rabsteen

Google Reader

2005-11-12T01:16:00.000-05:00

Some of you asked which program was pictured in my last post. It's actually Google Reader, which is a web-based application that organizes all the blogs I read through the magic of RSS. Even though I still use bloglines to handle my blogroll, I like the way Google Reader formats entries and provides better ways to save or 'star' entries that are useful.

If you have a Google account, you can click the button below and preview my feed. If you like it, subscribe.

Categories: Google Reader, rss, blogging.

Drew's podcast

2005-11-11T20:16:00.000-05:00

Have you heard this podcast yet? It's ultra cool. Can't wait for #2.

Categories: drew's podcast, podcast, rock the house.

Switcheroo

2005-11-11T17:43:00.000-05:00

It's like a new pair of underwear.

Flickr is being a bitch right now. grr.

More elephant jokes.

2005-11-09T23:10:00.000-05:00

tee hee. shall i continue with the elephant jokes?

via philosophia

Inspiring

2005-11-08T21:04:00.000-05:00

During a class today we discussed Lenin and his theory(ies) and how they relate to just war theory. One of the main books weÂre studying in this class is Alan Gilbert's Must Global Politics Constrain Democracy. Gilbert is essentially trying to retool Marxism and give it a new edge to try and make it relevant to the study of international relations again.

A lot of it is simply garbage. But one particular idea that was raised today strikes me as unusual. Lenin's conception of just war or the justness of conflict between states is essentially moot. Since all states are essentially capitalist robber-barrons and the wars that they fight are wars of imperialist conquest, no one side is preferable to the other; i.e. there can be no such thing as a just war since both sides are bastards. Citizens, therefore, ought to work to undermine their own governments war efforts through something that would essentially look like a Marxist revolutionary take-over.

Gilbert takes Lenin's idea and proposes something called the anti-democratic feeback thesis. This argument is essentially that conflicts abroad reduce democracy at home in a variety of ways. Here he means that the more a state engages in foreign wars, the more likely they are to reduce citizens ability to participate in the democratic process; and that is strikingly the case in the U.S. -the quality of discourse concerning the war has been removed or degraded to the level of 'talking points', the role of the public has been increasingly far removed from decision-making, etc.--not much is needed in the way of convincing here, since we are living in it.

So what Gilbert is trying to do is remove the notion of obligation of revolution from the role of citizens and replace it with an urgent call for participation in the democratic process during times of conflict precisely because times of conflict ultimately lead governments to reduce the amount of democratic participation in the political process. The active involvement of citizens in the democratic process is essential at this time because this is when the government will provide the most resistance to participation.

It's interesting enough for those who study just war, but it may also be useful for my thesis. Since I'm working on Debord's notion of the spectacle which involves a conception of society which is constrained--constrained in a variety of ways, all of which are a cultural product of the capitalist system--this notion of contraining participation in the political process is similar enough to Debord's notion that the 'spectacle' which the blanket that is pulled over everyone's heads is strong enough to persuade us to act in ways which are not our best interest; i.e. it similarly restricts our ability to participate in the political process.

anyways,.. there's a connection there.

worst.

post.

ever.

:)

Cross-post.

Ooops!

2005-11-07T21:49:00.000-05:00

Are you sad? Sorry. I'm busy trying out the wordpress engine to see how it compares to blogger. Feel free to drop-in. Let me know what you think.

Categories: wordpress, hiatus, send in the clowns.

time

2005-10-30T10:27:00.000-05:00

Time is an interesting thing we've invented for ourselves. Apparently we've gained an hour today. In the spring we loose one. How does it work? Does this time come back as an extra day in Feb every four years? Or, is time just an invention, and it doesn't really matter anyways.

If it's an invention, in whose interests does it serve? Humans? Because, not unlike our pagan forefathers, we are obliged to worship the sun? Capitalists? Maybe this time is a capitalist invention to maintain a healthy business cycle.

effing capitalists. with their time...and...means of production..

Maybe time is just a trick to distract us from the fact that, like all other organisms, we've got an expiry date. Or maybe it's actually to remind us of that.

Categories: time, invention, effing capitalists.

Halloween!

2005-10-15T12:29:00.000-04:00

Halloween is coming! Fun Fun.

Categories: pumpkin, halloween, fall.

Fun Day!

2005-10-02T16:15:00.000-04:00

Fun photos from a day well spent in Capreol.

I fear these days will be fewer as the seasons transition. I fear this fürer and the fascist transmissions.

Categories: i'm feeling artistic, fall, capreol.

Funny

2005-09-29T18:57:00.000-04:00

What do you call a pachyderm that shows up without warning?
The elephant of surprise.

via The World of Screetus

Cuteness be thy name!

2005-09-26T23:04:00.000-04:00

Thesis proposal officially submitted.

I intend to explore these two key questions through an analysis of two important concepts; firstly, the notion of ‘the spectacle’, i.e. Guy Debord’s concept of the “social relation between people that is mediated by images” which, within the broader context of the study of social organization, highlights the need to re-examine the notion, implications and consequences of ‘representation.’[1]

Secondly, and as I will argue, perhaps not unconnected, is Louis Althusser’s concept of the Ideological State Apparatus. Althusser’s theory of ideology is of particular interest because it will allow me to frame the discussion of Debord’s notion of representation within the context of Althusser’s question; “What, then, is the reproduction of the conditions of production?”[2]

[1] Guy Debord, Society of the Spectacle, (Rebel Press, London: 2005), 7.

[2] Louis Althusser, “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”, in Lenin and Philosophy and Other Essays (Monthly Review Press, New York: 2001), 85.

Does this guy know how to party or what?[1]

[1] Wayne Campbell, Wayne’s World, (1992).

Categories: marxism, thesis, university.

This Year Is Taxing

2005-09-22T20:04:00.000-04:00

This year is a lot of work, but I can handle it. It just came with so little effort before, now that I actually have to try, it kinda sucks. Plus, it's become much more important that I manage my time properly--I have a history of sucking at this.

I need a lot more courage to speak french too. This is my first year taking classes in another language. I think it's a different part of the brain than I've used thus far in my career, so it's like starting from the beginning all over again.

I'm so used to having a confident facility with language. Now by the time I've thought of something in French, the conversation has passed. I'm just going to grin and bear it and embarass myself; simply because I want to learn as fast as possible, and the best way is to just jump in.

Going home for the weekend. I haven't taken a decent picture in ages.

Categories: home, university, french.

Babies!

2005-09-19T12:08:00.000-04:00

Babies are fun and cute. Too bad they don't come with volume control.

Categories: babies, volume control, also, i'm sick.

NOLA

2005-09-12T16:28:00.000-04:00

Once again, local Sault talent has transformed it's creative energy into aid for the victims of Hurrican Katrina. Good show peeps, wish I could be there.

Via CO
Categories: sault, katrina, charity.

We Did It! - Dora and Boots

2005-09-11T16:54:00.000-04:00

I'm alive, and appreciate the concern! Behold my housemates! I've now become accustomed to Dora the Explorer. Interesting show really.

The first spare second I get, I'm going for a bike ride. Hopefully I can nab some shots of this city. Otherwise I have school work up to my eye balls.

Here's what I'm kicking around for my thesis; evaluating the notion of 'representation' as it is found in selective post-modern Marxist theory, specifically but not limited to Debord, Mouffe and Laclau.

Does that sound like a party or what?!?

Categories: thesis topic, university, dora.

Magic The Gathering

2005-08-30T23:32:00.000-04:00

Countdown to Sunday; moving day. I reject the notion that my life can fit into boxes and be hauled around. What a pain in the ass.

Has anyone played the Magic the Gathering card game? It's like the new D&D for this generation.

I've been trying to make a new blog banner, but I just can't seem to find something I like. After the move I'll have more time to fiddle.

In lieu of that time, enjoy some of my recent pics:

Thanks to The Queen of Light and Joy for the pic!

Categories: moving, magic the gathering, university.

Format Your Life

2005-08-27T15:20:00.000-04:00

I had to format my harddrive. Windows XP angers me to no end; I may buy a mac, they're coming down in price--and I'm more and more interested in Photoshop and such. My sister is vacationing in France and I'm so jealous I could scream. I'm left packing up all the stuff I need to bring to university this year--total drag.

I'm looking forward to a bigger city to bike in. But I'm sad summer seems to have ended so quickly. I have this ominious feeling that this will be the last year I can come back home for the summer. I think I'm okay with that; but there's that strange feeling of seperation.

Categories: sibiling rivalry, summer, momma?.

Changing

2005-08-22T01:37:00.000-04:00

I've switched to a blogger template to see how that treats me. I get bored easily, especially of white. I've added an ~~Of Interest~~ 'Linklog' section so I won't be adding any links to the bottom of my posts anymore. Hopefully, I keep this one for awhile. Let me know what you think.

Categories: flickr magazine creator, blog template, del.icio.us.

I'm An Engine Driver

2005-08-16T22:37:00.000-04:00

Spent the day moving my furniture three hours away to where I will be returning to university. As hideous as moving may be, the three hour trip allowed me to catch up on some reading.

To anyone looking for good Canadiana fiction, I highly recommend Clara Callan. Particularly clever is Wright's meta-exploration of Canadian themes through European characters:

"And Lewis tells me you are a teacher in some hamlet in the wilds of Canada. I've never been to Canada, but I'm told it's very English and very Puritan. I have it on good authority that as a people you are suspicious of vice and who can blame you? Do you have any artists there? Should I know who they are?"

I won't even bother with a synopsis (because the story sounds boring and very Atwood-esque at first glance; set in small town 1930's--plot revolves around the parallels between two sisters as they try to understand their lives, etc.) but I will mention that the story unfolds through an exchange of letters between the main characters and has very little actual narration. It's strangely captivating.

In fact, in it's own way, Clara Callan pays tribute to the lost craft of letter-writing (George Orwell, champion letter writer, immediately comes to mind). Looking forward to writing my thesis.

Categories: clara callan, university, driving all day long.

The Human Torch Was Denied A Bank Loan

2005-08-12T14:21:00.000-04:00

If you ride your bike through the Sault College Nature Trails and at some point if you turn left instead of right, you end up here, in someone's backyard (above).

Rushdie's schtick.
Now that it's become cool.
free-market fantasies.

Categories: nature trail, biking, wrong turn.

Podcast #2

2005-08-10T17:38:00.000-04:00

I managed to finish #2, a little later than I expected. But #3 is on the way, have no fear. Interesting stuff this week, hope you enjoy, don't forget to subscribe.

Track Listing:

Wevie Stonder: The Wooden Horse of Troy
Mice Parade - Nights Wave
Les Georges Leningrad: Sponsorships
Wetwork - Heaven's Advocate

Those who like the alt-experimental stuff will immediately enjoy Mice Parade, they have the perfect mix of experimental sound and emotional ambiance. Les George is a band that I can only describe as rejectionist-rock. They completely rebuke convention, nicety and the entire music industry (surprise surprise, they're french!). Wetwork is the best technical metal band from Canada in the last five years. Hope you enjoy!

Categories: odeo, podcast, wetwork.

Buskerfest

2005-08-08T21:41:00.000-04:00

Buskerfest, a celebration of street performers, was an absolute success. Mr. Bunk was my favourite; check out part of his act. Also, some shots I took of the event are here.

The Queen's new lackey.
This is international explosion.
a failed state? in my hemisphere? the not too distant past may provide some clues.

Categories: mr. bunk, buskerfest, videoblog.

What do you say?

2005-08-03T12:59:00.000-04:00

Here's something strange; I get visitors who searched for sexy witty things to say. I guess I owe these people an apology (I tried desperately to come up with something sexy or witty, maybe philosophia can help, she's clever like that).

Lately I've found myself in situations where I simply don't know the answers. It reminds me of how little we know about sociology. Of course we've come along way since Comte and Durkheim, but if we contrast breakthroughs that sociologists have made in the social sciences compared to say medicine, biologists, chemists etc., in the hard sciences, it's easy to see that the social sciences have failed to keep up.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;One notable absence is a working theory of human interaction. In Durable Inequality, Tilly attempts to shows how long lasting forms of inequalities exist beyond the explanations based solely on class, race, gender etc. I won't tell you what he came up with, but I will applaud the ideas he came up with on how human interaction works.

Part of his very elaborate framework to explain interactions involves two elements he dubs local knowledge and scripts. Local knowledge is essentially the pool of knowledge that people, families, villages, communities build up through experience and share with eachother. Local knowledge informs and helps to shape scripts; which are basically anticipated forms of dialogue and communication which help people interact.

In Canada for example, a common script among every interaction from father/son, customer/clerk, etc. is "Hi, How are you; Fine/good/great/ and you? Great, listen, can you tell me where to find the IL DIVO cd?"

If you remove or alter the script, it becomes more difficult to interact with someone smoothly, simply because you have no knowledge of the situation to draw upon and inform your behaviour. As elementary as this sounds, this framework for interaction has interesting explanatory consequences; for example, between the U.S. and Russia during the Cold War, or between opposing ethnic tribes during a civil war.

It also helps to explain why sometimes, people just don't know what to say.

Categories: Charles Tilly, human interaction, sociology.

Rainy Day

2005-07-30T23:44:00.000-04:00

Clouds are best photographed in rainy weather.

Both of these were taken in my backyard today after it rained. Enjoy.

US loves to hate Castro
Worst..writing....evar!

Categories: photos, rainy day, clouds.

Hiawatha

2005-07-27T23:27:00.000-04:00

Waterfalls are fun! Mountain biking isn't really mountain biking until it's up a mountain--but then it's extreme biking. Either way, it's quite a workout, a good way to spend an afternoon.

I found this site which served to remind me of how poor a photographer I really am. I purchased my digi-cam about a year ago now, and am just now getting into photography. I've come along way and learned a lot about photoshop and how to take shots, but seeing professional work or just creative shots makes me feel inadequate. Hopefully with more practice I'll get better.

Second podcast will be done by this weekend!

Cancer be-gone.
This is getting much worse.
A draft will be called before Syria.
Isn't it a little late for this?!?.

Categories: photography, waterfall, biking.

Art Matters

2005-07-25T15:59:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about how difficult it is to simply live a creative life. Life (or for me, summers) in an office, tends to suck out the creative energy that makes life interesting, or at least enjoyable.

And no matter what kind of corporate propaganda is espoused, ingenuity is punished, thinking outside the box frowned upon and assertiveness is scowled at.

It reminds me that I agreed with Marx who thought that as soon as work becomes alien to the worker, the whole enterprise of working for a wage is suspect.

Nobody wants to do something they hate everyday; work should be the free and spontaneous expression of human creativity. Throughout history, the people who have enjoyed working in those conditions, contributed perhaps the greatest gifts; philosophers in Greece, artists in Italy, intellectuals in France, authors/playwrites in England. What would a sculpture look like if it had to be 'on my desk by friday?'

Luckily, for me life's not too serious, and my creative contribution can come in the form of a second bike adventure videoblog. Hope you enjoy.

Categories: biking adventure, videoblog, alienated labor.

Mass Produced

2005-07-23T00:45:00.000-04:00

I spent today biking around by myself; it was peaceful, and I enjoyed it. The library didn't have the book I wanted, and I was under the impression that this title was a classic, and should be standard library issue. I advised the friendly clerk that this branch would benefit from stocking some classics. She informed me that they barely have enough money to meet the demand for Harry Potter.

I met up with an old friend who runs a death metal label in Toronto. It was funny to sit in a bar and see a band of 17 year old kids play the same music we did back in our day. I wonder if we looked that young?

Only in Toronto.
Much to the dismay of Canada's Fox News-esque Global News.

Categories: death metal, bike ride, feeling old.

Expand and Contract

2005-07-21T13:04:00.000-04:00

I remember this question and answer period after a speech given by prominent U.S. social critic Noam Chomsky. Chomsky had just spoke on the subject of propaganda and the media and the question posed was by a journalist who essentially said, ' I don't want to be part of a system of propaganda, what role can I play as a journalist, is there such a thing as a good journalist?' And Chomsky's response was essentially that good journalists know when to write important articles.

I think that he makes a good point; there are times when topics are fashionable--during the Iraq war it was common for a journalist to call into question the motives of the Bush administration's foreign policy, despite the plethora of academic publications (even from within the U.S.) harshly critizing Bush long before March 2003--similarly there are times when topics simply cannot penetrate the U.S. media's radar; like East Timor, Nicaragua etc.

Similarly, I think there are times when the limits of acceptable music expand and contract. Unlike the late 90s which produced very little in the way of new music, 2004-05 seems to be challenging the limits of creative experimentation. Or maybe I just like the new music that's coming out lately, like: Arcade Fire, Patrick Wolf, Sufjan Stevens, The Decemberists, etc.

Not to be confused with Scientology.

Categories: Noam Chomsky, new music, sound.

Windy Day

2005-07-18T22:47:00.000-04:00

There's something relaxing about bikeriding near the water. It's a good time to think, and reflect on life. As summer winds down, I have to start thinking about preparing everything to return to university. When the weather is this nice, who wants to do that?

Dusk is my favourite time during the summer. It's perfect weather for exercising, not too hot, not too cool. And everything seems to have a glow, which is difficult to capture.

I feel incredibly lucky to be able to spend my summers in my hometown, however limited its resources are. I used to think that it was a culturally stagnant cesspool of mindless industrial workers, but it's funny how it seems to be going through a process of renewal; a mini renaissance where interesting people once again work hard to put on events and stimulate the community.

While biking tonight, we spontaneously stopped to shoot a funny video, wanna see?

Quelle Surprise!.
Alfie wasn't much of stretch.
Chavez: kicking ass & taking names.
If he was the typical conservative, I'd join the party myself.

Categories: biking, end of summer, small town.

Podcast #1

2005-07-18T17:16:00.000-04:00

I finally tried putting something together in podcast form. It was fun searching for podcast-friendly new music. Putting it together was easier than I thought. I made an Odeo profile for all those who use odeo to subscribe. Feedback definitely welcome!

Track Listing:

Patrick Wolf - The Libertine from Wind In The Wires
Neulander - Sex, God, Money from Smoke and Fire
Le Tigre - Fake French from Feminist Sweepstakes
David Byrne - My Fair Lady from The Wired CD: Rip. Sample. Mash. Share.

Categories: odeo, podcast, music.

Mild Comparison

2005-07-15T22:01:00.000-04:00

On the left is the late-night infomercial extraordinaire, The Video Professor. On the right is New Democratic Party of Canada Leader Jack Layton. After a thorough investigation, I've concluded that they are not related.

But on to more important things; podcasts. If you haven't signed up at Odeo.com, you need to right now. I've found all sorts of amazing indie podcasts which feature new Canadian artists.

If you're having trouble finding good podcasts, or don't know where to start, you can subscribe to my odeo feed here-assuming you have the latest version of iTunes.

Categories: podcasts, odeo, Jack Layton.

That's Hawt

2005-07-13T22:41:00.000-04:00

Climate change is rearing it's ugly head. Hot weather reminds me to pay attention to what is happening in Africa. When I read things like this, this and this I try to make it real; intellectualize it. All throughout my undergrad I studied conflict; how to dissect it, place it within its historical context, apply a theoretical framework and suggest some possible solutions. But that doesn't make it real, I'll never know what that experience means.

And I am of the school of thought which suggests that knowledge is intimately connected to human experience. This idea has been a useful vehicle through which feminist thought has explored the foundations of modern knowledge--it allows us to rigorously question what we know to be true--feminist or not. J. Ann Tickner's various articles consistently provide a lucid explanation of this, such as;

"Modern knowledge with its claims to universality and objectivity has generally been constructed by men from knowledge of men's lives. Modern knowledge depends on the Cartesian separation of the intellect and the emotion. These are hierarchically ordered and gendered where the mind is associated with men and emotions with women and where..it is the task of (masculine) reason to tame dangerous (female) emotions. Feminists believe that emotion and intellect are mutually constitutive and sustaining and that emotions can be a positive as well as a negative force."

J. Ann Tickner, On Taking Religious Worldviews Seriously

However, this isn't an exclusively feminist ontology. If we remove gender, and include for example, race, or income, then it becomes clear that the emphasis should be placed on the 'inclusionary' dimension of knowledge creation--not simply the shape with which our advocacy manifests itself; i.e. indeed the foundation of modern western thought is often reduced to old dead white men and yes, what shape would our collective pool of knowledge take if women's experiences provided a source of knowledge, but also, what about people from (anywhere but Europe) or howabout including the experience of the poor--what then?

These ideas are sexy.

Lance takes the lead!
Gambling = Bad
Castro practices what he preaches.

Categories: these ideas are sexy, J. Ann Tickner, feminist thought, ontology.

News Media

2005-07-11T23:16:00.000-04:00

As I was leisurely reading Salon, I noticed an ad for Tucker Carleson's new show on MSNBC. I couldn't help but be reminded of Jon Stewart's appearance on Crossfire, where he literally handed Tucker's ass to him on a plate. I agree with Stewart's characterization of U.S. media--partisan hackery reductionism--it must be difficult to endure.

North of the border however, my favourite Canadian media source (with which I've always had a love/hate relationship) have recently adopted podcasting to distribute a very cool indie-Canadian music radio program-- how progressive (+1 love)!

Odeo + iTunes for podcasts
Unexplainably popular Montreal-based podcast Vu d'ici (As Seen From Here)

Categories: podcasts, Canadian music, Tucker Carlson.

I Am Not A Marxist

2005-07-05T22:31:00.000-04:00

You can't avoid Marxist ideas when you are doing an undergraduate in the social sciences. It's part of the standard curriculum--it has its place in the history of ideas. It's the often misunderstood raison d'etre of the sparsely patronized campus pseudo-radical antiglobalization groups. It's the end of the intellectual road for that one nutty theory professor who shows up late for class, wearing slippers instead of shoes, and replays in captivating narrative, what it meant to be a revolutionary at the brink of ideological war, coaxing 'the man' to 'push the button' and watch society cave in on itself. Or, venture outside the social sciences where 'Marxist' is now an insult, used to describe anything left of ...the right.

Without using words like: bourgeoisie, proletariat, division of labour, surplus theory of value, alienated work, commodity fetishism, modes of production--we can simply say that Marx tried to understand how his society was organized, what made it tick. I think it's safe to say he did a good job; the problem is that it's not 19th century anymore and things have changed.

And so many academic careers were born out of the need to modernize Marxism and make it fit with contemporary society. Thinkers like Louis Althusser and Nicos Poulantzas focused on the question of reproduction; how is it that this form of social organization continues to maintain itself? Althusser answered with ideology; our society creates a set of ideas which sustain our belief in this form of social organization. Similarly, Poulantzas argued that the state was an extension of this system of ideas which maintains capitalist society.

Guy Debord argued--in an artistic foreshadowing of postmodern things to come--that a blanket he called 'the spectacle' was thrown over the head of modern society, transforming us into isolated consumer driven worker-bees, who are caught up in a world ruled by representation, i.e. the media, culture, any transmission of ideas, which are ultimately a reflection of the reigning economic order. The spectacle "is the sun that never sets over the empire of modern passivity."

( Nicos Poulantzas, Guy Debord, Louis Althusser)

But these theories left unaddressed some glaring inconsistencies and were largely abandoned (except for this guy).

Strangely, Poulantzas threw himself from a window, killing himself instantly, Debord committed suicide, and Althusser chopped his wife's head off with an axe, spent years in an asylum, and later died of a heart attack.

Given their track record, I'm wondering whether people are justified in calling someone a crazy Marxist?

Categories: Marxism, Louis Althusser, Nicos Poulantzas, Guy Debord.

TSAR: Band, Girls, Money

2005-07-02T22:09:00.000-04:00

At first i thought, what the eff am i doing--making an impulse buy based on some guy's blog recommendation? He talks it up like it's the second coming. Then i found out why.

TSAR is the reason no one can take bands like The Darkness seriously. When you listen to this album, you feel safe in knowing that you're not being lied to--or that this isn't an experiment based on some studio exec's formula for producing the next big thing. TSAR's charm lies in their authenticity. They are probably similar to The Darkness in terms of what they set out to do; but TSAR exhibits a comfortable familiarity with their music, they keep their sound raw enough to avoid the hookish post-punk-pop over-production which has now become frighteningly common place, and manage to avoid sounding manufactured like they were spit out of the same machine that asks us to buy Good Charlotte or Simple Plan.

This album does however, represent a kind of paradox. They embrace the 'glam' philosophy reminiscent of the 80s scene (band, girls, money), but without the colourful androgynous transformations that left lasting scars on all our psyches(certain shades of lime green or hot pink can cause relapses). TSAR seems to reject the excessiveness that so easily characterized 80s-glam and have replaced it with a willingness to agree on a common set of facts about life, no matter how unfashionable (imagine a song celebrating heterosexuality!).

Ultimately, TSAR offers a good set of rock tunes that, at the very least, is far from ordinary. But don't take my word for it.

Bay City Rollers meet Iggy Pop.
An ambitiously diverse array of concise, fast, rock'n'roll expressions.
The right order, the right attitude, the right music.

Categories: TSAR, rock, music review.

Canada Day

2005-07-02T10:08:00.000-04:00

Had a fun Canada's Day, spent at a cottage too luxurious to be defined as a camp. Got to spend some time with my favourite indie-bookstore owner. For all you Saulties, check out uppercase bookstore--free yourself of the corporate monster which controls 85% of Canada's book industry. Also in attendance, a successful sault musician, and cult-of-mac enthusiast. Check out his band.

rab versus xtreme biking.
a self-fulfilling prophecy.
gay's the new straight.

Categories: canada's day, indie bookstore, bands.

Formula for Cultural Capital

2005-06-29T13:06:00.000-04:00

I wonder what formula is responsible for increasing a city's cultural or social capital. Is it a certain number of artists, intellectuals, musicians, hipsters, indie bookstore owners? Maybe:

(average disposable income x level of intellectual curiosity) - (distance from major city x extent to which local economy is industrial-based) = cultural capital.

Either way, it's surprising to find little clues around my small town which indicate, unsurprisingly, that smart people are hiding.

Hurray for gay.
Yesturday's adventure.
More on cultural capital.

Categories: Pierre Bourdieu, cultural capital, small towns.

Technocrati Problems

2005-06-27T22:24:00.000-04:00

Recently, I've noticed that technocrati hasn't been including the tags that i've added. Improbulus has posted an excellent summary of all things considered.

Categories: technocrati sucking.

The Rebel Sell: Why Culture Can't Be Jammed

2005-06-21T19:53:00.000-04:00

In Rebel Sell, Heath and Potter conveniently summarize and take to task many of the ideas surrounding the anti-globalization movement. Completely rejecting the project, lifestyle and politics of culture-jamming, Health and Potter use the notion of 'counter-culture' rebel as a lens through which to examine the scope of 'the most important questions plaguing our times.'

This book is no stranger to ideas; part of its charm comes from the author's ability to make accessible some of the most important problems and solutions from the beginnings of social scientific thought (Hobbes, Rousseau, Freud, Marx and perhaps most interestingly Jean Baudrillard). As well as making these ideas accessible, Heath writes with a certain amount of wit, drawing on useful cultural material that is grounded in a certain 'hipness'. After an interesting discussion of American Beauty, Heath goes on to summarize:

At the age of 30, one faces a stark choice. One can maintain one's adolescent rebelliousness (smoking pot, hanging out, ignoring all responsibility, not to mention all moral constraint) and remain free. The alternative is to "sell out" to play by the rules, and thereby to become a neurotic, superficial conformist, incapable of experiencing true pleasure. There is no middle ground.

The analysis visits the obvious locales; advertising, hippies, rebellion vis-a-vis unabomber. Heath makes some critical points; firstly, concerning rebellion as the driving force of consumerism rather than a force against it, and secondly by providing a much needed and well constructed argument and narrative. Unlike Naomi Klein's No Logo,Rebel Sell is not a journalistic patchwork of loosely connected themes. Instead, it acts a well organized and cleverly written address which uniquely (for this genre) draws upon a plethora of social scientific thought,without sacrificing accessibility.

The only problem with reading Heath is dealing with his often sardonic (however justified) treatment of No Logo/Anti-globalization turned pop culture. However mainstream this movement has become, it's not without its justifiable and authentically progressive roots.

Categories: Rebel Sell, culture jamming, book review.

Review: Indigo Children

2005-04-19T19:20:00.000-04:00

Rather than write a scathing review of this book, rightfully placing it within the context of new-age/self-help hackery, I've decided to embrace it. Yes, I am an interdimensional indigo child, and according to Tober and Carrol, I will bring new philosophies and religions to the world. Sounds interesting enough--lets, see if I fit the 'indigo child' profile.

1.) They come into the world with a feeling of royalty.
2.) They have a feeling of deserving to be here.
3.) Self-worth is not a big issue.
4.) They have difficulty with authority by ritual or without explanation.
5.) They simply will not do certain things.
6.) They get frustrated with systems that don't require creative thought.
7.) They often see better ways of doing things.
8.) School is often difficult for them and they can seem antisocial.
9.) They will not respond to guilt-trip discipline.
10.) They are not shy about letting you know what they need

I'm not 100% sure to what extent french culture has adopted the (apologetic if not bogus) new age/self-help craze, but I can only imagine a parisian off-handedly discarding such rubbish as bourgois pseudo-psychic magiko-atlantisian mythology while going, 'le sigh'. Can you imagine an episode of Dr. Phil in France?

WOMAN: "My husband Jean-Pierre, comes home and drinks wine and smokes cigarettes all evening while lamenting former beautiful women from his past"

DR. PHIL: "In my new book, Family First, bla bla"

JEAN-PIERRE: "Fuck-off and die American slime."

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I've veered away from my review, but not without reason. Firstly, as I hope I've illustrated, it's difficult to evaluate Carrol and Tober's Indigo Children, unless we restrict our imagination to affluent, western cultured children alone. If these children do exist as a new phenomena as the authors suggest, why do they only appear in the west?

Although maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps many Sudanese children arrive with the same sense of royalty that U.S. children do. Personally, if I were trying to write some sort of apology for the results of western, consumer-driven culture, I wouldn't base it on psychic links which date back to Atlantis. My conception of french culture, however ill-informed, speaks to a more interesting distinction between the west and elsewhere. The reason I think this would be discarded immediately in France, is simply the fact that french culture has an intellectual tradition (many in fact), none of which support the pervasive anti-intellectualism which circumvents rational discourse in the west.

More on this topic later.

Categories: Indigo Children, review, culture, books.

Summer Livin

2005-04-17T16:45:00.000-04:00

Ok, so i've spent a bundle on some new blades. is that wrong of me? to me it seems clear that i deserve them. plus i need exercise and other fun things this summer. what better way to exercise than roller blading? hopefully i won't kill myself.

When I'm not exercising, i'll be sitting in this awesome italian leather couch. luckily, i have wireless internet, so i'll probably just live on the couch. right across from the AC. mmmm

Categories: summer, roller blades, exercise.

Summer!

2005-04-13T22:18:00.000-04:00

I'm moving back to the Sault at the end of April to work. ack!

more Yahoo 360 invites!

2005-04-04T13:40:00.000-04:00

Yahoo just upped my invites, so feel free to post a comment with your e-mail if you want one!

Categories: Yahoo 360, invites, blogging.

Yahoo 360 Invites

2005-04-04T01:24:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are interested in the invite-only yahoo 360 blogging system. Post a comment with a valid e-mail and i'll send you an invite.

Categories: Yahoo 360, invites, blogging.

Security A New Framework For Analysis

2005-03-30T21:34:00.000-05:00

Some brief comments: Firstly, security studies have arguably become the fashionable stream of international relations studies--and not without good reasons. In Security, Buzan begins with the classical security complex theory (i.e. Cold War based security studies where military capacity is the organizing principle of the interstate system) and enlarges the traditional approach to better account for the post Cold War international scene. The New Framework stems largely from the addition of a constructivist approach to locating security:

...what constitutes a "real" threat matters in shaping the interplay of securities within the international system. Both within and between actors, the extent of shared intersubjective understandings of security is one key to understanding behavior.

And there we have it, the main contribution of Buzan's work. The notion that security is based on a perception--i.e. a social construction of how one state views its relationship with another state--rather than simply military capacity, is how this work departs fundamentally from the classical tradition. What follows is a rigorous application of levels of analysis (macro/meso/micro) in combination with a sectoral approach (military, political, environmental sectors, etc.).

The point to all this is to illustrate that using this approach, we can understand the process of securitization as not simply interactions between two states. Now, we are better able to understand that security is becoming a regionally-based phenomenon--which seems to correspond to the noticeable decrease in interstate conflict and distinct rise in regionally-based conflict within the last 50 years.

However the book is not without its flaws. It's considered, and should be considered simply as an analytical approach--not a general theory. The arbitrary creation of sectors (like political or environmental) is inconsistent with the thesis' focus on interdependent relationships. If these relationships are so fundamental to understanding security, then perhaps they should be at the center of analysis.

Categories: international relations, books, reviews, political theory, security.

Increasing Blog Traffic

2005-03-29T00:48:00.000-05:00

In an effort to attract the attention of the search engine robots, I've employed two strategies; firstly, I've added my blog's RSS Feed to my personal yahoo space which now includes a RSS reader. This essentially forces the yahoo search engine to index your blog sooner rather than later. Secondly I've added google ads which work on the same principle. Google has to index your site in order for ads to be content-specific.

Another addition: I've added a favicon. For those of you using Firefox , Mozilla, or Opera you will notice a little icon next to http: in the address bar. chami.com has a great free service which transforms any pic into a favicon for you.

Since allconsuming.net seems to have returned to life, I've re-added the Current Reading list.

Categories: blog tricks, favicons, search engine.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

2005-03-28T10:54:00.000-05:00

Turns out, the WMD were actually hiding in my blog!

Categories: blog tricks, wmd's, bush.

Blog Add Ons - Increasing Blog Functionality.

2005-03-27T23:25:00.000-05:00

Having just created this blog, I thought I'd devote a post to a few of the useful resources I've come across. If anyone can think of any other tools that may be useful, let me know!

Link Widget: This is an easily customizable little applet which requires very little set-up time. Simply create a (free) account and paste the code into your template.
XML: This is an amazing service provided by feedburner.com which allows you to syndicate you blog in virtually all formats. (Since blogspot.com only offers atom). They also have a variety of features which track your blog's activity, and show you how many people have subscribed to your blog.
E-Mail Subscription: For those who don't use RSS, this feature e-mails the latest blog entries to whomever subscribes. Another great free service.
Track Back Feature: This service tracks all other blogs which use, or write in response to, a post you've made. They also provide a comments-management system.
Comments Hack: This is a neat bit of script which allows comments to appear on the same post as peek-a-boo text. This is the main reason I stayed with blogger.com to manage the comments.
Search Feature: ~~Although I've removed my search box, (I don't have any content to search!)~~ this service allows a search box which searches all your entries for 'tagged' keywords. Great way to explore the blogosphere.

Other than these mentioned, I have a 'Currently Reading' provided by allconsuming.net, ~~but since the site has been down a lot, I've removed it~~. Bravenet.com is another great resource for blog tools. Any other suggests are welcome.

Now the tricky part

2005-03-27T00:42:00.000-05:00

After spending waay to much time creating this blog, i'm faced with actually writing some content.

any suggestions?

First Post!

2005-03-26T11:45:00.000-05:00

Instead of wisely spending my time, i've now got a new weblog! huzzah!