You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2010.
“Pearls Before Breakfast”
From the details on the Ytube vid.
“Can one of the nation’s great musicians cut through the fog of a D.C. rush hour? Let’s find out.
It was 9 minutes to eight in the morning on Friday, January 12 in 2007, the middle of the morning rush hour. L’Enfant Plaza is at the nucleus of federal Washington, and almost all of them were on the way to work, which meant, for almost all of them, a government job.
On that Friday, outside the Metro in an indoor arcade at the top of the escalators one of the finest classical musicians in the world played some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made. His performance was arranged by The Washington Post. In the next 43 minutes, as the violinist performed six classical pieces, 1,097 people passed by.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMyXfdk_Fp8
So, next performance you take in consider what makes a performance “great”, because it may not be just the music.
The people of Europe can see the neo-liberal cavalcade of crap coming a mile away. While we here in North America shrug our shoulders, remain disengaged and accept the dictates of our wealthy classes with a heavy sigh.
“Austerity is the other name for it. Confronting massive deficits and fearful of losing investor confidence, European governments are pulverising budgets and shutting down public services. The plan by England’s new Tory government is considered among the most painful, if not draconian. It is justified as being absolutely necessary.
This view is being challenged in the realm of ideas and with a growing spasm of street protests rocking European cities.”
People challenging what is “good for the market” with the idea of what is “good for the people”? It is a meme virtually unheard of on this side of the Atlantic. Our thoughts have been thoroughly disciplined.
“At a time when most people are saying the path out of the financial crisis and European debt problem is for individuals and governments around the world to cut back, the American economist Paul Krugman wants us to spend, spend, spend.
What is behind the fervour for austerity, he asks? “The answer is” he writes, “to reassure the markets – because the markets supposedly won’t believe in the willingness of governments to engage in long-run fiscal reform unless they inflict pointless pain right now.”
This argument has moved off the op-ed pages and into the streets. These protests conjuring up a revival of the class war confrontations of the 1930’s are erupting as the Eurozone is fracturing. The marches are becoming more militant and bitter, as clashes between the police and angry protesters grow in intensity marked by scattered violence.”
I’m tired of reassuring the markets. The markets are a part of any nation, but should not be the only concern of the people. Although, we need to look no farther than the US to see how economic compromise works, if it is more socialism for the rich, then it is a go, otherwise forget it.
“In the United States, a Republican-dominated Congress– swept into power on the backs of right wing Tea Party activism spurred by Fox News and other fear-driven conservative media– promises to roll back government programs even as it “compromises” with Democrats to keep tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.
So far, there has been little street activism in the United States. Perhaps it is because of the Christmas shopping season, the inundation of entertainment shows and sporting events or just so little oppositional leadership, especially among Democrats unwilling to challenge a Democratic President who has just negotiated a compromise deal with Republican tax cutters.”
The hope and change I feel emanating from down south is truly inspiring. So again, we have to look to Europe to see what democracy really looks like, to see people fight for their interests, to actually see people be involved in society past the feckless auspices of mere consumption. Ahh, let us revel in our atomized state of and bemoan our politicians for being corrupt and ineffective. Just do not actually do anything, for that might actually bring change and according to those who run our society we are doing great right now.
Sleep, like being coherent, is for the weak. Prepare people, we get two celestial events instead of one today.
“This year’s winter solstice on Tuesday will fall on the same day as a full lunar eclipse for the first time in 456 years. The rare, 72-minute lunar eclipse — when the sun, the Earth and the moon align — will begin in the early morning hours on Dec. 21 in North America, and should cast an amber glow on snowy landscapes, said NASA.”
Well, it is nice when we finally reach the nadir of the bleak midwinter, AND we get to see a full lunar eclipse to boot.
“Tuesday marks the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere, and the winter solstice begins in the evening at 6:38 p.m. ET, which is 8:08 p.m. NT, 7:38 p.m. AT, 5:38 p.m. CT, 4:38 p.m. MT, and 3:38 p.m. PT.
Scientists said the last time a full lunar eclipse coincided with the winter solstice was in AD 1554. NASA forecasts that at 1:33 a.m. ET on Tuesday, “Earth’s shadow will appear as a dark red bite at the edge of the lunar disk.”
After roughly an hour, that “bite” will eventually grow to cover the whole moon. That stage, known as “totality,” will probably start at 2:41 a.m. ET and last 72 minutes.
As for the best time to witness the cosmic event, NASA suggests being outside at 3:17a.m., “when the moon will be in deepest shadow, displaying the most fantastic shades of coppery red.”
So, if sleep is not in the cards on Tuesday night, your plans have already been made.
Remember 3:17am is optimal viewing time.
Ever wonder about the processing abilities of your brain and wondered about how accurate it actually is? This neat clip from the BBC about the McGurk Effect illustrates our imperfect grasp of the real word and how much brain interpretation is actually going on.
What a nice way of saying that there is no possibility of our party winning a majority in an election, furthermore if I fail again it will be my head on the block. Therefore, there shall be no election.
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he will not try to trigger an election next year, saying the government needs to stay focused on the economy.
Like Anakin, but without the redemption in the end.
“I’m not going to cause an election,” Harper told CTV News in a year-end interview. “I’m not going to call an election and we’re not bringing forward some kind of poison pill to provoke an election. We are committed to governing. We don’t need an election.”
Good on ya Steve, adhering to the first rule of politics, maintaining power is admirable and duly noted.
“We’re in a fragile global recovery. Canada is in a very good position for the long term but we need to stay focused on that and not screw around with a bunch of political games.”
Political games? Like dissent, debate and well you know that other ugly D word: Democracy. We shan’t be screwing around with the likes of those things.
“Harper also said there will be no prorogation early in the new year. He said there would be a small cabinet shuffle but he was mostly happy with his team.”
Conveniently left open for prorogation at anytime because “early in the new year” could be January 2nd. Stay tuned for more conservative tom foolery.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
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