebec election: "History was made as Quebecers elected a minority government and was made again as the third-party ADQ formed the official opposition. But the real story of the election is what happened in terms of the vote.") to her inimitable penchant for stating the boneheadedly obvious during her myriad television appearances as Quebec-based-political-scientist-at-large, rarely has a political observer/commentator taken so much opportunity to contribute to the public discourse and delivered so little.
Case in point: how the hell can a Canadian political scientist manage to produce a treatise on the legacy of Tony Blair and fail to acknowledge, even in passing, the impact of Blair's establishment of devolved assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? Are there no lessons to be drawn from this legacy for Canada - say, regarding the perils of dicking around with the distribution of legislative and spending powers for electoral gain?
Because honestly, I can't think of one. From her vapid postings on Maclean's 50 (sample quote from her comment on the Quebec election: "History was made as Quebecers elected a minority government and was made again as the third-party ADQ formed the official opposition. But the real story of the election is what happened in terms of the vote.") to her inimitable penchant for stating the boneheadedly obvious during her myriad television appearances as Quebec-based-political-scientist-at-large, rarely has a political observer/commentator taken so much opportunity to contribute to the public discourse and delivered so little.
Case in point: how the hell can a Canadian political scientist manage to produce a treatise on the legacy of Tony Blair and fail to acknowledge, even in passing, the impact of Blair's establishment of devolved assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? Are there no lessons to be drawn from this legacy for Canada - say, regarding the perils of dicking around with the distribution of legislative and spending powers for electoral gain?
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