FEAR INC

It's been a good decade for FEAR INC. Business is booming and stock dividends are paying out nicely for our shareholders. Our corporate subsidiaries that sell and promote private security services have been booming since 2001, and there appears to be unprecedented interest in the array of services we can offer to good citizens in need of protection from an increasingly volatile, unpredictable, and hostile world.

Much of our success is attributed to a significant paradigm shift, where our world is divided into "us vs them" and "for us or against us". This mindset alone will ensure that revenue sources remain stable for the foreseeable future. Also, the campaign to wage perpetual warfare against an unseen enemy will help keep our arms manufacturing division in constant motion, advancing the corporation's best interests even further. The bottom line is that FEAR has a steady client base and we anticipate unparalleled growth for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, there are a few radicals who would like to deconstruct the categories that have been crucial to our success. As a result we have had to wage in a fairly aggressive PR campaign to counteract this. Thankfully, our media contacts have been effective at keeping our agenda actively engaged within the public imagination;


Also, in the political sphere our candidates are making great headway and we firmly believe that once they are re-elected to office we will continue to have support from the highest levels of government. We would therefore request that this November as you momentarily venture outside into this scary world, please remember to make your vote count and let FEAR guide you to the ballot box;


"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd" - Bertrand Russell

ECHOES OF A SACRED DAY

It was the (very) early 90's, and alongside my good friend Dave Dyment and our mutual friend Cheryl, I embarked on a journey away from my little suburban enclave to go downtown and see an exhibit of some of John Lennon's sketches in a small Toronto gallery. Dave was a walking Beatles trivia machine and his enthusiasm for all things Lennon & Ono was infectious, so away we went.

Our entire journey was enhanced by a Pixies tape that was perpetually jammed in Dave's car tape deck. It risked being destroyed if yanked out so we resigned ourselves to having one musical selection that day. The raucous and vibrant sounds of Black Francis screaming into the abyss was the perfect soundtrack for our little adventure.

It played constantly whenever we were in the car, like some eternal tape loop that was destined to be our perpetual soundtrack. I am sure that it even ceased to register in our consciousness after a while, sort of like a persistent wind pattern that follows you around all day.

As our familiar and orderly suburban neighourhood faded away we relished in the freedom of driving into the more organic and less orderly downtown core, laden with the possibility of something magical awaiting us that day. In our minds the drawings of a man who once dared us to "imagine" a different kind of world were going to be within plain sight. It was a chance to feel a connection to something sacred, though we wouldn't have described it as such at the time.

When we were at the gallery I don't particularly recall being blown away by the Lennon prints, though the experience itself was enhanced by Dave's encyclopedic knowledge of all things Lennon, and the story or two that accompanied each piece. Looking back, I think it was more the idea of the Lennon prints that inspired me. Perhaps there was a faint hope that being in close proximity to his drawings would cause a minuscule portion of his essence to rub off on us. This in and of itself was inspiring enough

Afterwards, as if possessed by the need to create some of our own magic, we stopped by the lake shore (Lake Ontario) and released a message in a bottle into the vast expanse of the water. I don't recall exactly what we wrote in the message, though I am sure it was something vaguely cryptic and poetic according to our sensibilities at the time. It was a fitting end to our journey and a logical extension of our desire to be part of something out of the ordinary.

Later on (and perhaps still) there were ongoing fantasies in my mind that our little bottled message would arrive across the water in Buffalo, New York or somewhere else and another person would find it on the shore and also feel that connection to something sacred, momentarily taking them outside of themselves and into a realm of new possibilities.


There have been persistent echoes of that day for me ever since. I am forever bound to the themes that shaped that particular experience. I still am always longing for contact with something that represents a bold vision, something that is noble and much bigger than who I am. I still hurl messages into the unknown in the hope that they will one day get picked up by a kindred spirit and against unfathomable odds I will make a connection.

It all plays out like a continual tape loop in my mind, driving me towards distant places in the midst of each ordinary day, always searching ....

SATURDAY MORNING VIDEO

This week, a little ditty from R.E.M, "Living Well Is The Best Revenge" from their upcoming album Accelerate . It is a rather enjoyable low-fi video actually, Michael Stipe is raging against the machine with a little acoustic jangle from his band mates while driving around. That's definitely a car pool I would sign up for in a heartbeat! Enjoy;



(also: The video is free to download from iTunes in the U.S & Canada this week)

THE PRICE OF OIL

To commemorate the 5th anniversary of the shameful war currently waging in Iraq (you know, that nice make work project so the folks at Halliburton can makes billions in profit), I thought I would post a great little diddy from folk singer/activist Billy Bragg called the "Price Of Oil". This clip is from a performance over five years ago at a rally and it is just as relevant today as it was back in 2002.



Voices on the radio
tell us that we’re going to war
those brave men and women in uniform
they want to know what they’re fighting for.

The generals want to hear the end game
the allies won’t approve the plan
but the oil men in the white house
they just don’t give a damn.

It’s all about the price of oil
it’s all about the price of oil
don’t give me no shit
about blood, sweat, tears and toil
it’s all about the price of oil

Now I ain’t no fan of Saddam Hussein
oh, please don’t get me wrong
if it’s freeing the Iraqi people you’re after
then why have we waited so long.

Why didn’t we sort this out last time
was he less evil than he is now
the stock market holds the answer
to why him, why here, why now.

Saddam killed his own people
just like general Pinochet
and once upon a time both these evil men
were supported by the U.S.A.

And whisper it, even Bin Laden
once drank from America’s cup
just like that election down in Florida
this shit doesn’t all add up.

It’s all about the price of oil
‘cause it’s all about the price of oil
don’t give me no shit
about blood, sweat, tears and toil
it’s all about the price of oil.

Music and lyrics by Billy Bragg, 2002.
Produced by Billy Bragg and Simon Edwards

I dedicate this to my favourite American librarian and activist Liberality (please check out her post 5 Years Too Long)

Also, you can get a free download of this song on Billy Bragg's site. I am also happy to send a copy to anyone interested - just send me your e-mail and I'll set you up. Pass it around to everyone you know and get people talking!

JON ARBUCKLE'S EXISTENTIAL HELL

Thanks to Mercer Union Hall for the link to the utterly fantastic Garfield Minus Garfield, where everyday a "classic" Garfield strip is posted with Garfield taken out of the equation. The innocuous banter between Jon and his sarcastic cat is suddenly transformed into the hollow and pointless musings of a lonely slacker living an utterly pointless existence.

Personally I am looking forward to the strange and impulsive antics of Itchy sans Scratchy.

RECLAIMING MY ATTENTION SPAN (one album at a time)

I have reached my boiling point and have decided to take up arms against an insidious ailment that has taken hold of myself and likely many other people in the early 21st century. I am speaking of course of a condition that can only be described as Culturally Induced Attention Deficit Disorder.

Symptoms of this ailment include excessive channel flipping, skipping over songs on your iPod before they are finished and getting edgy when you have to wait in line for your latte for more than 5 minutes. On a more psychic or spiritual level (and perhaps this is the most tragic incarnation) is the inability to be present in the moment and breath in the beauty that surrounds you. To me this is about getting away from that "flight or fight mode" that puts one in a constantly heightened state dreading what demand may come at you next.

I swear sometimes that my powers of concentration were more enhanced in my younger days, and I often wonder if my condition is the tragic result of living in a cultural milieu characterized by excessive media saturation, rapid fire information overload and the subsequent speeding up of life.

My first line of defense is a simple technique, though not entirely insignificant. To illustrate, as a music fan I have often lamented recently that not many people think of albums anymore when listening to music but think of digital files that you can race through and select on a whim. To counteract this form of ADD inducement I have vowed recently to listen to albums in their entirety and not race through and skip songs.

Of courses it helps to pick quality albums, and I think of this act of embracing an album as a whole entity and listening attentively will assist in helping me tune in to the joy of an overarching narrative and sensory experience, rather than focusing on commodified "singles" that dominate digital media. It also forces me to take time slow down and enjoy the experience of consciously engaging with an album as an end in and of itself, as opposed to it becoming merely background noise. When was the last time you just simply sat and enjoyed music for the sake it?

This is a topic that really interests me, and I am motivated to experiment and engage in various personal forms of mental and physical discipline that will assist with this endeavor. I will be writing on this theme periodically and plan to explore other ways to reclaim and fine tune my attention span .... now excuse me while I flip to a new playlist on my iPod.

(I am actually quite interested in what other folks do to counteract this ailment, so any of your stories or pearls of wisdom will interest me greatly)

All HAIL THE LIBRARY - Part 1

A recent trip to my local library resulted in some great albums to listen to during this rainy last week before spring in the little temperate rain forest that I call home. Some of these albums have previously graced my collection in the past, though were culled out of my collection many years ago due to making a big move or two and the need to scale back my material possessions at one point or another. Now, through the miracle of digital technology I am reclaiming some old gems, and of course I am adding some new ones to my musical pallet as well.

So with little ado, here is a brief profile of some great music I picked up on my recent library visit. If I can turn one person on to something good then I consider it mission accomplished;


John Cale - "Words For The Dying" (1989) - The main part of this album is an orchestral and choral setting of four poems by Dylan Thomas, read or sung by Cale. The arrangement around Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night is beautiful, and this one hasn't adorned my eardrums for a number of years. I am thrilled to get reacquainted with this one again, especially considering I only ever had this on an ancient cassette, so this will definitely be a step up on CD. It is also a great way to elevate some dynamic poetry.



R.E.M - "Life's Rich Pageant" (1986) - For some reason I haven't listened to this album in years, and a recent playing reaffirmed how great it actually is. This pre-super stardom record was a good foreshadowing of things to come, less murky and more accessible than previous recordings to date, this album began to bring Stipe's dynamic song writing into the forefront. It includes one of the prettiest environmental anthems ever penned, Fall On Me, and the vocal interplay between Stipe and Mills on this one is breathtaking. There is a great mixture of songs showcasing Stipe's emerging political leanings, as well as his penchant for some good Gothic Americana. Also, check out this classic performance of Begin The Begin.


Gang Of Four - "Entertainment" (1979) - Many bands, such as Franz Ferdinand & Bloc Party are indebted to the Gang Of Four for making blistering and dissonant post punk with danceable bass funk riffs. The tributes from Michael Stipe and Flea in the liner notes to the 90's reissue of this album are fully justified. There are a number of classics on this one, including I Found That Essence Rare, At Home He's A Tourist and Anthrax. I first got into Gang of Four via the Dog's In Space Soundtrack in the late 80's. You owe it to yourself to listen to this one if you missed it the first time.


Laurie Anderson - "Life On A String" (2001) - This album from this brilliant and innovative artist is one that I missed the first time around, and this is one I will need to set some time aside for in order to actively engage with it. Among a number of musically varied and playful pieces it also contains a heart wrenching piece called "Slip Away" about the death of Anderson's father. The lyrics are awe inspiring; "You slipped away, Oh death that creep that crooked jerk... He comes, he comes walking. He comes sneaking down that long irreversible hallway. Grabs you in your sleep". This album will definitely be a late night listen (also, check out this clip).


Billy Bragg - "Must I Paint You A Picture?: The Essential Billy Bragg" (2003). Inspired by folk icons like Woody Guthrie & Phil Ochs, Billy Bragg started crafting a wonderful mix of plain speaking, working man's folk that was the perfect remedy to Thatcher's Conservative reign in the 80's. I have always admired Billy Bragg for the humanity and humour he brings to his music, able to mix the political and personal simultaneously and with ease. Levi Stubb's Tears is one of my all time favourites, were Bragg brilliantly captures personal loss and heartbreak against the backdrop of a class driven and deterministic society. Thomas Hardy would be proud. Also check out A New England, Greetings To The New Brunette and if you want proof of his continued relevance here's The Price of Oil.

ODE TO FLIPPING THE BIRD

In honour of Dean Wormer's bold confession about flipping the bird to that evil little monkey that currently still holds office in the White House, I wanted to salute this visceral and unambiguous gesture.

The symbolic expletive has a proud history and provides an alternate avenue for self expression when mere words fail to express the utter disdain or rage one holds on any given moment. Even the most articulate and civilized person can find cathartic release through this primal form of communication.

Although the specific gesture of choice varies around the world, utilizing a non verbal variant of "gee I am really irritated" seems to exist as a cross cultural expression of our humanity. In North America the raised middle finger is generally the gesture of choice, guaranteed to get you an equally combative response when yielded effectively.

Of course one can't help but note the phallic nature of this gesture and you have to wonder if its origins lie in the expressions of some pre-verbal cave dweller expressing his opinion towards some other Neanderthal who ran over his foot during a mastodon hunt.

Wikipedia offers some great variations on what this one fingered salute is called in different regions (if anyone knows any other variations I would love to hear about it);

"flipping the birdie"
"the highway salute",
"The New York Hello"
"concert C"
"Showing Off Your Monkey"
"The Canadian Turn Signal"
"flipping someone off"

In terms of popular culture, I would have to say that Johnny Cash takes the prize for effectively utilizing a singular bird flipping incident over the span of a few decades. First of all, during one of his concerts at San Quentin in 1969 an iconic photo of JC emerged with his middle finger featured proportionately larger in the fore front of the photo. When JC played for the convicts his banter with the prison guards (whether rehearsed or genuine) made the crowd go wild, and his middle finger raised upwards only added to the bravado of his performance.

Years later in the 90's the same photo was used in a full paged ad to "thank" the Nashville country music establishment for utterly ignoring the great American Recordings series he did with Rick Rubin because it wasn't "country" enough (I guess they didn't like the Soundgarden cover). The best country Grammy for the "Unchained" album was certainly sweet payback;

If it's good enough for JC, then it is good enough for me. Although I have never had the chance to flip off the "leader" of the most powerful nation on earth I have been known to occasionally wield it as a decisive form of communication when cut off by some kind soul in traffic. Admittedly, it is a therapeutic gesture for someone who is usually so mild mannered and pleasant like myself! Sometimes words just don't cut it.

To those who raise their finger boldly towards the source of their disdain, I salute you! (not just with one finger either)

(If you are so inclined, here is a link for a number of famous flip offs)

UPDATE: dguzman reminded me of adding the directive to "perch and twirl" that often accompanies this finely nuanced gesture.

02/13/97

I found some old boxes stored away in my in-law's cellar that my wife and I dumped there when we first moved out west almost 11 years ago. The side of the cardboard box read 02/13/97, the date the box was manufactured. I remember distinctly picking up a bunch of brand new crisp boxes that year as we prepared for this new chapter in our lives.

I recall being painfully aware that we were paying by the pound to ship our goods across the country, and I had the rather unpleasant task of deciding which half of my large record collection was to be left behind. I still shutter at the memory.

Now, almost 11 years later the boxes were starting to disintegrate. A cloud of premillenial dust assaulted my senses as I opened one box filled with long forgotten clothing. An old coat that I adored in the mid 90's now appeared as ash gray compared to the crisp black it was back in it's prime. The stench of the ancient and disregarded old wool sweaters was palpable and I do hope that the folks at the Salvation Army where we donated them today are able to dry clean them before turning them back on the public.

There was also one box of books that had remained untouched for over a decade. There was an Edith Wharton novel, a biography about Oscar Wilde (essential for any true Morrissey fan) and in the spirit of what interested my 11 years a go, a book about the "hot button" issues on university campuses across Canada in the mid 90's. This was a remnant of the culture wars of the time, the agonizing debates about political correctness that all seem so quaint now compared to what is going on in the world today.

Interestingly, although there were some items that epitomized a wonderful time in my life I didn't feel terribly attached to them upon unearthing them today. It made me realize more how fleeting are the things we place value in at any given moment and how quickly things change in terms of what is important and what occupies our minds.

I think that if many of us deliberately put some personal treasures in a short-term time capsule and opened them up 5 years from now we would see most items as being utterly incomprehensible compared to where we are at that moment. I don't think this is necessarily because we "evolve", but more the result of how life thrusts us in so many unpredictable directions, leaving behind faint reminders of where we once tread.

In closing, it is relevant to note that the dust from inside the sweater box left a very strange taste on my tongue, and I began to wonder what strange particles from 11 years ago were drifting through my body as I inhaled them. Perhaps microscopic fragments of the 1997 version of me are now floating inside me, saying a quick hello to my brain and forcing me to muse in such a manner as this...

A BREAK FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE...

Took a little break from the blogosphere for the last week and a half or so, which in the context of our info laden and accelerated culture is probably the equivalent of a few months. I am back now, feeling recharged and ready to ruminate on life, the universe and everything. Here's what's on my radar these days;

In terms of music I am probably the last person in the Western Hemisphere to finally listen to Radiohead's utterly sublime In Rainbows. Yes, it was worth all the hype from a few months a go. This is music for the new century, and for the first time in a while the paranoia meter has been turned down a notch and Thom Yorke and company have crafted a more subtle, and slightly warmer affair than their last few post-millennial offerings. Please carve some time to listen to the album in its entirety, it will change your life. Here's a great clip to hook you in;



In terms of TV I have been watching the series jPod on CBC . Although it is utterly absurd, unbelievable and self consciously quirky at times, I appreciate Douglas Coupland's characterizations of life in the post-industrial West, where everyone is scheming and plotting to make connections in an era defined by rapid and unparalleled change. Also, it's funny as hell and the dysfunctional yearnings of a bunch of video game programmers makes for something a little more refreshing, presenting a very contemporary archetype to play with. Here's clip from YouTube (You can watch full episodes on the CBC site as well).



In terms of life, lots of big decisions on the table right now about how to live sanely in an inflated housing market and balance the need to carve out sacred space for family while keeping things afloat at the same time. I am not planning to drop off the grid or anything like that, though I do want to slow down the hamster wheel of modern life a bit and make room for the things that are most important in my life. Basically, it's one part angst coupled with a scoop of hopefulness right now about the possibility of some big changes. More to come on this for sure....