Archive for 2010|Yearly archive page
Worth A Listen
In Music on 06/21/2010 at 10:09 PMA few musicians and musical artists I’m into that I’d like to share with you:
Album: Treny (2008)
Album: Tule minun luokseni, kulta (2009)
Album: Ready For The House (1978)
Pink Floyd
Album: Atom Heart Mother (1970)
Album: Lonely Mountain (2003)
Album: You Think You Really Know Me (1977)
Album: The Dead 60s (2005)
Brian Eno & Harold Budd w/Daniel Lanois
Album: The Pearl (1984)
Daniel Lanois
Album: Shine (2003)
Album: Wake: The Best of Dead Can Dance (2003)
Album: Radio-Activity (1975)
Album: Chairs Missing (1978)
Album: The Drift (2006)
Soundtrack: Pola X (1999)
Who Is Gary Wilson?
In Music on 05/23/2010 at 10:47 PMI came across a strange little documentary while browsing through the music docs at my local and might I say fabulous video shop! You Think You Really Know Me: The Gary Wilson Story is about a young man from Endicott, NY who back in 1976 produced an album in his parent’s basement that was astoundingly brilliant and before its time!
Image from www.cheunderground.com
Following Gary’s You Think You Really Know Me album release in 1977, he decided to move to the west coast to seek out a record deal with two other band members. Gary and his band The Blind Dates played gigs in New York City and San Diego CA throughout the 1970s and were known for their freakish stage antics. After some lost live recordings and an arrest in Peru, attempts at securing a record deal failed to materialize. Gary then subsequently fell into obscurity until 2002. After being rediscovered by Motel Records, Gary produced three more albums from 2003 until 2008. Although he exuded the same energy and theatrical stage presence during more recent gigs, his sound had lost its fearless and vibrant edge that Gary seemed to possess as a young man.
My friend Robin and I strongly agree that Gary Wilson is one-of-a-kind! He certainly could have produced countless albums with a sharp creative edge and would have gone down in history as a music legend. Yet maybe the fact that Gary became a reclusive porn shop employee and keyboard player in a lounge act, producing one astonishing record puts him not only on the edge of urban legend but also makes him a pioneer of experimental music.
Here’s a great article on Gary!
You Think You Really Know Me @ iTunes
Gary Wilson @ last.fm
Early version (1976) of Chromium Bitch
FOUND! Forgotten Lovers – Gary Wilson – Unreleased material 1973-1982
Understanding Government Legislation
In Public Information & Education on 05/23/2010 at 3:26 PM
Time and time again I read in the headlines constant complaints from the public about the ways in which our governments are run. It becomes a continuous cycle of an “us” versus “them” complex wherein we attach feelings of anger, resentment and prejudices. These negative emotions we project forward into our communities is not an effective way to improve or actively motivate our society in a positive manner. Our countries (Canada and United States of America) were founded on democratic principles that allow us the freedom of speech and the right to be heard through laws and statutes that are created for us and ultimately by us (through a voluntary voting process). The people who hold office are legally bound by the same laws as we are and anyone, no matter what his/her perceived status may be, can be called out for abusing our systems of government.
Have you ever actually read your rights and freedoms as a citizen of your country?
Legislation is often tied up with legal jargon that the average person cannot understand let alone read out without tripping over every word! What is one to do when faced with this challenge? Hire a lawyer? Spend countless hours studying legislation? Enroll yourself in law school? Answer: Put your money away, forget about the dictionary and screw that application form! There are people who do make a point of studying and understanding our government legislation and they are here to help us!
Here’s what I found online:
Founder Michael Mulley spends his spare time translating Canadian parliamentary transcripts, posting these online for the average person to read and understand. This allows you to track what your MP is up to without all the hassle of rummaging through Parliament of Canada ‘s website for specific information.
David Eaves at datadotgc.ca organizes Canadian government data for public use.
“The Canadian government is depriving itself of its most effective tool to improve services and find efficiencies: data. In the age where information abounds and the technology exists for easy access, the government should analyze the data that is often literally at its fingertips, as well as share it with anyone, as is being done in the UK or US,” says Eaves, in the article Websites for Democracy
Other government data sites:
U.S. data website: Data.gov
U.K. data website: Data.gov.uk
Understanding Legislation
Another interesting personality I had the pleasure of being introduced to is Freeman-on-the-Land, Robert Arthur Menard. Through the website ThinkFree.ca and with the help of self-proclaimed “sentient sovereign being” Robert Christy and filmmaker/media activist Paul Verge, Robert Menard takes you on a journey through Canadian legislation. Via educational videos available on YouTube.com and his website, and various seminars and educational materials he offers to the public , one can clearly comprehend that Robert Arthur has spent many years studying Canadian legislation, making a concentrated and comprehensive effort of understanding it. He is able to break down in simple terms each step one must take to meet any challenge within governmental legislation. In turn, the average Canadian will better understand his/her rights and freedoms as a citizen of Canada. Robert Menard also has a website dedicated to the implementation of a peaceful society, The World Freeman Society.
AngellCain Online Research & Media will also make a concentrated effort to seek out any additional and useful information pertaining to the efforts of creating transparency and accountability within our governments. Please look for future updates on this subject.
Keep in mind when using the above information!
- Understand your country’s governmental hierarchy – Who does what? What are his/her responsibilities?
- Thoroughly investigate your candidates before you vote!
- Read and make a point of understanding the fine print before you sign!
- You are your own authority!
Build Your Own Bamboo Bicycle
In Eco-Friendly Products on 05/23/2010 at 12:00 PM
Photo by Joe Zorrilla
As an avid cyclist, I was curious about the various materials that may be available to build sustainable and eco-friendly bicycles. I recently came across a bamboo bicycle building studio in Brooklyn NY, Bamboo Bike Studio. For the price of a brand new aluminium or steel framed bicycle you can walk into this studio on a Saturday and come out on Sunday with a brand new, eco-friendly bicycle that you learned to build yourself!
Check it out! A trip to Brooklyn could be in the cards! Or who knows? You might want to start your own bamboo bicycle studio!
