The Shining Path

Phylum Miscellanea

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:56:00 +0000

CDs in Play: The Who, Live at Leeds. Morphine, The Night.

Winter is Here

One of the things I don't think I totally grasped last winter in Saskatoon is just how much darker it is here that it is in Vancouver. We do get more sunlight throughout the season, but the day arrives later (around a half an hour) and sets earlier. I didn't think that such a slight difference in latitude would make so much of a difference. A coworker from Kenya said it hit her straight away, since the Sun rise and sets at pretty much the same time all year around. (0600-0630 to 1800-1830) It certainly makes one want to take advantage of the day as much as possible. It is currently -30°C.

Climategate

Well the deniers of Global Warming have the event that they have been wishing for. Scientists from the University of East Anglia have hurt the world far more than they ever helped it. For many, no matter what evidence you can produce about the effects of emissions on the environment will ever reach them now. I am not going to get into it quite yet, but I have ask why it is so important for the deniers to deny the effect that humans are having on the environment? Even beyond the issue of Global Warming there is that pesky and passé little issue of pollution.
Pollution has serious effects on the health and well being of everyone on the planet. It gets into the food chain and into us. It damages terrain and man-made structure. It effects our health in numerous adverse ways. Cutting emissions is cutting down on sources of pollution, how is that a bad thing? Are practices that are adverse to the health and well being of our species worth preserving? Isn't it worth adopting new practices that reduce harm? It may mean a hit to the profit margins of some of those big companies/industries out there, but so what? It isn't like the majority of us actually reap the benefits of those profits ourselves. Nor are we ever likely tom so why not look after our own best interests - our health?

Women

So I was seeing a woman and she broke it off. C'est la vie. But did it have to be the "It's not you, it's me" speech? One day I want to go out with one of those women again and then break it off by saying, "Look, if it is any consolation it's not me, it's you."

"This Could Get Messy"

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:34:00 +0000

CD in Play: The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds.

I don't like to blog about things centered around work, it us usually an unwise thing to do. So being as unspecific as I can be I would like to get something off of my chest. I applied for a position at work that I am more than qualified to do. I trained for the job successfully and have worked it on a casual basis. It isn't easy work and it pays less than what most people would expect - however, it is interesting and I actually feel satisfied on the job when I do it. I have only had that feeling on a couple of jobs and they paid significantly less. (bouncer and record store employee)
The posting was up for a week and they are looking over applications. One of the people who trained me was telling me today that there are two people with seniority in the queue ahead of me. He and the other people who trained me also want me to get the job. They like me, I am more than competent, they don't have to spend the next three months training someone new and I am always eager to take their call on evenings they want off. What my former trainer heard from management is that there are two people ahead of me and, "this could get messy."
How could this get messy? There are two reasons we can think of. One reason would be they are planning to hire me anyway, ignoring seniority and getting into a fight with the union over this. The second reason could be because of another applicant.
The position I am applying for was posted six months ago. At that time there were around seven or eight people ahead of me in seniority. The top four dropped out because they didn't realise the pay wasn't what they imagined it to be or they saw what they would be doing and decided it wasn't as cool or "romantic" as they had been led to be by television. The fifth applicant, whom I shall refer to as "Pokey" took the job. It is what he has dreamed of doing and he may have told me that he was born to do this. He is a nice enough guy, but still quite young and not responsible enough for the job. He is also quite slow, hence why I call him "Pokey". (and yes I have witnessed his laggardly manner for myself) It takes him a long time to do most tasks and most complaints stated that he worked far to slowly.
The training is three months. When my three months were up they were quite satisfied with me. When "Pokey's" three months were up he was given another three months. When those three months were up "Pokey" was told that he had not passed his probation and that there were reasons for it - which "Pokey" is told me about himself. I did try to encourage "Pokey" and help him out as best as I could, but I can see why he didn't pass. He refuses to see it and has placed a grieance with the union.
Did "Pokey" apply again? Are the union going to force management to accept him into the position? Or do I have the job and am facing a fight? For my part I think that experience and ability do need to be taken into consideration and weighed against seniority. I understand the necessity of seniority and would say that someone who was as qualified as I am should be hired ahead of me, but not someone from a completely different department even if they meet the same education requirements that I do.
Anyhow, just had to get this off my chest. We'll see how it goes.

In Defense of a Modern "Prisoner"

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:04:00 +0000

CD's in Play: The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds. The Flaming Lips, Embryonic.

I am a big fan of Patrick McGoohan's 1967 cult classic, The Prisoner. In fact, next year it will have been 20 year since I first saw the iconic show on CBC right here in Saskatchewan. (though I was living in the southern part of the province) When the final episode was played I was the only one at the school I was attending watching it and I recall trying to explain what had happened. (I started off as the only one at episode one and the crowds picked up as it progressed until the final episode) Trent and I began quoting it to one another. When I came home to British Columbia I was trying to explain to my friends about this odd, surreal, enigmatic show that had something to say but was less than forthcoming with the message.
It was in 1992 that I introduced the show to my friend Geo and my other friends followed. The Prisoner is the sort of show you can direct anti-television people to and show them that television is capable of producing artistically, socially and culturally worthwhile contributions to society. It remains relevant today, despite the Cold War backdrop. The Prisoner is one of those shows a person would think shouldn't be remade: and yet it has been. Sort of.
When I first heard that a Prisoner mini-series starring Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, The Thin Red Line and The Count of Monte Cristo) and Ian McKellen was being made, I had my reservations. However, I decided to reserve judgement asidefrom asserting that it was really not a show that needed to be remade. Unlike a show such as Battlestar Galactica, I couldn't see how someone could "re-imagine" The Prisoner. The original Battlestar was a bad show so remaking it, or "re-imagining" it actually made for a better series in terms of concept, writing, casting, acting and even the music.
Remaking or "re-imagining" The Prisoner is a trickier proposition. First, you are dealing with a how that is considered a classic of the medium, of science fiction and even spy fiction. The Prisoner wasn't a slapped together program to run between adveristments, it was apersonal work with one direction and one agenda. Regardles of how receive the message of the series, it has one and it tries to force to the viewer to think about it. People discuss it, hash it out, puzzle over it with one another. The original Battlestar Galactica was what it was and that was extremely straight forward. In this respect, writer Brian Gallagher and director Nick Hurran should be commended for tackling a much more ambitious and challenging project.
2009's The Prisoner will not have the staying power of the original, it will be a footnote, a sidebar in the history of the original but that doesn't make it entirely unworthy. It doesn't attempt to readdress the theme of the original the way the original did - to reassert the same conclusion - but seems (to me) to look at what the nature of freedom and imprisonment is under certain circumstances. This new Prisoner is much more concerned with madness itself, rather than madness as a by product of imprisonment, or as a tool to keep ones imprisonment. I won't say much more, you should see it for yourself and come to your own conclusions.
Not that it isn't expected, but the reviews of the new Prisoner neglect to see if it stands on its own merits. I believe it does.

Francis Bacon Paintings

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:42:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:38:00 +0000

RIP Pierre Falardeau (1946-2009)

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:10:00 +0000

I was to interview M. Falardeau back in 1994 for his film Octobre, a film criticized for it sympathetic treatment of the FLQ. M. Falardeau refused the interview, and rightly so, as I had not been able to view the film at the VIFF. (I had classes that morning and arrived late to the screening) I had wanted to discuss the October Crisis and its legacy in the histories of both English Canada and Quebec, but he was more interested in discussing the film. (again, rightly so) I did have an interesting conversation with Pierre Falardeau about Quebec separatism and the obstacles to independence faced by separatists within the province. It was a conversation I will not soon forget and I feel privileged to have met and conversed with M. Falardeau.
Pierre Falardeau succumbed to cancer after a lengthy battle with the disease on 25 September, 2009.

Caught by Surprise Again

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:37:00 +0000

This will be my second Autumn in Saskatoon - my fourth in Saskatchewan - and it has caught me off guard this year just as it did the year previous. My time in Montreal allowed me to see Autumn at its most regal, the rich reds mixed in with the brilliant yellows and oranges. Central Canadian proceeds in its stately way, taking its own time to show off its colours before the end of another season. People embrace the Autumn there in a way I have seen no one else embrace it anywhere in this country.
West Coast Autumns are reluctant affairs. Never so colourful as Central Canada's, Autumn on the West Coast does its best to live in denial until the truth can no longer be denied. Some British Columbians and most of the would-be British Columbians gripe at the end of summer and look at Autumn as an unwelcome visitor. But the ever persistent presence of evergreens helps the various regions within the province maintain is greenery.
Autumns in the southern portion of Saskatchewan is notable for just getting colder. What few trees they have down there tend towards sparsity anyway, and one day they are just simply sparse. The ground is quickly covered over winter becomes the new and familiar reality. Saskatoon has trees, however. In fact the northern portion of the province has far more in the way of greenery.
Autumn arrives and sets up shop quickly while no one is paying attention. Too late for protests, to late for organized dissent, too late for one last day of summer - Autumn has come to do a job and will soon be on its way. Trees that were green and full one day are stripped and near empty two days later. In Spring, the leaves are born reluctantly maybe even grudgingly. Sour from Winter's hold on the landscape, trees are slow to trust the changing of the seasons here. Maybe that is why Autumn needs to work so quickly?
So I am caught by surprise again and probably not for the last time.

Give Us Your Money!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 07:10:00 +0000

I have joined CFCR 90.5 FM, Saskatoon's homegrown community radio station. I have a show every other Monday (like this coming Monday actually) called Green Eggs & Ham from 6am to 8am. Anyhow, we are 100% listener supported and I am supposed to ask people for money... so basically, if you have money and you know how to get a hold of me give it up! Whatever, I don't know too many people in Saskatoon and am competing against some of the people I do know for funds. If you can spare a couple of bucks and know how to get a hold of me, drop me a line and we can tee things up. However, no pressure.

When Comics Blur the Line and Become Books

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:01:00 +0000

I had intended to buy Spitz and Mullen's We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk, however, I was unable to find a copy of it in town and did not feel like ordering one. What to do? Well, Theo at Unreal City had a couple of solutions to my reading dilemmas, namely two crime stories in the graphic format.
The first book is Richard Stark's (aka Donald Westlake) well covered classic, The Hunter put out by comic book upstart, IDW. You may have seen one of the The Hunter's big screen adaptations: Point Blank starring Lee Marvin, or Payback starring Mel Gibson. Part one of Westlake's Parker series, Darwyn Cooke has lovingly adapted and illustrated the book for the graphic format. Set in 1962, the art style resembles the advertising style of the period. It is a beautiful book and anyone who hasn't read The Hunter but seen the films based upon it should pick this up at the very least.
Next up is Brian Azzarello's (of 100 Bullets fame) contribution to the new Vertigo Crime venture, Filthy Rich. Classic pulp tale of the loser, the femme fatale and the plots they become entangled in. It may not be shockingly original, but it makes for an interesting read. Azzarello has a great grasp of the crime genre and knows how to set the pace and keep the reader interested.
Vertigo's other book is Dark Entries, a supernatural entry with a detective twist featuring the character John Constantine. Theo wasn't so crazy about this one, but it is written by Ian Rankin so I will probably be picking it up regardless.

Cynicism, Thy Name is The Conservative Party of Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Just a quick note before I go to work - but wow, just watching a government press conference on how the New Conservatives are going to introduce legislation to beef up Employment Insurance, temporarily, to assist certain individuals during this economic downturn/recession/depression. They have used it as an opportunity to slam The Liberals and Michael Ignatieff and the other opposition parties. Aside from the fact that the package does not go far enough, the timing of this package is just too convenient.
Harper must really have a low opinion of Canadians if he believes that the majority of us cannot see through this cynical attempt to save his government from an election. The rhetoric coming from government officials is so thinly veiled and cynical.
Serious change needs to happen within Canada's electoral system.

Firefox, How I Miss Thee

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:11:00 +0000

I am back in Vancouver visiting and have to use my Dad's computer. I have many complaints about what my Dad does with his computers. He loads them and clogs them up with too many redundant or useless programs (many of which are nigh impossible to remove) and superfluous secuity features. However, my biggest bone to pick with my Father's computer is that he is still using Internet Exploder... um, Explorer.
I hate Explorer, especially the version he is using. I love Firefox. It blocks banner ads - I cannot believe how much advertising it blocks for me. Firfox runs smoother and looks better. Explorer just down right sucks.

This Is The Face of Ugly

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 03:05:00 +0000

The pink toy, not the cute little girl. I am in Vancouver and decided to get toys for my friends children. I always felt bad because I had never got them anything before so I decided to make it up to them. I decided to get them Ugly Dolls. The ones I bought are entitled "Uppy" (see above), "Ox" and "Turny Burny". ( both sort of pictured) I like them, the parents like them and the kids (for the most part) seem to love them.

Mondays

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:21:00 +0000

Wha'dayou Want?! >:(

Bleah, aside from Sunday (hanging out with Geo and J) this has been a terrible weekend. And I do not refer to the fact that it rained almost constantly for two days - I'm from British Columbia after all - it has just been dull and people have been in bad moods. I have today, Monday, off and it is stunning outside. Saskatoon is usually quite beautiful and it is even more so after the weekend wash down. The air is clear, the thing layer of dust is gone - stunning. What isn't so stunning are people's attitudes.
Saskatoon, a very friendly city overall, has the least friendly City Hall I have ever been to. Honestly, they are the crabbiest most inhospitable public servants I have had the mispleasure of dealing with. Generally, though, the attitude of City Hall's ill-mannered employees are not relfected in the population at large. But today people are kind of ill-tempered all over. I have been scowled at, yelled at and abruptly dissmissed most of the day so far. ( was out the door at 8 am, btw)

Free Chicken! Woo Hoo?

I went shopping today and ended up with free chicken. How you ask? The cashier never charged me. I wasn't aware until I got home and was setting my receipt aside - "10.98? That's not right." I wasn't paying attention at the till (too distracted by ill-mannered Saskatonians) and could just as easily have been over-charged. So what to do? I am not going back up to the Safeway today and, as it happens, I am lowish on funds so this comes as a sort of blessing. I was thinking about going up on Friday and letting them know and paying then - but does this get the cashier in any trouble? I was aslo thinking of just taking the sticker up next time I shop, explain it to the cashier and have her scan it and pay for it then. I know, why look free chicken in the mouth? I just feel like a theif.

18 Days Later

No, it isn't a bio-engineered zombie like apocolypse, it is how many days left before I fly back to Vancouver to visit.

There is Nothing Funny About Comics

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:28:00 +0000

CD in Play: Isis, Wavering Radiant

Aside from DC's great notion for a weekly summer run of broadsheet comics, Wednesday Comics, things have been a tad slow in comicsland of late. But here are notables:

Criminal: I cannot say enough about this series by Ed Brubaker. Smart, cutting, gritty, low down and sexy. The latest installment collected as Bad Night is taut and surreal. In some ways it reminds me of Rod Filbrandt, a Vancouver artist and writer, work on Wombat and Dry Shave for the Georgia Straight. Again, Brubaker's Incognito is also superlative.

Bone: A friend of mine has a son who doesn't like to read, an oddity given the family in question. I have been hearing over the years how many literacy and child education experts recommend giving comics to children who do not read. One of the titles that has come up again and again is Bone by Jeff Smith. So I have bought the first volume of Bone in the hopes that it may entice my friend's son to read more often> Failing that, I am sure my friend and his daughters will enjoy the book. I like the first book and will probably pick the series up for myself in time.

Heaven's War: I read it, I liked it for the most part but can see why this limited series didn't fly. The book's antagonist is famed occultist, Aleister Crowley. Crowley seeks to turn the tide in Heaven's War in his favour for his own power. The book's protagonist's are The Inklings, or the three men most Identified with The Inklings: J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams. (whom apparently also appear as characters in James A. Owen's Here, There Be Dragons) Charles who? Therein lies one of the problems with Heaven's War.
Charles Williams is a favourite of mine. He wrote supernatural thrillers that dealt with Platonic Absolutes becoming manifest upon the Earth, the Stone of Sulieman, the Holy Grail among other concepts. His themes often dealt with the need for communion and take on the burdens of one another. His writing style is nowhere near as polished as Tolkien's, nor his work anywhere as accesible as Lewis' - but his concepts and ideas are where the draw is. However, he is quite obscure outside of edcated Christain circles. Most of us learned about him through his association to C.S. Lewis and Tolkien.
Heaven's War also relies on the dubious book, Holy Blood, Holy Grail for the stories backdrop. Holy Blood, Holy Grail perpetuated the hoax perpetrated on the world by Philippe de Chérisey and Pierre Plantard, in support of Plantard's desrie to place himself as the heir to the Merovingian Dynasty. HB, HG was also the inspiration for Dan Brown's best-selling novel, The Da Vinci Code. In fact, the characyer of A.E. Waite is made strikingly similar to Brown's character, Sir Leigh Teabing. I am not a fan of Holy Blood, Holy Grail and its irresponsible legacy of bad history posing as credible scholastics.
Micah Harris, the author of Heaven's War, has done a good job synthesizing Williams concepts and idelas to form the backbone of his story. The concept is worthy of a Williams novel itself and very like his own work. As a Williams fan I can appreciate this, but I can also see how it would loose many other people. Also, Michael Gaydos, if you are reading this - dude - seriously, you need to stop recycling frames as often as you do. Please. You are a good artist, great style, draw just a bit more.

In Addendum

Another comic that was just released this week is Ed Brubaker's The Marvels Project. In celebration of Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary, Brubaker has written a limited series about the birth of the Marvel Universe in WWII. This is something I was always eager to see and it is good to see it being donw by one of the best in the business today.

Whoa-ho-ho...

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 05:04:00 +0000

Been so long since I posted up here. Life has been busy though. I have been covering one and sometimes up to two other people's jobs including my own at work. So i am tired an a bit wared. luckily the long weekend is here and I am just going to relax and try writing a comic i have been drafting up. In the meantime:

Current Favourite Albums: Isis, Wavering Radiant. Very solid disc that just stays with me. I am still unable to commit completely to the new Wilco album. (self titled) I like most of it, but I just don't think it is quite as strong as their previous three albums. I've also been digging up old albums, like Pond's The Practice of Joy Before Death and Sugar's Beaster. (aslo Sugar's song "Gift on their final album) Bob Mould is a very underrated musician and guitarist.

Last Film Seen: I rented The Bank Job recently. I liked it. I like Jason Statham, a wee bit of a one note actor in some respects, but it is a good note. Anyhow, this film was a nice change of pace from his usual fair. if you like heist flicks this is worth checking out. Just rented L4yer Cake so I will see what I think. As for theatre, I just hate seeing films alone so i don't tend to go.

Songs: My Top Ten All-Time Favourites.

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:21:00 +0000

I made this list as I was listening to my iPod and thinking about songs I never get tired of. The guidelines I set for myself is that they have to be more than a decade old for me. That means it can't be something from the `60's that I only just discovered. I have to have heard the song prior to the year 2000 and it has to be something I keep going back to again and again - on ethat I don't tend to skip over. The songs are in no particular order, that would be too hard for to organize and judge.

1. The Tragically Hip: "Grace Too"
2. Elvis Costello: "Beyond Belief"
3. Pavement: "Texas Never Whispers"
4. Charles Mingus: "Haitian Fight Song"
5. Black Sabbath: "Black Sabbath"
6. U2: "Out of Control"
7. The Kinks: "Autumn Almanac"
8. The Beatles: "Only a Northern Song"
9. The Rolling Stones: "Gimme Shelter"
10. King Crimson: "Red"

Runner-Ups: Sugar, "Gift". Robert Fripp, "Easter Sunday". The Pixies, "All Over the World". Dinosaur Jr., "Littel Furry Things". Al Green, "You Ought to Be With Me". Tortoise, "Djed". Wilco, "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)" - key to me getting over a women back in 1996. Tricky and Martina Toppley-Bird, "Children's Story". These are just a few of the many soings that I keep coming back to.
In some case I come back to bands or performers (or specific albums by) over and over in general. Some of these are: PJ Harvey, Björk, John Coltrane, Sonic Youth, The Who, Dave Brubeck, Public Enemy, DJ Spooky.
I may have to look at how this list canges in the next decade, say take stock in 2014 and again in 2019.

Running on Empty...

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:15:00 +0000

... to steal a line from Jackson Browne. Yes, I have not been posting much here lately, just not much that I have to say at the moment that others aren't saying already and better. Now this isn't to say that I am not writing at all, in fact, I am having quite the creative burst of late and have making copious notes for stories. I submitted a story to Vehicle magazine and am waiting to hear back whetehr it has been accepted or not, if they have an artist attached to it, etc. Have an idea that could take off quite well. The first story features a celebrity death match between a well known proponent of Atheism and a well known Christian apologist.

From Roger Ebert's Journal: I'm a proud Brainiac

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:12:00 +0000

Pete Chattaway posted this up on Facebook. It is an interesting piece. I subjected myself to the first Transformers movie and have no wish to see the second. It distresses me that so many people excuse crap in the name of escapism.

Roger Ebert's Journal: Archives

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If my my Mother could see me now.

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:25:00 +0000

Oh wait, she can - she's in town.

39

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:43:00 +0000

Yup, 39. I kind of have the heebie-jeebies.

Ed Brubaker

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:43:00 +0000

This really isn't an Ed Brubaker fan club blog, but I am struck at just how good his stuff is. I had jumped into Criminal when I was still living in Vancouver, but Theo at Unreal City has been great at helping me along with my Brubaker reading. Aside from Incognito, which is still coming out in single issues, Theo turned me onto Brubaker's run on Captain America and his own series, Sleeper.
I was always more of a DC kid back in my childhood, but sometimes Marvel managed to break through. Captain America was one of those characters who could be pretty bland if done in the typical way you would expect, or pretty damned interesting if handled well. Brubaker handles the character of Captain America well. I am reading the "Winter Soldier" storyline and really getting into it. Theo has also directed me to Brubaker's take on Daredevil - behind bars with his identity revealed.
Sleeper is set in DC's Wildstorm Universe. It is about a man who's power is that he cannot feel pain, but he stores the information and can conduct it to any person he touches. He is a double agent working for a secret organisation and trying to come in from the cold. I am always struck by how compelling Brubaker's characters are and just how much depth there is to his work. Both he and Frank Miller are passionate about pulp literature, yet I would say that Brubaker is the better writer and achieves more depth. I guess I find that his work has more resonance for me.
If you are not opposed to to reading comics, check out Brubaker's work. (NOT for the kids, by the way) Sam Raimi and Tom Cruise are both interested in purchasing the rights to Sleeper, if you are interested. This would be the fifth attempt at bringing Sleeper to the screen.

The Most Boring News Conference Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:16:00 +0000

I watch CBC Newsworld before going to work. It frequently offers me something informative to mull over while I am working in the lab and ignoring the frequently inane and periodically whiny conversations that take place all around me. (this is not a problem when I am working in the morgue, I am happy to report) Today, however, they spent a great deal of time speculating about the court ruling in favour of the NHL and preventing the Phoenix Coyotes from moving to Hamilton, Ontario. They devouted at least 10-15 minutes to the press conference about how they are not going to give up trying to move the team to Hamilton.
This is news? Okay, it is - but is it worth 10-15 minutes of prime news time? There was nothing else they could have devouted more time to? No other pressing issue facing the nation that could not have received some coverage in that time? Nothing going on in the world that couldn't have been covered in greater depth? Sure there is, but it is either old hat or too hot to touch. Hell, I can even think of a spin-off report that the Ceeb could have done in connection with this Phoenix Coyotes story. They could have looked at anti-trust laws and how lethargically they are applied. They could have looked at monopolies in North America and how they are strangling smaller businesses and offering people less choice in the market place.

A Late Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:36:00 +0000

The 8th of June this year marked the one year anniversary of my move from Vancouver, BC to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Ran-diddly-andomness!

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:26:00 +0000

Frayed Ends of Sanity

I have been backing off the politics lately. Sort of like sodium consumption, I figure a little less would be better for my stress and health levels. But that doesn't mean I am not interested. Aside from BC's recent, and predictably disappointing, Provincial election and the worldwide Economic and Environmental crises, here are some of the topics I am engaged with at the moment.

1. Republic of Guinea: I am curious to see what will happen wit this country after it's bloodless coup at the end of 2008, but news has been scant.

2. Bill 5 and Bill 6 - Public Service Essential Services Act: The right wing Saskatchewan Party has enacted two bills to kneecap labour in this province. Working class people should never be happy when its government is looking for new ways to make it easier to sodomise them without lubricant. This affects me, btw. Not all the jobs that would be affected by Bill 5 are essential (Hospital librarians?) and Bill 6 is just plain anti-democratic.

3. Sanctuary for former KGB translator, Mikhail Lennikov: Mr. Lennikov was to be deported back to Russia as an undesirable, leaving his wife and son back here in Canada. He has not been engaged in espionage in this country and the U.S.S.R. is defunct. So what is the deal? I cannot provide specific examples, (there are two Polish families I am thinking of but, cannot recall their names) but Canada really likes to shit on Slavic immigrants via deportation. Being part Belarussian, I kind of take it personally.

Musilicious

This has nothing to do with cereal, but rather a list of what I have been listening to of late, in no specific order:

1. Isis, Wavering Radiant: Takes what they have building on for a while now (more specifically, Oceanic) and refines it further. More focused that Panopticon and more punchy that In the Absence of Truth...

2. Peter Gabriel, 2 also sometimes referred to as Scratch: I like Peter Gabriel's output before he hit the ... errr, "big time" with So. However, up until now, I have only ever had the double sic set of Plays Live. Solid album with Robert Fripp producing - even shares the title track from his own solo album of that year, "Exposure".

3. Mastodon, Crack the Skye: Metallic bliss.

4. Mogwai, The Hawk is Howling: My iPod really likes this album too, particularly the track "Daphne and the Brain".

5. Wilco, Being There. Still a great album. RIP Jay Bennett.

6. Matthew Sweet, Altered Beast: Still great and still largely underrated and unknown.

Sas - ka - toon, it's a hell of a town...

noreply@blogger.com (Magnus) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:41:00 +0000

CDs in Play: Mastodon, Crack the Skye. Isis, Wavering Radiant. The Flaming Lips, Zaireeka (Disc 1)

I have washed my hands three times and they still smell like pepper, onions and wine.

Why did I move to Saskatoon? This is a question that has been posed to me a number of times (usually quite incredulously) by the locals. I have my stock replies: better opportunities, no Olympics and nothing even resembling the massive social problems faced by the Lower Mainland at this time. But what I don't often tell people is that I felt compelled to move here.
For a while now I have had Saskatchewan in my thoughts. Even when I was in Montreal - a place I was quite happy to be in - a little voice in my head would tell me that I would live here again. (I had lived in the southern portion of the province in the early 90's for about 18 months)
Even before I had really re-established contact with Geosomin, met her husband J, I had this small voice whispering to me, telling me that I would be in Saskatchewan again. I looked for chances to move here a number of times, but the timing was never right. In the summer and autumn of 2007 I was looking at Halifax, Fredericton, Ottawa, Nunavut, Calgary and Victoria (Montreal, but my French is still poor) but none of them were presenting options - not like Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
So here I am with my own place, a job in the Health Region and now a chance to maybe get published and make some headway with the various stories that have been swirling around in my head. Theo at Unreal City hosted a launch party for Vehicle magazine based out Calgary, Alberta. Run by Black Sheep Studios, the magazine wants to offer a chance to writers and artists to get their stuff published and get some exposure.
As it turns out, the guy who manages the writing end of the magazine is the son of one of the woman I know from the Health Region. We got to talking and he was interested in what I have to offer. I am putting something together and plan to send it to him for feedback.