Spin + spun

» “AMSTETTEN, Austria (Reuters) – Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer said on Wednesday the government planned to launch an image campaign to restore its reputation abroad after an incest case that shocked the world.”

And just when they’d gotten over that “Hitler thing” too… I think it’s too bad the media has focussed on the whole sensationalized sex/incest aspect of the story. It seems to me the incest part is only a part of the larger picture (obviously a horrible, shocking part). But that six people have been raised since birth in a cellar is a pretty fascinating occurance. It’s the whole “forbidden experiment” scenario again. What kind of society did they create down there? What will their preceptions of the outside world be? Just how alien and fucked up are these people? But from reading headlines you’d think the incest was the worst they experienced when I’m sure it’s only part and parcel of a whole spectrum of abuse that went on down there.

» This is often the sound inside my headphones on the way to and from work.

 

Hardness

Madonna’s much maligned Hard Candy reviewed track-by-track based on 30 second iTunes previews.

Candy Shop: Sounds kinda like a mash-up between Vogue and a Prince song.

4 Minutes (feat Justin Timberlake): Sounds like a mash-up of Sexyback and a Michael Jackson song. And compressed into the red to the point of lacking any dynamics. This will be the most hated ringtone of 2008.

Give It 2 Me: People who are not Prince have got to stop using “2” in song titles.The same goes for “U”. This kind of sounds like Vengaboys. A really annoying staccato fuzzy synth line. This song kind of made me want to murder someone in 30 seconds.

Heartbeat: The beat in this song is compressed to the point of being unlistenable. I think this album was designed to be listened to as ringtones. This song isn’t so bad and doesn’t sound quite as much like a low-rent mash-up of past, better Madonna singles. Might sound a bit like Kylie, actually.

Miles Away: Sounds like Kylie song, vaguely Pet Shop Boysish. Again with the beat being way in the redzone on a song that doesn’t suit it. Finding myself liking this one.

She’s Not Me: Sounds like a mash up of Blondie’s Rapture and any Britney track. Only not as good as either. The lyrics are terrible. Strangely makes me think of Miami Vice.

Incredible: An 80’s teen movie ballad with Max Headroom vocals and a distracting crunkish beat. Had to listen to it several times to believe.

Beat Goes On (feat. Kanye West): Forgettable. Chimes are nice. Strangely dated house keyboard vamp.

Dance 2nite: Similar, in a way, to Kylie’s All I See but nowhere near as good in concept or execution. Also that terrible use of the number 2 in the title.

Spanish Lesson: Music sounds fucked up and the lyrics make Madge sound like she’s molesting her children. Baffling.

Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You: Sounds vaguely like a techno nod to Like a Prayer in the chord progression or something. Mediocre.

Voices: ABBA harmonies and cheesy psychedelic/bollywood strings. Oh and that unlistenable distorted drum sound that’s been all over this album.

SOLD, Joshua + snip-snip

transmetropolitan *SOLD*
Originally uploaded by
Ampersand Photography.

» Sold… to the young lady in Wales. My first online art sale. Quite pleased with myself.

» Today’s subway doppelganger was Joshua from the movie Joshua we’ve been watching. Which has some remarkably good moments in it. If it had been made 30 years earlier, it’d undoubtedly have been a classic pre-slasher horror. Sort of a “what happenes when Rosemary’s Baby turns nine?” type of thing. In fact, I’d put money on that being how it was pitched. Well, maybe it’s not really that good. Better than the six stars it got on IMDB though. Anyway, this wasn’t supposed to be a film review, my point was I saw a creepy privateschool kid on the subway.

» I’m getting my hair cut on Saturday. By and old Italian man named Vincenzo. I’ve suffered with the worst haircut ever for long enough. Given to me by a crazy Russian woman named Olena.

Fritz, mail, spring, death + icecream

Perch BW crop
Originally uploaded by Ampersand Photography.

» I’ve been getting deja vu watching movies lately. To the point where I’ve been wondering if I’d seen them before, at some point, at least in part. But since I know for a fact I’ve never previously watched Joshua, I suspect my brain is about to go on the fritz.

» Seems Canada Post is in cahoots with the DCF (Dove Chocolate Fascists) as one of their employees mailed us a whole bar of the milky goodness.

» Suddenly, the trees are greening up, I see. It’s kind of freaky how fast it’s happening.

» I can’t remember if I mentioned I agreed to be the executor of my uncle’s estate. I agreed on the condition he does not die within the next three years. I also want to secure his screen-printing equipment, which I’m assuming is being left to me.

» Yesterday, since the heat was still on at the beginning of the week, the building management gave us all icecream. That was kind of a feeding frenzy gongshow int he lobby. This was after a “donut meeting” in the morning with our new interim team leader.

Ma-shoegaze-na

Dream Sucker
Originally uploaded by Ampersand Photography.

» This week’s mixcast, which I forgot to do on monday, is old and new shoegaze. Or shoegazish tracks and some dreampop and some noisepop if you’re going to be a genre-citing nit-picker (I still don’t think Jesus and Mary Chain should be considered shoegaze even if they inspired every shoegaze band directly or indirectly). Features two tracks by my favoutite contemporary gaze band, Experimental Aircraft.
 

A regular, earthy, chocolate comeuppance + obliteration

»   In the mornings now, when I step into the coffee shop, the girl who takes the orders tells the barrista, “Double americano, medium” and it’s ready by the time I’ve paid the girl at the till. I don’t have to talk to anyone. Which is good for me. They’ve also caught on I don’t need a java-jacket because I bring my own reusable, quilted cup warmer. 

» Apparently it’s Earth Day or something. I will not go on a rant like I did about Earth Hour. Speaking of coffee, they were giving away free coffee in the lobby to celebrate. Not sure how this helps the planet. They were also collecting batteries to recycle or whatever the green thing to do with a bin full of dead batteries is. Make coffee out of them, by the taste of it.

» The Dove chocolate fascists are at it again. Someone from my office mugged them for their whole stash it looks like though. They had it coming, I say.

» Clinton 2.0 proved, this morning I think, that the Democrats are the same as the Republicans today by vowing to “obliterate” Iran

“As the candidates appeared on the US talk show circuit on Tuesday morning, a row erupted when Mrs Clinton was asked how she would respond if Iran launched a nuclear attack on Israel.

She replied that: “If I’m the president, we will attack Iran… we would be able to totally obliterate them.

“That’s a terrible thing to say, but those people who run Iran need to understand that, because that perhaps will deter them from doing something that would be reckless, foolish and tragic,” she told TV channel ABC.

In response, Mr Obama said: “Using words like ‘obliterate’ – it doesn’t actually produce good results, and so I’m not interested in sabre-rattling.”

He said only that Iran should know he would respond “forcefully” to an attack on any US ally.

The US fears Iran is trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and could use them against Israel. Iran insists its nuclear programme is solely for power generation.”

I guess she learned a few tricks from the neocons during the Lewinsky scandal. A little unfounded fear-mongering as a ploy to secure votes seems a decidedly Bushy maneuver. I also like how the Americans take it for granted that if Iran did attack Israel, they’d be the ones to retaliate.

Ding dong + heat

» Apparently in Toronto (and the rest of Ontario) you’re not required to wear a bike helmet. But there is a $150 fine for not having a bell on your bike.

» At 8:30 it’s already stuffy and hot in this office to the point of not being able to work (as in function) properly. I wonder how much trouble I’d get in for throwing a chair through a window. Actually the glass is pretty thick. Probably would have to use a desk or filing cabinet.
 

Nonstricken, remarkable + comp2

» So there is no transit strike tomorrow. Which means no hour and half hike for me. Both relieved and disappointed. Considering how hot and smoggy it was this afternoon, mostly relieved.

» We started recording Nicole’s album this week. She said of one of her vocal takes, “Well that is quite remarkable.” Which has become a bit of a catch-phrase in the house.

» I forgot that I’m putting together the new PLOG cd compilation. Anyone interested, or knowing anyone who might be interested, in being on the June comp should get in touch with me.

Slab city, morning aperitif + whiny fuckers

» They seem to be able to make slab cake a little grosser every year. There must be a lab somewhere concocting new chemical-based icing compounds. 

» Behind me on the subway this morning, at quarter to 8, was a hammered woman. Cackling. Sticking her elbow into my back. Smelling flammable.

» Speaking of the subway, the TTC is going on strike (most likely) on Monday. Looks like I’m walking. I think it’ll only take me an hour and half to get from doorstep to elevator. I plan on filling my bag with rocks to throw at any TTC picketlines I see along the way.

Discrimination

»  Sexists were doling out chocolate only to women downtown today. Sexists working for the Dove Chocolate corporation. They were also classists as they specifically targeted professionals and agists even more speciffically targeting professional women nearing (or well arrived at) middle-age. I tried to induce three different chocolate-pushing girls to give me some only to receive the cold-cocoa shoulder. I did get one of my female co-workers to give me a pack from her lunchtime accumulated stash. The overly packaged (by sexist, classist, agist, capitalists) tiny piece of inferior chocolate was wrapped in foil with a message printed inside. Witty missives like “Sleep in” and “Buy yourself something nice.” Sort of the antithesis of Yogi Tea. We couldn’t find a single one that said,  “Get an engineering degree” or “Kill a wild animal.” Mine said, “Read a trashy novel.”  On a side note, within minutes people from the other side of the building were asking me how my trashy novel was.