Kissinger Slanders Jewish Diaspora in Nixon Tapes

It has been known for a long time that German-born American political adviser Henry Kissinger has long been a fascist and communist sympathizer, one who openly rubbed shoulders and enabled war criminals in China, Indochina, Chile, and many other nations, in the process becoming a war criminal himself.  Yet, there was Kissinger advising the George W. Bush's administration, still lingering in Washington like a foul and rotten stench.  In an article published this morning in the National Post, journalist Christopher Hitchens uncovers Kissinger on the now infamous Nixon tape recordings saying “the emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union is not an objective of American foreign policy. And if they put Jews into gas chambers in the Soviet Union, it is not an American concern.”  I wonder how he'll slither his way out of this one...?  

West utilizes his Power beautifully

Make what you want of the outspoken and oft times controversial Kanye West however, when it comes down to  his ability to dictate the musical landscape, he is as one critic put it, "genre defining".   West is in a league of his own, just as Radiohead was when it released OK Computer in 1997 - destined to spend the rest of his career firmly entrenched in the driver's seat.

In his most recent stint on Saturday Night Live this past weekend, West delivered two powerful performances in a white set surrounded by dancers, while wearing crayola red clothing from head to toe.  The image was stunning and arguably the closest example of performance art used in Hip Hop.  West, in many ways, embodies aspects of a classical Greek God; at once lionized for his performance and demonized for his personality, which is why the metaphor of Classical Greece was so befitting a cultural icon such as himself, playing the role of the Demigod.       

The lyrics to West's song Power read:


I’m livin’ in the 21st century
Doin’ something mean to it
Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music

No one man should have all that power
The clock’s tickin’, I just count the hours
Stop trippin’, I’m trippin’ off the power
(21st century schizoid man)

The system broken, the schools closed, the prisons open
We ain’t got nothin’ to lose, ma’f-cka, we rollin’
Huh? Ma’f-cka, we rollin’
With some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands
In this white man’s world, we the ones chosen
So goodnight, cruel world, I see you in the mornin’
Huh? I see you in the mornin’
This is way too much, I need a moment

No one man should have all that power
The clock’s tickin’, I just count the hours
Stop trippin’, I’m trippin’ off the power
‘Til then, f-ck that, the World’s ours

And then they (Go)
And then they
And then they (Go)
And then they (21st century schizoid man)

F-ck SNL and the whole cast
Tell ‘em Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass
More specifically, they can kiss my asshole
I’m an asshole? You n-ggas got jokes
You short-minded n-ggas’ thoughts is Napoleon
My furs is Mongolian, my ice brought the goalies in
Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He know, he so, f-ckin’ gifted
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind but couldn’t open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being prodded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catchin’ up with me
Takin’ my inner child, I’m fighting for it, custody

With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my dia-mond-encrusted piece

N-gga, no one man should have all that power
The clock’s tickin’, I just count the hours
Stop trippin’, I’m trippin’ off the power
‘Til then, f-ck that, the World’s ours

And then they (Go)
And then they
And then they (Go)
And then they
And then they (Go)
And then they (21st century schizoid man)

Colin Powells, Austin Powers
Lost in translation with a whole f-ckin’ nation
They say I was the obamanation (abomination) of Obama’s nation
Well, that’s a pretty bad way to start the conversation
At the end of day, goddammit, I’m killin’ this sh-t
I know damn well y’all feelin’ this sh-t
I don’t need yo’ p-ssy, bitch, I’m on my own d-ck
I ain’t gotta power trip, who you goin’ home with?
How ‘Ye doin’? I’m survivin’
I was drinkin’ earlier, now I’m drivin’
Where the bad bitches, huh? Where ya hidin’?
I got the power, make yo’ life so excitin’ (So excitin’)

Now this would be a beautiful death
Jumpin’ out the window
Lettin’ everything go
Lettin’ everything go

N-now-now this would be a beautiful death
Jumpin’ out the window
Lettin’ everything go
Lettin’ everything go

Now this would be a beautiful death
Jumpin’ out the window
Lettin’ everything go
Lettin’ everything go

You got the power to let power go

This brilliantly reflexive synthesis of performance and song should be celebrated, not hated.

On the 'Playground' at Toronto's Nuit Blanche

 

Photos by Paul Eekhoff - http://www.pauleekhoffpicturelab.com/

It's been exactly one week since Toronto pulled an all-nighter for the fifth annual Nuit Blanche event sponsored by Scotiabank.   Every year at the beginning of October, art-goers and party-goers crash the metropolitan area from sunset to sunrise (7pm - 7am) in search of inspiring installations and frankly, a good time.  This year's installment drew approximately 1.2 million people out of their homes.  

 

I had the pleasure this year of assisting my partner Sabrina Richard and her friend Sara Atrvash on their public sculpture Playground (seen above) located in Trinity Bellwoods.  The sculpture, designed to invoke childhood memories and provide a reprieve from the grind of day to day adult life, was incredibly successful.  Children were clamoring to climb it, while adults lined up to  test themselves on the fifty foot long obstacle course.  Made from powder coated aluminum cylinders joined together by Euroklemp fittings, the Playground is reminiscent of construction scaffolding slung around homes and skyscrapers - only its gold.  Its precious sheen and scaffold-like structure function  poetically as a metaphor for growth, maturation, and aging, each of which progress at a fluctuating pace, up and down, with unforeseen hurdles to be met with along the way.  

Unfortunately, one of the downsides of installing - or in my case, helping to install someone's work - at Nuit Blanche, is that you invariably miss out on many of the other artworks/installations happening that evening.  Nevertheless, though tiring, installing Playground was a wonderful experience and my personal congratulations go out to both Sabrina and Sara for their beautiful work!

The Milk's Gone Bad

So we live in a generation coming to grips with the fact that nearly everything we've been eating for the past twenty to thirty years has been denaturalized and pumped with hormones, steroids, antibiotics, MSG, trans-fats, and various other forms of additives and preservatives.  Collectively, many of us are trying to reduce our dependence on these foods in favour of organic products.  While organic products are more expensive, particularly in Canada where they are not subsidized by the federal government, I cannot live with the fact that the products just do not seem to last very long.  I don't drink very much milk, but when I do buy it, it goes bad well before its 'Best Before' date.  I can't get this stuff to last 5 days, which is very frustrating.  I and Sabrina however, will continue along this path toward salvation (ha ha ha!), trying to avoid spoiled milk whenever we can.

Brett Favre demonstrates how best to seduce female NFL sideline reporters

Thanks for that demonstration Brett, what wonderful social etiquette you have!

Catch the...AIDS???

You know what they say:  Where there's smoke there's fire. 

It appears as though Roberto Alomar, celebrated Major League second baseman and soon to be Hall of Famer, is running out of chances to disprove the allegations of his ex-wife, who claimed he knowingly had the HIV virus when he had unprotected sex with her.  It is now being reported that Alomar's current wife, Maria Del Pilar Rivera Alomar, has filed for divorce on the very same grounds;  alleging that her husband "knew prior to his first sexual contact with (her) that he was HIV-positive."  If these allegations are in fact correct, it would be a devastating result for all parties and a tragic fall from grace for Alomar - one of the greatest second basemen to ever play.  Unfortunately, Alomar may soon be added to the long list of professional athletes involved in unceremonious endings. 

Lopsided federal subsidy to Quebec a common refrain

 

 

Having lived in Montreal for three years after completing an undergraduate degree in '02, I got a sense of the contempt some (NOT ALL) Quebecois have for Canadians by gauging various opinions on the federal subsidy of cultural endeavors in the distinct province.  I was dating a Montrealer at the time who was in the midst of her bachelor's degree at Concordia University and we got into an argument over the 'out of province fees' Canadian students from outside of Quebec are forced to pay to attend universities in the province.   Quebec university tuition for its residents is less than half of that which it charges to outsider Canadian students studying in the province.    While international tuition rates are common practice around the world, Quebec remains the only province in Canada to charge higher tuition to out-of-province students at all its post-secondary educational institutions.   It is an outright attack on the principles of a country in which all of its citizens should have equal financial access to a university education. 

Furthermore, the fact that tuition is so low for Quebecers demonstrates the province's belief that it is not their responsibility to fund their educational institutions, but rather, Canada's, which many Quebecois want no part of, financially or spiritually.   My girlfriend at the time, was of the opinion that Quebec's position was in some way, morally justified, and that the rest of Canada remained indebted to them -  that my angst was merely jealously.   I was not jealous however, I was upset.  Why should a four year undergraduate degree cost over $20,000 in Ontario and less than $10,000 for Quebecers studying in Quebec?

Clearly the rest of the country was (and continues to) subsidize universities in Quebec and today, the trend is continuing with the proposal for a new NHL approved rink planned for Quebec City.   Why is it that in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and even Montreal, NHL rinks were built privately, but now Quebec City is clamouring for nearly fifty percent worth of federal subsidy to build an arena for a city that does not even have an NHL team?  Worst of all, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Co. seem interested.  At all costs, I'm praying they stick a harpoon in this idea and spend the money where it might be useful.   How about lowering tuition for ALL Canadian students studying outside of Quebec?  That would be nice.

The fact of the matter is, this is a staid old game being played out here and it needs to be stopped.   For a long time now, Quebec has been able to stand on its own two feet, and it is time that it does so.  It is home to Montreal, one of the most culturally diverse and interesting metropolitan cities in North America that has raised international cultural sensations such as Leonard Cohen, Rufus Wainwright, Mordecai Richler, Pierre Trudeau and The Arcade Fire.  If the province is as truly independent as it claims to be, prove it and stop crying loup!