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| American Idol Ugandan Style By: Shane Christensen |
| 02.23.08 (4:47 am) [edit] |
War/Dance Documentary
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This world is filled with remarkable people and inspiring tales which you can find all around you, if you look hard enough. Sure, there's a lot of negativity and depressing stuff in the news most of the time, but today I got lucky when I came across an article that is both unique and uplifting.I’m referring to the story of a fascinating new film called War/Dance, which was the winner of the 2007 Sundance Documentary Directing Award, and which is already getting serious media attention due to its subject matter.War/Dance is an inspirational tale of a group of children from the Patongo Primary School in Uganda, who are overcoming great personal pain and trauma as survivors of civil war, and who are now given the opportunity to take part in an American-Idol styled contest in their country.To say that this is a big deal to these kids and their experiences is a huge understatement. This movie proves, beyond a doubt, that children are the same all around the world in that they need to have the chance to be kids and have fun. The film's directors are a husband and wife team, Sean Fine and his wife Andrea Nix Fine, and they were recently blessed with the birth of their first child. But instead of letting their newest addition deter them from this undertaking, Sean continued on to the refugee camp and stayed for the duration of filming; communicating daily with Andrea, who remained at home in the U.S. while providing him ideas and suggestions from afar.One of the most profound approaches the Andrea suggested was to have the children look directly into the camera as they spoke about the atrocities they had endured. Earlier attempts to simply interview them failed. These children are similar to other war survivors in that they seldom speak amongst themselves about the evils they've witnessed and experienced. However, by speaking directly to the camera the children felt like they were telling the world about their ordeal, and the childrens' memory floodgates opened. Another of Andrea's ideas was to focus on existing beauty. That beauty could be seen in the natural surroundings of a gorgeous part of the world which has suffered terribly due to internal conflict. Because of this conflict, often the natural beauty of the country is overlooked. Equally poignant is the beauty of the youth who make up the story, and how they are captured on film as they’re making the journey to a peaceful place, as Sean puts it.The one ingredient of this film which captured my interest immediately after I first read about it, was the importance and impact that music holds in the movie. Many of these children had never played an instrument of any kind before, but that did not deter their enthusiasm for learning in the slightest way, shape, or form. Throughout the documentary, music is the one constant that offers hope for the future and gives the participants an opportunity, they would have never have been previously allowed, to share their experiences under war conditions they've had to endure the majority of their young lives.The film is the work of a non-profit production company, Shine Global, which is donating seventy per cent of the project's profits to various Ugandan agencies which help these kids in a number of ways, including nutritional and scholarship programs for the children. There has also been an outpouring of generosity from other charitable groups after learning of War/Dance's efforts, which has resulted in bikes and musical instruments going to Patonga, where the Fines are headed in February to debut this film to the children it stars.War/Dance has been nominated for an Oscar, and is currently available in limited release throughout the United States, with foreign markets hopefully to follow as this is one film I am anxiously awaiting. Many people will want to see this film because it is a truly uplifting presentation; done exceptionally well judging by the acclaim it has already received.The Fines have made a impressive name for themselves in the making of War/Dance, and have been offered the next task of producing and directing a feature documentary on the effects of addiction in the U.S., in collaboration with Joseph Califano Jr. of Columbia University. I don't know if they can succeed in turning this story into a 'feel-good' film, but it will serve as a relevant and important piece to many people and to society in general. I'm not a big watcher of awards shows, but I will definitely be rooting for Sean and Andrea on Oscar night. I hope that they achieve further and future success with their talents and abilities, which they apply in a very positive and uplifting way. As a result of Sean and Andrea's efforts, this world is becoming a better place in the process; a noble and commendable ideal that we'd all like to ascribe to.
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| Top Ten Canadian Rock Acts By: Shane Christensen |
| 02.19.08 (2:32 am) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzAs in the case of my previous Top Ten Album article, I felt it was necessary to follow my Top Ten Rock Acts choices with a Top Ten Canadian Rock Acts submission. This country of ours has produced an enormous amount of the world’s top musical entertainers, and it's only fair to give them the acknowledgement they truly deserve.The criteria to make this list will be as follows: 1.) Their popularity was truly phenomenal 2.) Their success had staying power- no flavour of the month 3.) Trailblazers for the Canadian music scene 4.) Reached an inclusionAs with my previous article, trailblazers in the industry are held in high regard, and that is reflected in this list. I’d also like to note that album sales do factor in, which results in the exclusion of some groups (most notably The Band) which were critically acclaimed, yet only enjoyed moderate commercial success compared to the other acts on this list.My choices for the Top Ten Canadian Rock Acts of all time are:1.) Neil Young  There could be no possible excuse not to have Neil as my top choice, and the reasons are plentiful and have been listed before. But simply, he has been one of the most creative and authentically original acts in the world, and still maintains his Canadian demeanour. And that is so typical of this truly amazing performer that embodies all of our national character and ideals, and has had a career that is as diverse and successful as any of the top rock acts in history.2.)Rush Rush has always been one of those bands that you either love or hate. But enough people love them to the extent that they are the top selling rock band to come out of Canada, with over 40 million albums sold. Their career is still going strong after 34 years, with no sign of it disappearing anytime soon, and includes a handful of albums that are hard rock classics and which showcase the individual musicianship of the three members that put them in a league of their own.3.) Bryan Adams I was surprised in doing the research for this article just how successful Mr. Adams actually was, as he is currently second on the list of top selling Canadian acts, with only Celine Dion placing above his impressive tally of 75 million sales. But when you consider how many hit singles the guy has had throughout the years, it definitely makes sense as he had a great run of hits through the ‘80s and ‘90s, including his biggest hit Everything I Do (I Do It For You). A class act all the way, and he still maintains his nice guy personality regardless of his accomplishments 4.)Tragically Hip The Hip is unique in Canadian music as they are undeniably one of our top rock acts, yet they have never realized any substantial international acclaim. And in some respects, that makes them even sweeter to a great number of their homegrown fan base because they still seem like they’re the same guys they were twenty years ago when they were just starting out. They have the distinction of being the top selling Canadian artist for sales in Canada, with over 25 million albums sold domestically, and they’re still going strong as they continue to release new material and remain one of the top concert draws in the country.5.)The Guess Who This band is definitely one of the trailblazers for the Canadian music industry as they were the first band out of the Great White North to have a number one hit in the U.S. with American Woman in 1970, and had an impressive number of top hits within their ten year run including six top ten songs. They single-handedly proved to the world that this country possessed world class talent that could compete with the successful international acts of the day from Britain and the U.S., and by doing so opened the door for all the Canadian artists that would follow in their footsteps. 6.) Shania Twain Although Shania started off as a country act, she had undeniably crossed over into mainstream pop by the time her third album was released and started to chart impressively on the pop as well as country charts. Come On Over is the top selling album released by a female artist, and is the ninth best selling album of all time in the entire world. Twain is also one of the top selling Canadian artists of all time thanks to the success of three hugely received albums: The Woman In Me, Come On Over, and Up. Her producer/ collaborator/ husband, Robert “Mutt” Lange was already one of the most successful producers before he began to transform Shania, and their professional union would propel both of them to staggering heights that will probably never be duplicated again.7.) Bachman Turner Overdrive Randy Bachman would strike gold twice in his musical career after BTO caught on big time in ’74 with the success of two hit singles. Takin’ Care of Business was a top ten hit that is famous for being fanatically loved by Elvis, and You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet became their first number 1 hit in the U.S. and in most other countries around the world.The band would chart three top ten albums in less than two years, and have a number of hits in Canada and internationally which would cement their status as one of the top Canadian bands ever.8.) Joni Mitchell Definitely an artist whose influence spreads throughout the musical world and transcends all genres, Joni would be an inspiration to many young women (including Madonna) who dreamed of one day performing themselves. She had a string of eight hit albums from ’69 to ’76, which is pretty well unheard of in today’s era, in any genre. She still remains one of the most influential performers in history, and recently won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Pop Performance for the song One Week Last Summer from her latest Starbuck’s offering, Shine.9.) Gordon Lightfoot Another performer who crosses musical genres successfully and has maintained a strong and loyal fan base, especially at home. Gord has written some of the most beautiful songs to ever have been recorded anytime/anywhere, and even had such notables as Bob Dylan refer to him as “Canada’s greatest natural resource.”He is a very well respected member of Canada’s music royalty, and has the rare distinction of being made a Companion for The Order of Canada in 1993.10.)Nickelback I was flirting with the idea of not including this band on the list, basically because of the abuse I suffer at the hands of musical “associates” who bristle at my affection for them. But again, in doing the research for this article, there was no way I couldn’t include them. They’ve already sold more records than the Hip, but in less time, and their latest album is still on a record breaking charting course nearly three years after its release. They’ve had three top five albums within a five year period, and a number of top singles to boot. They’ve also won a number of awards both at home and internationally, so their success is a real and substantial one that deserves recognition and support…especially from home where it is lacking a lot of the times.
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| Values |
| 02.16.08 (8:51 pm) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzVisit LexidiemWhat has happened to our sense of values?Was watching the news today and this evening, appalled by what I was seeing again, by history again repeating itself. On Thursday, Valentine's Day, Steven Kazmierczak, armed with three handguns and a brand-new pump-action Remington shotgun he had carried onto the Northern Illinois University campus in a guitar case, stepped from behind a screen on the stage of a lecture hall, and opened fire on a geology class.Kazmierczak killed five students and then himself.University Police Chief Donald Grady said that the 27-year-old had become erratic in the past two weeks after he had stopped taking his medication. But that seemed to come as news to many of those who knew him, and the attack itself was positively baffling.Investigators learned that a week ago, on February 9th, Kazmierczak walked into a gun store in Champaign and picked up two guns, the Remington shotgun and a Glock 9mm handgun. He bought the two other handguns at the same shop, a Hi-Point .380 on December 30th and a Sig Sauer on August 6th.All four guns had been bought legally from a federally licensed firearms dealer. At least one criminal background check had been performed... Kazmierczak had no criminal record.Most of us have seen this story plastered all over the media, so I'll go no further about it, but it did get me to thinking on multiple tracks; about history repeating itself, about media coverage, about my own beliefs in the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms), and thoughts about why such things happen.Had been writing an angry reaction to this entire story when I happened upon a friend's journal on this topic... and it stimulated another thought, and that had to do with values. This is the reaction as I posted as a comment, with a few additions:Maybe if we who are parents would put down the remote controls to our television sets for an extra ten minutes a day and discuss values. with our children, it might make a difference.It really wouldn't be all that hard to do. Values could come from many different sources... things that shaped our own lives when we were young; spiritual things if a religious family; our success (and failures, being honest); even silly pranks that we may have pulled at a young age (this from my son, who's reading this with me)... it's your own choice here. Values are not chuckling over the latest episode of Family Guy or The Simpsons, or who was the best talent on American Idol. If one wants to find values to discuss from television, there's always the Discovery Channel, A&E, the History Channel and such.Right now one of our local channels is running the film Hotel Rwanda, the true-life story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda, when almost 1,000,000 Rwandans where massacred in a 100 day period. You can see the trailer here, but it's a pretty brutal subject.My son had seen the previews for this film, we talked about it (I've seen it before), and it was his choice to watch... and yes, we will discuss it later. It's been called an African Schindler's List, another film that he's already seen. And yes, this one will help shape his own values.We agree on many things and differ on others, for he's always been encouraged from a very young age to not follow the crowd, but to shape his own opinions, his own sense of values.Without values, we end up with situations like the tragedy we saw at Virginia Tech and the others that we've been seeing in the news. And values like this have to be taught from home, and not from our school systems.It takes just taking a few extra minutes each day to do this, that's all.The news today reported that Steven Kazmierczak's father, Robert Kazmierczak, appeared on the porch of his Lakeland, Florida home and pled for privacy, telling a reporter “Please leave me alone. I have no statement to make.” Reporters had been trying to contact Robert Kazmierczak after it was discovered his son was responsible for the killing of the five students before taking his own life.The Polk County (Florida) Sheriff’s Department had been requested to notify Robert Kazmierczak that his son had died, and shortly after being notified Kazmierczak found several reporters in his yard.He made a brief appearance, saying “It's a very hard time. I'm a diabetic.” Kazmierczak requested that the reporters leave, then broke down in tears and went back inside the house. It has been reported that he recently lost his wife as well. It's very difficult to imagine putting one's self in this grieving father's shoes.From all that we know, all that has been reported, Robert Kazmierczak had instilled a sense of values within his son, so maybe my thoughts above are only a partial solution to this ongoing problem.Many years ago, as young Marine, I took an oath that I would l support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and have lived by that oath... once a Marine, always a Marine. I was raised with firearms, and learned to shoot at an early age, skills that I proudly carried into my adult life. Was at a certain point fulfilled by my shooting skills as a expert and sharpshooter, both with pistols and rifles.Times change, though, and I gave away my last personal firearm, a 9mm Beretta automatic pistol in the early 1980s as I just hadn't fired it in a number of years, even on a range.But now my own beliefs in our right to bear arms as outlined in the Second Amendment to the Constitution are in grave doubt, and as a result of all of these wanton acts of firearm violence, am now looking more closely at the Brady Campaign to prevent Gun Violence.Sometimes we all have to take stock and re-examine our own values.And now I have a film and its values to discuss with my son... |
| Extras With Ricky Gervais By Lezah WIlliamson |
| 02.16.08 (4:03 am) [edit] |
Visit Swanktrendz We just got two seasons of Ricky Gervais's latest effort, Extras, on DVD.I loved The Office. So droll. And, as usual, the British version is much better than the American remake. Although, I've got to admit, the American version is growing on me.But I digress: Extras is what we're on about here. And Extras it shall be.Extras is a very, very clever show - even better than The Office - about people who are - you guessed it - extras. Or 'background artists', as some of them prefer to be called.Ricky Gervais is an extra who considers himself a 'real actor' - he just does the extra work to pay the bills. He's got a script that he's written that's supposed to be circulating, but unfortunately for both his writing and acting careers, he's also saddled with the worst agent of all times (played by Stephen Merchant, his co-writer for both this show and The Office).There are guest appearances each episode from some big name stars: Kate Winslet, Robert De Niro, Ian McKellan, Orlando Bloom. Each of the actors who appears ends up playing themselves - and yet, in Gervais's usual twisted way, he presents them as (what I certainly hope are) polar opposites of their true selves.The second season sees our hero being a little more successful professionally, but even less successful on a personal level.This one is a definite 10/10.Omage from www.mckellen.com
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| Dexter By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (4:01 am) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzI was reading that one of the good things that was expected to come out of the recent writer's strike was a change from the current method of getting network TV shows into production, with a adoption instead of the method used by cable TV stations. The cable TV process is a lot quicker, less onerous, and much less expensive. Because of this, it was expected that certain shows that take a bit to build up an audience would have a greater chance of surviving.Case in point: Dexter. I've had a number of acquaintances raving about this show that I have yet to see. It's been available on cable for two seasons via Showtime. Due to the writer's strike, both seasons will be aired on CBS starting this month.This is a show that probably never would have stood a chance on network TV. And yet it has already won two Emmys. It's highly controversial, primarily due to the subject matter.Dexter, starring Michael C. Hall in the title role, is a show about a serial killer. Many people have taken exception to that. The TV show is based on the book 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter', by Jeff Lindsay.Unlike other serial killers, however, Dexter isn't all bad: he's actually an employee of the Miami Metro Police, where he works as a blood pattern analyst, and his prey are other serial killers, or people whom the law cannot touch (for one reason or other).
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| Economy Fuel |
| 02.16.08 (3:21 am) [edit] |
| Image from mapwestOmage from Visit SwanktrendzI've been meaning to write about this for a while; Terry's recent article reminded me about it.There are lots of advancements being made these days in automobile fuel economy; about ten years ago, for instance, a couple moved in across the road from my parents. The husband was one of the inventors of the technology that was being used to use hydrogen as a fuel for cars. After a lot of research and trial, from what I understand, this avenue hasn't really panned out - but they sure made a lot of money off of it! People are very anxious to find alternate means of power for their cars.My friend was driving a hybrid car for work, and raving about it. Apparently it averaged about 75 miles to the gallon, or some such outrageous claim. And electric cars seem to be springing up more and more frequently. I even saw a show about some hot-rod guy who specializes in converting muscle cars into hybrids - apparently he has about a six month waiting list!When we were down in California last year, the whole fuel-efficiency thing was definitely all the rage. Driven (pardon the pun) by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California is trying to introduce as many hybrids and other forms of fuel-efficient and low-pollution vehicles as possible.Obviously pollution is a bad thing, and gas is getting more and more expensive all the time. Who wouldn't want to save money and protect the environment at the same time? But one segment of the economy who don't really need to pinch the pennies is really jumping on the bandwagon, too: celebrities.Not that long ago, Oscar nominees showed up to the awards ceremony in the biggest, most ostentatious vehicles possible. I guess showing up in the SS Destroy the Environment gave them a sense of power, or something. But today, the trend is definitely toward fuel efficient vehicles, both as an everyday vehicle and for splashy events such as the Oscars.Train travel, which has always been strong in Europe, is on the rise. New lines and more high speed trains are added every year. One hopes that this trend will soon cross over to this side of the Atlantic. |
| Best In Show Ch. K - Back's Me In First By: Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:19 am) [edit] |
Image from winnielovesusVisit SwanktrendzThe Westminster Dog Show wrapped up in New York City on February 12 with the Best in show being awarded to a Beagle affectionately known as Uno (registered name: Ch. K - Back's Me In First) . Uno beat out 2627 entries from 7 different countries to win this most coveted prize of the year - dog years, I guess that would be.Seats to this popular event go for $60 a pop; not only cam you see plenty of pups, but lots of celebs. who are dog owners and dog lovers drop in.Apparently Jim Rome was fussing and fuming on a recent radio show about the infamous Patti Hearst being part of the show - turns out she's an owner of one of the entrants. Jim was having a hard time seeing how Patti could make the leap from being an armour robber to being a dog owner. People do change as they age, Jim...
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| Psychedlic Cop... the worst grossing movie of all time By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:17 am) [edit] |
 Visit SwanktrendzIt's Oscar time, and oddly enough, I just came across a review of a movie that usually would never be mentioned in the same breath as any Academy Award-winning film.That movie is Psychedelic Cop, which holds the dubious distinction of being the worst grossing movie of all time. It attracted fewer than ten viewers and grossed $42 US (RM 159) after a one week run.This 2002 Hong Kong film is based on an undercover cop who learns that he is schizophrenic.It did slightly better in its video release - but not much.
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| Red Carpet Festival Fifth Avenue Cinemas By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:15 am) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzWell, the Writers' Strike is over, so that means the Academy Awards are a go for this year.If you can't make it down to Hollywood to see the spectacle, try going to the Fifth Avenue Cinemas in Vancouver.This year they kick off their Oscar week with a showing of Juno on February 14 - director Jason Reitman will be in attendance. Then from the 18th to the 22nd of February, 7 p.m. showings of Juno (Monday), There Will Be Blood (Tuesday), No Country for Old Men (Wednesday), Michael Clayton (Thursday) , and Atonement (Friday) can be viewed using a package deal - all for just $40! Image for Michael Clayton from theithacan.org
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| The Writers' Strike is Over! By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:14 am) [edit] |
Image from theithacan.org Visit SwanktrendzFinally, after three long months, the Hollywood Writers' Strike has been resolved. In an close to unanimous decision, the 3500 strong members voted in favour of ended the strike yesterday. What does this mean to them? Writers can now expect a $1200 flat fee for shows that are streamed on the internet within the deal's first two years, a 2% take of the distributor's gross by year three, and higher residuals for downloaded movies and TV programs.What does this mean for us? Well, the Academy Awards are a go, so expect to see that on the telly later this month. Shows like 24 and Lost, however, will not return until the fall.
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| Top Ten Albums ... or, at least, the top four good ones... By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:13 am) [edit] |
Image from dimitrym.blogspot.comVisit SwanktrendzI usually don't agree with those Top Ten lists that are put out, because, for the most part, the choices are too mainstream, banal, mundane... You get the idea.But I just happened to click on the Top Ten list of albums for this week on inDiscover on MSN. Turns out the #1 album is the one I currently have in my player: Radiohead, In Rainbows. #2? My top movie pick for 2006, Juno - or rather, the soundtrack of Juno.#3? None other than the Canadian (and Grammy-snubbed) singer, Feist, for her album The Reminder. One more notable pick - #9 - fellow Canadian Michael Buble
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| Jason Reitman at the Fifth Avenue Cinema February 14 By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:09 am) [edit] |
Image from USA TodayVisit SwanktrendzLooking for something to do with your loved one on February 14? How about throwing in a little teen pregnancy that night to spice things up?That's right, on February 14, you can go to the Fifth Avenue Cinema for a special viewing of Academy Award nominated film Juno. At 7 p.m., the film's Academy Award nominated director, Jason Reitman, will be appearing for a Q and A.Look up Festival Cinemas on line to buy your tickets in advance - you don't want to be disappointed!
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| The Who New Album in the works By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:05 am) [edit] |
 Image from wikimedia.orgVisit SwanktrendzI met The Who way back way - or, at least, I met Roger Daltry. So I've really liked The Who ever since - and there's no denying that they done some great songs in their time.Well, it sounds as if they have a new album in the works, and they're wanting to enlist the help of producer T. Bone Burnett, who also happens to be a personal friend of Daltry.Stay tuned for more updates.
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| The Kite Runner "There is a way to be good again." By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:03 am) [edit] |
Image from moviewebVisit SwanktrendzOne of the books that made its way into our house over Christmas this year was The Kite Runner (2003) by Khaled Hosseini.The Kite Runner is a story of personal betrayal and redemption; it's also a story that traces the history of Afghanistan from the forward-looking 1970s through the Soviet invasions to the Taliban. I loved The Kite Runner (even though I don't usually like politically-themed books). I would definitely put it on my 'top books' list. And I would be in pretty good company: the book was the 3rd best seller in the U.S. in 2005, was the #1 book choice for reading groups in the world in 2006, and was turned into a movie in 2007. Said movie is now Oscar nominated - stay tuned to hear the outcome of that one.One thing that I always wonder with books like this is, how autobiographical is it? First time author Hosseini is a native of Afghanistan who immigrated to California in the 1980s, as did the main character, Amir. Hosseini was a child of privilege (the son of a diplomat), as was the main character, Amir (the son of a wealthy businessman). Amir enrolled in college and became a writer; Hossein enrolled in college, became a doctor, and wrote his first novel while an intern.Beyond that, who knows? I'm sure a lot of what he saw, experienced or heard from other people from his homeland was used in the book. But from what I understand, his family left Afghanistan in the mid 1970s and settled in Paris; they missed the upheaval of the Soviet invasion and subsequent retreat to Pakistan that many other Afgahnis experienced.One criticism of the book that I have read is in the 'convenience' of the antagonist's continued reappearance at key times in the book. Highly unlikely in real life, especially in a war-torn, chaos-ridden country - but it sure makes for a good story!Hosseini's 2nd novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, which is written from a female perspective (almost all the characters in The Kite Runner are male), was released in 2007.If you want to find out more about the author, you can visit his blog here. He supports numerous charities that help people in Afghanistan, including visit his blog at, and visit this site here., a charity that is building libraries throughout Afghanistan.
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| Olympic Countdown is well Under Way By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.16.08 (3:02 am) [edit] |
 Visit SwanktrendzTomorrow is February 12, 2008, and that is a very significant date in the lives of all people who have the winter Olympics near and dear to them: it is exactly two years from that date that the next winter Olympics kicks off at Whistler.Whistler is the biggest ski resort in North America, and as such, only 5% of the runs will need to be closed for the Olympic Games; the rest of the resort will be open to the public, as usual.Weather patterns for the last three years look promising, and all of the venues needed for the Olympics have completed construction.
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| Top Ten Rock Acts of All Time By: Shane Christensen |
| 02.16.08 (2:53 am) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzI think it's only fitting to continue my top 10 lists with my choices for the top ten rock acts of all time. This list will again be populated with groups or individuals that meet certain criteria that separates greatness from everything else that follows.And in my opinion, the trailblazers who had the massive initial influence on this genre, should be both respected and noted for that. Because of this, the list includes acts from the '50s, '60s, and '70s, that in some cases tend to be forgotten for exactly how much weight they actually possessed when they were still “relevant”. I say that with tongue planted firmly in cheek as I believe they are and will remain relevant forever because of their accomplishments, influences, and immense talents.So what makes an artist truly extraordinary so that they should be considered the best of all time?1.) Their talent initiated or changed the musical direction of the day.2.) Their popularity was truly phenomenal3.) They are still looked upon with reverence by today’s fans/critics4.) Their success had staying power and could not be characterized as the flavour of the monthMy choices for the top ten rock acts of all time are as follows:1.) The Beatles  No surprise here, and if there is then I would question your age and if you have ever sincerely listened to rock music. The Beatles' success was extraordinary to the extent that they influenced generations, even after they were long gone. Many books and even movies exist that tell the amazing Beatles story, so I won't try to do it here. But I will suggest that if you want to read the real story, start with the Beatles Anthology, as it’s written by the surviving three together, so you're guaranteed to get substance over sensationalism. Also, the movie Backbeat is my favourite rock movie of all time, and is worth viewing if you’re interested in this band's humble beginnings.2.) Elvis This was a tough one, but I have to go with influence here, and no single artist was as influential to rock music as this man. Sure, it can be argued that Chuck Berry WAS rock 'n'roll, and definitely more talented as a songwriter and musician. But the truth is that his success was not comparable to Presley’s, and that only the Beatles themselves would reach and surpass that level of total domination of the rock genre of the day. There is a very real reason that he is still referred to as the King of Rock, even many decades after his unfortunate passing.3.) Led Zeppelin This band was never loved by the rock critics as they borrowed (stole?) heavily from the old blues cats, and committed the unforgivable sin of being prickish enough not to give them their due credit and cash. But Zeppelin was undeniably the most successful and influential hard rock act of all time. They are the only band that I would dare to even put on the same level as the Beatles, and all you have to do is look at their success from '69 to'71 when they released four classic albums that even crossed musical genres in many cases. And instead of losing a fan base, they just kept getting bigger and bigger until they too reached that level of success that separated them from the rest of the crop. I’ve always maintained that Jimmy Page is the most underrated and under-appreciated individual in the history of rock, as he excelled at every facet of performing, including his extraordinary songwriting and production skills, to playing guitar as well as any of his peers. About the only thing he couldn’t do was sing, but we’ll forgive him for that as he’d done enough already. And besides, who needs to sing when you’ve got a guy named Robert Plant in your band.4.) Chuck Berry All you have to do is watch the film Hail! Hail! Rock n Roll to truly appreciate the influence of this gentleman on the rock genre. Berry influenced absolutely everybody including the Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, AC/DC, George Thorogood, and I’m sure I could easily write another dozen names if I gave it a second or two of thought. And the reality is that this guy got screwed by the system because of his skin colour, and both his career and personal life suffered terribly because of it.And it’s sad because he was a consummate artist as he wrote and sang his own songs, played guitar like no one else, and even did that cool little duckwalk that he’s still known for. In a perfect world, he would have been known as the King of Rock instead of Presley, but the reality is that he was a victim of both the times he lived and his own anti-establishment anger and rebelliousness that ensured career suicide and even incarceration for doing what all the other rock stars of the day were doing. Yes friends, life is not fair, and Berry is living proof of that.5.) The Rolling Stones This is another one of those acts that require no introduction or explanation, and are one of the rare bands that gave the Beatles a bit of competition in any real sense. They would come into their own during their glory years in the late sixties and early seventies after the other “lads” had self-destructed, producing a few all-time classic albums that propelled them to mythic proportions. Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile On Main Street were recorded during a period of great personal instability but exceptional creative drive as the band was facing financial ruin, exile from England, and possible incarceration for Keith. I’ve always said that the Stones were a great singles band, and they're written some of the greatest songs of all-time, ranging from Satisfaction to Midnight Rambler, and many quality tracks in between. They are also one of the most influential acts in the rock genre for both their musical and personal exploits that include everything Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and Guns N Roses did or ever thought about doing while on tour, but that the Stones did first. They were the true originals, with help from the Who in many respects, for mayhem on the road.6.) Neil Young The man I consider our country’s greatest natural resource still maintains his relevance today and has undeniably joined the legions of rock royalty, usually reserved for those acts that have long passed. His staying power and diversity is amazing, and he possesses the exceptional talent of being able to write both incredible music AND lyrics that rival Dylan’s. A good friend of mine recently attended one of Neil’s Massey Hall shows in Toronto and said that Young is still one of the greatest artists he has ever had the pleasure to watch, and my bud Murray has seen EVERYBODY including Zeppelin, U2, and the Stones. As I’ve said many times before, Neil has made all Canadians proud, and continues to do so.7.) Pink Floyd In my mind, Floyd was probably neck and neck with Zeppelin for different stretches in the ‘70s, and that’s saying a lot. The album Dark Side of the Moon was as big an accomplishment as any band has ever achieved, and it was followed by Wish You Were Here which is an amazing album itself. While Animals never garnered the commercial or critical success of the other two, it remains a perennial favourite of hard-core Floyd fans and was followed by The Wall, which still remains one of the biggest double albums in rock history. Another act that still possesses a huge following that transcends age and nationality, as the Floyd has always been big in many non-English speaking countries such as Italy, Greece, and Germany. 8.) Eric Clapton This amazing talent has had the pleasure of playing with more music royalty than probably anyone else in existence, in no part because of his name as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. The list looks something like this: Beatles, Stones, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, the Band, Roger Waters, Phil Collins, Robbie Robertson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King. I could go on a bit longer, but you get the idea. When you get to hang with this crowd, your reputation definitely precedes you, and Mr. Clapton deserves any reputation he’s achieved as one of the true greats. He has the distinction of being inducted into the Rock'n' Roll Hall of Fame three times in all, for his work with Cream, the Yardbirds, and his solo output.9.) Bob Dylan I would not have a complete list if I did not include Robert Zimmerman. Although his commercial success doesn’t rival a lot of the others on this list, he would influence nearly all of them, especially the lads from Liverpool who changed their musical direction in ’65 because they were so blown away by Bob. The fact that he turned them onto smoking pot also had massive repercussions as that would also influence the albums Revolver and Sgt. Peppers... enormously.And let’s not lose sight of his work, as he was very successful in his own right in the early to mid-sixties, and has maintained an impressive worldwide following that is reserved for rock royalty of his stature. He is one of the finest lyricists who brought intelligence and introspection into the rock world, especially with the classics Blowin’ In The Wind and Like A Rolling Stone. Without Dylan, we might not have had a Hendrix, Springsteen, or U2, along with a whack of others that first decided to create ‘something’ because of his magic. He is as diverse a performer as one can possibly imagine, and has played with just about everybody you can think of in the world of music.10.) U2 This is the only post-sixties act that I would include in this exceptional list, but U2 is very much a product of that musical era as their musical influences included all of the preceding acts. This band out of Dublin accomplished something that normally we don’t see anymore, and that is to reach a level of success that has lasted decades instead of years, or months sometimes. They themselves would go on to influence “newer” bands such as Oasis or Coldplay, and have produced a catalogue that would be the envy of any rock act. The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby specifically rate as two great works, and the band is still going strong as their tours and albums continue to sell impressively. Bono has reached a personal level of non-musical achievement with his humanitarian effort to combat global suffering in the third world, and that is something he can be justifiably proud of in this age of 'bling'.
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| Warner’s Concert Dates as of February 14, 2008 By: Christine Albrecht |
| 02.16.08 (2:49 am) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzJUSTIN NOZUKA Image from, hisa.over-blog.comSaturday, February 16Promoter: Live NationGibson Audit. (Victoria)Monday, February 18Garibaldi Lift Co. (Whistler)Tuesday, February 19 The Plaza ClubWednesday, February 20The Blue Grotto (Kamloops)Thursday, February 21The Habitat (Kelowna) CORB LUNDTuesday, February 19Promoter: Live NationMcPherson Theatre (Victoria)Wed / Thurs, February 20/21CommodoreFriday, February 22Kelowna Community TheatreMATCHBOX TWENTY / ALANIS MORISSETTE / MUTEMATH)Sunday, March 9Promoter: Live NationGM Place JUSTICETuesday, March 25Promoter: S.W.A.KCommodoreTHE CLIKS (w/The Cult) Wednesday, March 26 Promoter: TheUnionOrpheum AGAINST ME! (w/Foo Fighters)Image from www.bmi.com  Sunday, Marcy 30Promoter: Live NationPNE ColiseumTHE BLACK KEYSSunday, April 6Promoter: Live Nation Commodore JOE JACKSON Monday, May 5Promoter: Live NationThe Chan CentrePANIC AT THE DISCO Friday, June 6Promoter: Live NationPNE Forum
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| The Glim Project is back in Vancouver |
| 02.11.08 (10:40 pm) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzThe Glim Project has a whack of touring under their belts and are back in Vancouver so write down this date on your calendar.Saturday, February 16th The Media Club (Cambie and Georgia) With: Prox Burning BordersThe Glim Project will take the stage at 9:30 p.m.Purchase your tickets in advance here. Visit The Glim Project at Myspace.image from www.ronatron.net
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| The Glim Project is back in Vancouver |
| 02.11.08 (10:31 pm) [edit] |
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Visit SwanktrendzThe Glim Project has a whack of touring under their belts and are back in Vancouver so write down this date on your calendar.Saturday, February 16th The Media Club (Cambie and Georgia) With: Prox Burning BordersThe Glim Project will take the stage at 9:30 p.m.Purchase your tickets in advance here. Visit The Glim Project at Myspace.image from www.ronatron.net
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| Macbook Air™ Advertisement Introduces Yael Naim to the World |
| 02.11.08 (10:30 pm) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzIn the past month, the Apple Computer advertisement for their new MacBook Air™ laptop computer has had people around the world asking about the infectious accompanying tune. The soundtrack for the commercial is the song New Soul by Israeli artist Yael Naim. New Soul started as a track on Naim's self-titled sophomore release on the French label Tot ou Tard. The song was released as a single in France in 2007 and, after significant radio support, it quickly rose to #1 on France's iTunes chart.The success of New Soul on France's iTunes chart caught the attention of the ad agency putting together the MacBook Air™ campaign. Since the commercial's debut in January, New Soul has risen to #1 on the U.S. iTunes Top Songs chart and #2 on Canada's iTunes Top Songs chart. The song has also led to an astounding number of album downloads in North America. Yael Naim was born in Paris, France but spent a large part of her childhood in Ramat Hacharon, a small town not far from Tel Aviv, Israel. She spent ten years in a music conservatory studying classical piano in hopes of one day and by the age of 12 (thanks to the influence of the Beatles and Joni Mitchell) helped her determine her musical directionAfter playing a charity concert in 2000, Yael Naim recorded of her debut album In A Man's Womb. In 2004, she joined multi-instrumentalist, David Donatien and they formed her present day 'group'. Her latest album, self-titled Yael Naim, was recorded in her Paris apartment and features 13 songs including New Soul, and an unpredictable cover of Britney Spears' Toxic. This album is due to be released in Canada on Tuesday, February 26, 2008.
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| Sheldon Brown By: Terry Lowe |
| 02.10.08 (7:15 am) [edit] |
 Visit SwanktrendzSheldon Brown was an American iconoclast; a builder, inventor, and innovator; a prolific writer, devoted family man, and possessor of an encyclopedic knowledge of all aspects of the bicycle. There was probably nothing he did not know, and write, about bikes, and there definitely was not anything he could not fix. His many web sites, linked together at sheldonbrown.com, are an unmatched resource of cycling knowledge, most (but by no means all) technical or historical. As he put it: As a kid, I used to gather discarded bicycle parts and put together bikes to sell for pocket money. I have been tinkering with bicycles ever since, sometimes as a business, always as a hobby. 'Tinkering' was characteristically modest. Of dozens of bikes Sheldon owned, my favourite is found here. It is an early-1970s O.T.B. ('Only The Best,' a private label assembled in Boston by a very discriminating dealer), which Sheldon modified to have 63 speeds, three gear shifts, and an extra front brake lever, which makes for lots of cables. Here’s how you get 63 speeds on a bike: start with a Sturmey-Archer 7-speed internally geared hub, add seven sprockets to the same axle, and run that with the standard three chain ring arrangement at the pedals. 7 X 3 X 3 = 63. His wife is a computer scientist, and Sheldon may well have been one of the world's first bloggers. He first put his site up in 1997, and added to it continually thereafter. It grew to be so extensive that anyone with a technical question checked there first. In cycling forums, newbie questions were usually directed there with the initials AASHTA ('As always, Sheldon has the answer'). Sheldon was diagnosed with MS in 2006, which affected his balance, and that meant he was unable to ride his bikes anymore. He enjoyed riding a recumbent trike for a while, but soon was unable to ride even that, and so zipped around on an electric scooter. He still personally answered hundreds of emails every day, happily sharing his knowledge, helping people find obscure bike parts, and so forth. He was taken by a massive heart attack on Feb 3, 2008, at the age of 63. The response has been phenomenal. Impromptu web site memorials have sprung up (locally, see sheldonbrown.blogspot.com), there have been memorial rides across North America, and the obits and eulogies are everywhere. I found this, for example, on bikeportland.org: I had the pleasure of meeting Sheldon many years ago while conducting research for Giant Bicycles. His basement headquarters was an Aladdin’s cave of obscure and hard-to-get gear, and Sheldon was a gentleman and a great host. We played a game for a couple hours with me trying to come up with really obscure components and him locating the said part. Sach’s Duopar long cage rear mech? Third row, bottom shelf on the right. French-threaded Stronglight alloy headset? Sixth row, second shelf down on the left and so on, until I ran out of ideas. I particularly remember him proudly showing us his 1910 track bike with wooden tubular rims, “for riding on dry days only,” he said. He will be greatly missed. Sheldon’s presence - even though I only ever knew him through his web sites - was so life-affirming and his joie de vivre so irrepressible that it’s hard to think of him in the past tense. My little world will never seem quite the same without him. Goodbye, Sheldon (sniff), I hope you get to fix the bikes in Heaven.
Image by wikipedia, released into public domain by subject and owner of copyright (that’d be Sheldon himself, also an avid amateur photograper). |
| Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. By Mike Gillis |
| 02.10.08 (7:11 am) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzVisit Mike's Blog  Image from londonteenagepoetryslam.com There's nothing like spending a Wednesday night at your local hole-in-the-wall watering hole, exercising (exorcising?) the old beer gland and soaking up some dirty ass rock & roll. What a delightful midweek social activity. That is unless, out of fucking nowhere, your hole-in-the-wall watering hole is hosting a Spoken Word Poetry Slam. More specifically an 'open mic' Spoken Word Poetry Slam. There's a reason people hide diaries under beds people. And that reason is shame. Teenage girls know this, why don't you? I'm as open minded as the next guy. If you wanna yodel while wearing a tampon tophat and have cocaine for breakfast every morning, that's fine with me. But I have to draw the line at Spoken Word Poetry Slams. Especially SWPS's that happen at bars. Bars are for drinking and loud music. You ruined my bar. I'm sure you think you're 'expressing yourself' or 'making an artistic statement' or 'are a cool person completely in touch with reality' but the fact of the matter is that nobody, absolutely nobody, in the world, cares about poems about other people's feelings. Arts/entertainment wise, standing on a stage reading a poem about your laminated scrapbook of melancholy is the zenith of laziness. And anyone who claims they really 'got it' or 'were totally feeling it' are only doing so hoping that you'll maybe have sex with them later. Which is also a zenith of laziness, Albeit in a completely different field. Unless you're a famous author, a science professor, a really hot chick or Batman, there's a 99.98% chance that no one will give a fuck. 'But they clapped afterwards.' Only to relieve the awkward silence. And maybe pity. Some people are nice. Not me apparently. I'd rather watch a Mime Show. 'But that mime wasn't expressing anything? He had no message, man.' Yeah, but did you see when he was trapped in that box? 'But he got out of the box?' I know! and did you see how windy it was up there? Maybe I'm being a bit of a philistine here. Maybe I shouldn't knock it until I’ve tried it. But if (IF) I ever attempted to walk through the Ring Of Fire that is spoken word, I'd at least have the sense to moxy it up a bit. An interesting story! Sunglasses! Throw a few jump kicks in there! Adjective solo!'Now you're just trying to be offensive.' Yeah, well, you're a retard. Thank you and goodnight.
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| R.O.C.K. in the A.C.C. By: Shane Christensen Concert Review of Cochrane and Mellencamp |
| 02.10.08 (12:54 am) [edit] |
Visit Swanktrendz To say I was excited about the Tom Cochrane/John Mellencamp show at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto would be a big understatement. I’ve been a huge fan of both these guys for at least twenty-five years now, and I knew that it would be one of the best concerts I would ever have the privilege of attending. To make things even more enticing, the seats I'd ordered online ended up being the best I’ve ever had for any large venue show, and I wouldn’t appreciate how good they were until we actually sat down in them and felt the adrenaline pumping. Mind you, that could have had a bit to do with the fact we even MADE it to the show in the first place, because all of Southern Ontario had been weathering a severe snow storm for at least twenty-four hours. Then we heard through a friend that a concert had been cancelled, and didn’t know until twenty minutes later it wasn’t ours. Whew! That was a close call. It wasn’t until we were walking from our parking space to the venue that I realized a few things. Number one is that I can't remember ever going to a concert during a blizzard. Two is that we can get an awful lot of snow in Toronto, and in a short period of time. And last but not least, this snow does absolutely nothing to stop people from going to major sporting and/or entertainment events because we Canadians (ahem, Central Canadians) are a very hardy and slightly strange breed of animal. And both Tom and John would mention that a number of times during the night, to the crowd's obvious delight.  Image from : tomcochrane.info/ main.php As the opening sounds of Ken Greer's pedal steel guitar eerily filled the arena, the crowd (at least those that had made it on time) stood on their feet and gave Red Rider a thunderous hometown welcome. Human Race was a perfect start to the evening, because it was one of those strange nights all around, mostly due to the terrible conditions outside. As Tom was introducing the second song, he made his comment about how hardy we were for actually showing up at all, and then the band broke into another early hit, Lunatic Fringe, which was also well received by an audience that was overwhelmingly baby boomers. The opening songs would be followed by eight more classics including his biggest hits Life Is A Highway, Big League, No Regrets, and the band's first hit, White Hot. The energy level during the playing of these crowd pleasers was phenomenal, and we had already forgotten about the mess outside. But for some strange reason, both Tom Cochrane, and later John Mellencamp, decided to have a bit of the campfire sing-a-long kind of thing, and it sucked the energy right out of the storm battered crowd that was still pouring in an hour after the show started. One of my favourite tunes from Cochrane has always been The Untouchable One, but I like to hear it the way it was originally recorded. A fast-driving Beatlesque rocker. The version he played live included Greer on pedal steel, piano, and guitar, and himself on acoustic, and it didn't do it for me as I felt it was lacking the intensity of the original version. The song Good Times followed, and it was more conducive to that type of vibe as it was an acoustic tune originally, but Tom kept it going a bit too long as he insisted on getting the entire crowd to sing the chorus for a minute or two. By the time the band starting rocking again with No Regrets, Life Is A Highway, and the amazing encore (extended rendition) of Boy Inside The Man, the whole crowd was dancing and singing; because they wanted to. They didn't have to be coaxed or prodded, and the energy level and crowd interaction was natural and sincere. Tom Cochrane and Red Rider are still a great band and live show, but if I could make a respectful suggestion as a music FAN, it would be to forget the acoustic set as all it does is deflate the crowd's enthusiasm and give us an excuse to run to the washroom and pick up a couple more beers. Yeah, yeah. I know! Drinking while doing a review! Believe me, if any of you Westerners were here for this show, you’d still be drinking you'd be so traumatized by the wintry conditions. John Mellencamp opened up his show perfectly, playing everyone's personal favourite (judging by the reaction), as the opening guitar strums of Pink Houses sent the entire crowd to its feet. Talk about a natural and sincere interaction, as the whole building resonated with the voices of thousands singing Ain’t That America. And we didn't have to be coaxed or directed to do it! All you bands and entertainers out there, take a note of that because it's not just this guy who feels that way, believe me. And I'll expand on that a bit later. Johnny is a real showman who loves to joke and 'chat' with the crowd, and he frequently speckles his talks with a lot of words you can't say on television, or in the company of minors. But as I said earlier, that wouldn’t be a cause for concern here as it was by far the 'oldest' crowd I’d ever seen at any concert I've been to in my life. And even Mellencamp addressed that as he asked if any of the audience was under thirty, and a huge roar went up. I think most people misheard and thought he said over thirty, because I only spotted a handful of whipper snappers in the building and they worked the concession stands. Like Cochrane before him, Mellencamp decided that after playing his first five 'lively' tunes, he too would give the band a break and perform a three song acoustic set that had the same effect on the crowd. A lot of us went to the washroom and picked up some more ''refreshments'. Hey, I wasn't driving! Plus if I'm going to sit through a camp fire sing-a-long, I’m gonna need some alcohol, believe me. So just as I was zoning out and contemplating our treacherous journey home through the ice and the snow, the guitar intro to Rain On The Scarecrow rang out and we were all back on our feet again and reenergized as if we had fallen into a life-restoring oasis. That was followed by another band effort which (the title escapes me) was also a rocker that I'd never heard before, and then for some strange reason he went back to the acoustic format for a couple of tunes that were not well received by the crowd at all. It also didn’t help that John can get a wee bit preachy and even political at times, and his 'discussion' about the Jenna 6 incident in the Southern U.S. received an indifferent reaction from the crowd that really just showed up to rock, especially considering how hard it was to get there. We all just wanted to have some fun John, and I know most of the crowd felt that the politics could have waited for a better time and a more appropriate place. Just ask Bono and he’ll vouch for it … even your hardcore fan base can erode real quickly if you spend too much time preaching/ranting, and not enough time doing what the people paid for you to do. Sing! And the proof is in the pudding so to speak, 'cause as soon as he returned to his rockin' ways with Human Wheels, the reaction was instantaneous and profound as the whole crowd was up dancing and singing. Again! He followed that with four songs that were absolutely incredible and full of all the energy you want and expect from a guy like Mellencamp. R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A., Crumblin' Down, Jack and Diane, and the encore Authority Song had all of us dancing and singing, and sufficiently warmed up to leave the arena to march and slog our ways back to our buried cars for the treacherous drive home. And I think that in many ways the severe weather can affect your mood so that all you want to do is have some fun and rock your brains out, so that you can escape from the reality of living in a part of the country that actually experiences these severe storms. And having an early February campfire sing-a-long just doesn’t work for either the artist or the crowd they’re trying to entertain. Because in both these cases I would rate the “rock” part of the evening as absolutely perfect, and the acoustic sets as absolutely awful. And I feel terrible for saying that because I respect and admire both of these acts immensely. But I also feel that as a paying member of the audience that drove through the conditions we did, the least any artist can do is give the people want they want. And it was clearly obvious that the crowd at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday, February 6 just wanted to R.O.C.K. in the A.C.C. If I was to rate both acts, I would give them a five out of five for the rock sets, and a one out of 5 for the acoustic sets that only served to deflate an otherwise energetic and entertaining set list. And that’s too bad, because they’re both extremely talented entertainers that should be experienced enough to know what works and what doesn’t. Besides, if I want to spend my time drinking and using the washrooms at the ACC, I'll just go to a hockey game where that's about the most excitement you can possibly get lately. Ouch!!!  Photo from Starpulse.com
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| Augusten Burroughs' Possible Side Effects By Lezah Williamson |
| 02.10.08 (12:47 am) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzPurchase this book for as low as $7.37 I've been on an Augusten Burroughs kick lately. I had read Dry a couple of years ago, and really liked it, but it wasn't until this Christmas that I finally got my hands on his better known work, Running With Scissors. While Running With Scissors grew on me as I read, I preferred Dry. I ended up seeing the film version of Running With Scissors this weekend, and it did not live up to the book, in spite of an all-star cast. The one book, however, that has been languishing on my night stand since Christmas, is Possible Side Effects, a collection of short stories by Burroughs. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of short stories to begin with, and the book did nothing to change that notion. Sadly, I read a few stories and put it down, only to forget about it. This weekend, however, I finally made it through my Christmas reading and ran out of things I wanted to read. So Possible Side Effects was next on my list.Well, for the first half of the book it was more of the same, short stories of such varying quality that it made me question whether they'd actually have been published if Burroughs wasn't so much the flavour of the moment.But then I came across one short story called Locked Out that made the book worthwhile. Burroughs outlines an incident in which he locks himself out of his apartment. This is at a time when he is about 30 years of age, is still working in advertising, and has fallen off the wagon after a stint in rehab. His apartment is a mess, of the 'call the Hazmat team' variety. He is sobered up, literally and figuratively, when the locksmith gains access to his apartment and sees the squalor in which he lives.Burroughs sits down and starts to write. In seven days, he not only dries himself out, but he writes the first draft of his novel, Sellevision. A writer is born.Image from z.about.com/d/movies
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| The Greatest Song of All Time By Shane Christensen |
| 02.10.08 (12:44 am) [edit] |
Visit Swanktrendz  Recently I had compiled lists of my top ten rock albums and Canadian rock albums of all time, and had the thought of doing the same for the top songs of all time. This could appear to be an almost impossible task given the multitude of great work that has been produced throughout the rock era, and what made it harder for me was that my favourite song of all time is not even in the rock genre, but is actually a classical piece that most of us have heard in various films or television shows, ranging from Platoon to the Simpsons. The life of the composer of the movement Adagio For Strings is just as incredible as the composition for which he is most famously known. For one, Samuel Barber might be described as a child musical prodigy since he had completed his first composition by the age of seven, and attempted to write his first opera when he was only ten years old. The young lad was worried about the effects of this obvious musical destiny on his beloved mother, and implored her in a letter not to worry, and don’t ask me to forget this unpleasant thing and go play football. One can only imagine how proud and touched she would have been to hear the absolute beauty of her son's creative genius years down the road. By the time he was in his late teens, he had already won an award from Columbia University for his Violin Sonata, so obviously this young man had truly exceptional musical talents. It was around this time that Samuel met Italian composer Gian Carlo Menotti at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of music, and the two men forged a musical and personal relationship that spanned over forty years, with their most notable musical collaborative work being the operas Vanessa and Antony and Cleopatra, although the latter work was one of his rare 'failures' as the opera was universally panned, although musically it was known as some of his finest work. He composed Adagio For Strings when he was 28, and there's a story regarding the composition that I found interesting, and which speaks volumes about the song's incredible effect on the listener. Barber had sent Adagio to the noted Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini, who subsequently sent it back to him without commenting on the piece. Although this was interpreted as a slight and annoyed Barber immensely, in reality Toscanini was so impressed with the work that he memorized the entire piece and did not have to look at the written music until the day before he premiered it with the NBC Symphony Orchestra for a radio broadcast on November 5, 1938. This version is so impressive that it was selected for permanent preservation in the Library Of Congress's National Recording Registry in 2005. This composition, which has been described as both simple and beautiful by notables such as Toscanini, evokes a response from listeners that most works from any musical genre seldom achieve. It's no surprise that it was chosen to be played live at a ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City to commemorate the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as there is no other song in existence that stirs the emotional senses in the way this masterpiece does. Incidentally, it was voted the saddest classical piece ever by the listeners of the BBC's Today programme and has been one of the top selling classical downloads on iTunes. It has been included in at least eight Hollywood films including Lorenzo’s Oil, The Elephant Man, and the earlier mentioned Platoon, and is used recurrently on the Simpsons, which guarantees that a whole new generation will be exposed to this extraordinary musical work. As a lifelong lover of music, I hold a deep reverence for those artists that have been blessed with the ability to create the extraordinary, and there is no doubt that Samuel Barber achieved this with his splendid composition Adagio For Strings, my choice for the greatest 'song' of all time.
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| Seether and Three Days Grace at the Commodore: C. Albrecht |
| 02.07.08 (2:33 am) [edit] |
Seether and Three Days Grace at the CommodoreVancouver February 1, 2008 Sold OutAll Photos taken by: Kristen Kyd for SwanktrendzThanks to Lisa and Jared from Wind Up Records, Swanktrendz was couriered tickets for Vancouver's sold-out Econoline Crush, Seether and Three Days Grace show on February 1st.I arrived at the Commodore Ballroom just after Econoline Crush's set ended. (Sorry E.C. this was not a planned boycott, but an overlooked time schedule made by yours truly...)The Commodore Ballroom's venue was promptly sold-out and thus, jam-packed. (The venue was sold-out for both Feb 1st & Feb 2nd.) As for the crowd.... well, they were an article in itself.  Crowd Observances: the ratio of male to female was 3:1 (which generally bodes well for bands' staying power as Lezah and I have observed.) This crowd was definitely your beer-swigging, jeans and a t-shirt (no stylin' punks here) manly-men. However, it was these men's unabashed appreciation for the performers that grabbed my attention.I have attended hundreds of concerts. Prior to writing, I generally look for something out of the ordinary before tackling my review (to give it a more personal approach). For this concert, the out-of-the-ordinary observation was handed to me on a platter.I have never (emphasis on never) seen an audience so appreciative of, and vocally involved with, as I did with Seether's’ and Three Days Grace’s audience.This audience sang along, loudly - albeit not badly - to all of the songs up until the last dying chords of Three Days Grace's set. The audience sang loud (and clear enough that both Shaun from Seether, and Adam from 3DG, often didn't have to sing entire verses during their songs.)It was incredible, and I felt I was privy to a male-bonding workshop (anticipating the group to break out in Kumbayah at any given moment.) In watching how uninhibited these fellows were while belting out lyrics, it was obvious that the fans had connected with the bands, and their lyrics, on a more meaningful level. The songs meant something in the audiences singers' lives.Perhaps it was the intimate environment of The Commodore that allowed the fans to fervently get caught up in the music? I wish another concert go'er would step forward and confirm my observations, as I am beginning to question what I saw.When Seether stepped onto the stage, Shaun Morgan’s voice sounded clear and controlled. Earlier, I had been listening to Vancouver’s radio station, The Fox and Shaun Morgan was a guest, singing an acoustic selection. After noting how good his voice sounded on radio, I was relieved to discover it sounded twice as good, live.As I have mentioned before, I am a lyricist and anyone who write lyrics like: Before you hedge those bets you placed against me Be reticent of fortunes they foretell Your verbal defecation I can't wash away despite myself Your vanity, it seems, has served you welldeserves our appreciation. Perhaps the sombreness of Shaun Morgan’s lyrics explain Shaun as a performer.Tried (with difficulty) to get a picture of drummer, John Humphrey after giving of his time when interviewed by Shane Christensen of Swanktrendz  As a frontman, Shaun appears embarrassed almost apologetic within his starring role. He is obviously comfortable enough to write and arrange the music; just not to deliver it. I haven’t any idea as to the size of Shaun’s performer’s ego, but after watching him perform, I’d venture out onto a quasi psychological limb and state he doesn't believe he's deserving of the crowd's adoration.Also, Shaun is as stingy with his smiles as Kurt Cobain was back in the day. The tortured/ artist persona was making me feel uncomfortable and I am sure both I and Shaun relaxed when Shaun invited Barry and Adam from Threes Days Grace to accompany him singing Broken.  When Seether concluded their set, I was reminded of the entire Peal Jam and Nirvana Seattle vibe. Seether would have been right at home in 1992. Nonetheless, Seether gave us a terrific, yet physically subdued set.Three Days Grace bounded onto the stage, full of energy and humour, and the 'Kumbayah Crowd' eagerly picked up their singing pace. 3DG launched into hit after hit, working the fans into frenzied ecstasy.  Between the audience vocal participation, the endless spring bouncing/pogo'ing on the Commodore’s renowned dance floor, and beer being spilled on us left and right, Kristen Kyd (my ever' alert photographer) and I left bouncing, laughing, singing and reeking of beer into the night. We left hot, sweaty and content - it felt as though this had been a private performance given at a local basement party. Great concert.
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| ISC Announces 2007 Finalists By Christine Albrecht |
| 02.07.08 (2:29 am) [edit] |
 The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is announcing its 2007 finalists. The competition received over 15,000 entries from 100 countries worldwide.Click here to see/hear the complete list of ISC finalists.From February 4 to February 29, 2008, members of the public can take part in the People's Voice - an online voting contest that allows them to listen to and vote for their favorite ISC finalist. The winner of the People's Voice is, in addition to, and completely separate from, the regular winners who will be selected by the ISC judging panel. People's Voice is judged solely by public vote.Remember, you may visit the site, listen to the songs, and cast your vote daily.ISC is now accepting entries for the 2008 competition. Check out 2008's details.
Be aware that there is an Entry Fee. for this competition. In the meantime, all 2007 finalists' songs have been sent to the ISC judges who will select the winners (other than the People's Voice winner which is selected by you). All winners will be announced in April, 2008, as soon as the results are in. Stay tuned... Visit Swanktrendz
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| Top Five Footwear Designs By Lisa |
| 02.07.08 (2:26 am) [edit] |
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Are you a closet horiculturalist? All garden confessionals go to: Many women are in love with their shoes, and I'm no exception. With a collection of 300+ at last count, finding the perfect pair of shoes is a borderline obsession for me. Shoes are the ultimate accessory. A woman may be able to leave the house with just a credit card in her pocket, but she almost never makes a run to the store without her shoes. But what determines whether I'm going to wear my patent leather pumps or my open toed sandals? The truth is, a handful of trendmakers and legendary shoemakers influence most people's decisions. Here are my top five picks for shoe legend-makers. Sarah Jessica Parker -  Although she has never made a pair of shoes (to the best of my knowledge), she has had more influence on shoes' popularity than anyone else in recent memory. Although Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin made the shoes, Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie, in Sex and the City made them famous. These shoe designers were popular among stars before the show, but their shoes soon became part of the average woman’s vocabulary because of this show.  David Evins - If there is a shoe hall of fame, David Evins has a whole wing of the hall to himself. Evins has been called the inventor of the pump. For that alone, he's got a guaranteed spot on my list.Terry de Havilland - Terry de Havilland makes some of the wildest, most impossible shoes ever seen. Some of these include impossibly tall platforms, and shoes that have tripped models on the runway. But despite this somewhat sadistic description, he's one of today’s most interesting designers. I had the luck to see him in a store several years ago, while visiting London, but I didn't have the courage to speak to him. I think I would have been less nervous about seeing the Queen! (After all, I've never lusted after any of Her Majesty's hats, but I'd kill for one pair of Terry de Havilland's shoes.) Salvatore Ferragamo - Ferragamo is one of the best designers ever. One well known story about him is that he noticed that women would buy his shoes, but complain about how much they hurt.  In order to make his shoe designs more comfortable, he actually studied anatomy. For all the women who have ever worn an uncomfortable pair of shoes, this is definitely an appreciated development.  United Nude - United Nude is my own personal favourite shoe store. Their designs are unlike anything else available. The shoes were co-designed by an architect and shoemaker, and the designs have a very architectural nature. With shoes that appear to float in mid-air and some which wrap around themselves, United Nude offers unique shoes that will definitely influence the future of footwear. Of all the pairs of shoes in my closet, these are the most treasured. Visit Lisa’s Fashion Blog Here
Sources for images:
Sarah JP: viewimages.com
david evins shoeworld.com/
Terry DeHavilland shoewawa.com
salvator Ferragamo shuzsociety.com
United Nude phutwear.co.uk/ Visit Lisa’s Fashion Blog Here
Sources for images:
Sarah JP: viewimages.com
david evins shoeworld.com/
Terry DeHavilland shoewawa.com
salvator Ferragamo shuzsociety.com
United Nude phutwear.co.uk/
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| Sugar N' Spice By: Lexidiem |
| 02.07.08 (2:22 am) [edit] |
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Onslaught
Do you remember that old rhyme that summed up the difference between the sexes? It went something like this:What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice, And everything nice, That's what little girls are made of. What are little boys made of? Snips and snails, And puppy dog tails, That's what little boys are made of.It was cute, back in preschool days, and it was said to help help youngsters understand that there was a difference between boys and girls, a fact that we would have all found out by ourselves as we matured... with or without the rhyme. Was thinking about this a couple of weeks ago when I heard a well-meaning grandmother repeating it to some young children. Then I found this riveting photo posted by none other than MiseryXchord, an image so powerful that it made me stop and reflect on something that any reader of my pages here knows :  MiseryXchord: that's what little girls are made of... There's a powerful message in Misery's photo, and one that should be seen by every under-30 female on the 'Net. And please do click on the link above and see the message and the link that she posted there under the photo. And from this male's perspective, skinny is not sexy... period. The female form is one of the distinguishing marks between the sexes, the basic differentiation between the male and female of the human species. Women need a backside, the curve of the hips, real breasts... and I'm not talking about silicone-because-the-boyf riend-demanded-it, either. The truly feminine body comes in all sizes and shapes, and each can be appreciated for it's own merits, and not because a medium-boned young woman can starve herself down to a size-0.Pardon my rant, but it's an issue that I've personally waded into before. See the video entitled Daughters, which was posted in conjunction with the award winning Evolution video, and the newest Onslaught video, which was picked as a Buzznet Featured Video on 10/6/2007. These were all part of the Real Beauty Campaign promoted by the Dove beauty products company. One of the promos for their videos noted: “Only 2 % of women feel comfortable describing themselves as beautiful.” and “Things won't change until we change them.”Said it then and I'll repeat it again: It's about time that we changed our narrow contemporary definition of beauty and encourage women and girls to build stronger self-esteem, to build a better explanation of beauty and positive self-image among women and girls of all ages, shapes and ethnic backgrounds. We need to stop teaching women of all ages to emulate that ridiculous Barbie-doll look, and that Star magazine (founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1974) does not define beauty. Misery, you hit the nail on the head with this most compelling image...http://lexidiem.buzznet.com/user/" title="http://lexidiem.buzznet.com/user/" target="_blank"http://lexidiem.buzznet.com/u...
Visit Lexidiem
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| Jeffrey Eugenides' MIDDLESEX Review by: Janessa Lowrey |
| 02.02.08 (11:10 am) [edit] |
I just finished a relatively long read (500+ pages) of a book which was both intermittently satisfying and consistently humorous.Jeffrey Eugenides' (author of The Virgin Suicides) Middlesex is more a character study of a Greek family's immigration to, and coping with, a new and unfamiliar world than an exploration of hermaphroditism, to which the title refers.The first half of the book is written with a 20/20 hindsight narrative as main character, Calliope Helen Stephanides, (later known as Cal or Callie) explores his family's vulnerabilities as Greek immigrants to The Depression's Detroit City, as well as his family's genetic contribution towards Cal's present chromosomal anomaly.By the time the reader is introduced to Cal, several facts are apparent: Cal Stephanides was born and raised a girl, but is actually (in genetic and chromosomal terms) a boy; Cal surmises his genetic 'middlesex' was a result of his grandfather, Lefty, marrying his sister, Desdemona. Lefty and Desdemona's son, Miltiades, later pursues his cousin, Tessie, unaware of his parents' sibling connection. This mingled family/romantic involvement culminates in Tessie's delivery of Cal - a child with a rare genetic anomaly called 5-alpha-reductase deficiency syndrome. Cal notes that things become even more confusing when the titles of Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle and cousin are interchanged.Eugenides' weaves Cal's childhood recollections through various developmental stages, supplementing young Cal's memories with adult Cal's interpretations (some factual and some surmised). By not introducing Cal as the main character until later in the book, Eugenides' is able to provide historical events which serve as catalysts for the Staphanides' collective decisions. Details of the Greco-Turkish War, the Burning of Smyrna, the Industrial Revolution, Prohibition, The Great Depression, and life in Detroit during its race riots provide the reader with further insight into Cal's family's dynamics. A family searching for a familiar setting, within a world that can no longer be defined nor contained, much like Cal's sexuality.In the latter half of the novel, we follow Cal through his discovery of his hermaphrodite condition and his gradual awareness of society's/ science's attempts to pigeonhole him into a gender specific category. After being told 'she' will never have a menses nor be able to have children, Cal declines committing to one sex via gender-reassignment surgery and chooses to run away at 14 and meet life head on as a person of 'Middlesex.' (Cal is a strong proponent of free choice, choosing to live as he was born.)Downsides to Middlesex are the improbability or lack of explanation of certain characters or events. Cal's brother, 'Chapter Eleven', is not examined thoroughly nor is Desdemona's unbelievable interaction with the Nation of Islam's founder. As well, the author is more convincing when he is describing Cal's family rather than Cal himself. Considering Cal has had both male and female experiences, I would have expected his character to be more worldly, but instead Cal remains somewhat dull and one dimensional.Primarily, this is a book on immigration (specifically, Greek immigration) and assimilation, rather than hermaphrodite issues. It's a story of trying to 'fit in' during the awkward '70s - a time still reeling from the sexual revolution of the '60s - yet still not reaching the era of self discovery and examination. Middlesex could ideally be broken into two novels. Regrettably, only the first half (mini novel 1) consistently rewards the readers' interest.
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| Whistler B.C. By: Lezah Williamson |
| 02.02.08 (9:48 am) [edit] |
Visit SwanktrendzImage from www.rockiesguide.com Whistler, BC - the place to see and be seen, and ski and be skiin' (sorry for that horrible pun - I couldn't resist!).Anyway, I was up at Whistler on the weekend and had a great time. I hadn't been skiing for a couple of years, but was glad that I chose Whistler.If you love skiing, Whistler is the place to go. It has, in the past, hosted World Cup skiing events, and in 2010 will be the site of the Winter Olympics.You can drive right into the village, or take a train from downtown Vancouver - all in less than two hours. The scenery on the way up in breathtaking, and once you get there, the village itself is world class. There are great hotels and restaurants, and lots of shopping.In 1992, Snow Country magazine voted Whistler as the #1 resort on the continent. Ever since, celebrities have made it their fave hang out. But the skiing is why we're all there, ultimately, and here is what you get: there are two mountains that you can access directly from the village, Whistler and Blackcombe. Whistler has 16 lifts, while Blackcombe boasts 17. Both have over 100 runs, some as long as 11 km. (7 miles). It was snowing while we were there, and the forecast is for more snow. The ski season at Whistler easily lasts into March, and if you have some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket, you can go heliskiing even later in the spring.Check it out!
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| Toronto Needs a Miracle (Toronto's Year of the Gun?) By: Shane Christensen |
| 02.02.08 (9:45 am) [edit] |
Visit Swanktrendz (Image: Toronto's latest gun victim)The year 2005 is remembered as Toronto's Year of the Gun, thanks to the high number of homicides (78) and injuries that resulted from random gunfire. And as a final despicable act to rub salt in the wound of an embattled city, a beautiful young girl named Jane Creba was shot and killed while out shopping with her mom across from the Eaton's Centre on Boxing Day. That story was on the front pages of every notable newspaper across the province and was the major story on all news broadcasts for days, if not weeks. The young victim's name is a household word in Toronto and most of the country, and her face is now one of the most recognizable out of the millions who live in the Greater Toronto Area.That senseless crime brought an outpouring of shock, grief, and anger, which culminated in the media demanding that something 'had to be done'. But sadly, apart from the usual media 'routine' that follows one of these senseless acts, nothing of any substantive level IS being done. Because in the year 2007, there were actually more homicides (82) than in the 'year of the gun', and 2008 is already starting out in a similar manner as two innocent bystanders have been gunned down in the last couple of weeks.The latest victim, 47-year-old Hou Chang Mao, was an immigrant from China who had worked ridiculously long hours at minimum wage, so that he could bring his wife to Canada to join him and their son and daughter in their adopted homeland; until he was killed while stocking an orange cart at the market where he worked. He was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, as rival gang bangers opened fire at each other.The first victim of gunfire in 2008, 42-year-old John O’Keefe, died a week earlier while innocently passing a strip club on Yonge Street, which is arguably Canada's busiest thoroughfare of pedestrian and vehicular activity, and is now getting the reputation of being one of the most dangerous spots for people in Toronto. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time as gang bangers tried to take out the bouncer of the club, but missed.There are a number of other gun-related crimes that have evoked media and civic cries for something to be done. Rachel Alleyne was a 30-year-old mother of a 2-year-old boy, and she was cut down by gang bangers who crashed the housing complex where she was attending a child's backyard birthday party on a summer afternoon.Ephraim Brown was only 11 years old when he was cut down in a hauntingly similar fashion as he was atop a fence at a birthday party as gang bangers opened fire at each other in late 2007. The list could go on and on, and includes victims of all creeds and ethnicity, in a city that is known as possibly the most diverse in the entire world. The one constant is that all of these victims were in the wrong place and at the wrong time, so they needlessly lost their lives.So what is the answer to reducing this problem that plagues Toronto and other large cities across North America and even the world for that matter? In a word, MIRACLE!That's right: We need a miracle. But not the biblical miracle of old when the seas parted or hordes of locusts rained down from the sky. I'm talking about a tried and proven method of dealing with the gangs that was initiated by the Boston Police and various community agencies, and which has been so successful that it is now heralded as the Boston Miracle.This miracle was actually a multi-pronged, anti-gang initiative known as Operation Cease Fire that was launched in 1996, and worked first of all by addressing the root cause of the overall problem, which was primarily the easy availability of guns to these gangs. By aggressively tackling the supply problem by using community 'intel,' gangs could no longer arm themselves as quickly and readily as they did before the initiative. The crucial ingredient of this process is that the community, which for years was silent due to fear of reprisal, now actively worked with law enforcement to weed out the gun-runners and gang bangers who terrorized the entire community. So the bad guys no longer enjoyed the safe haven they had grown accustomed to for years and were now faced with the realization that both gang membership and any related activity had severe consequences for them.A separate but equally important phase of the initiative relied on addressing 'at risk' youth in the community, so that the police and social service agencies could 'get to them' before the gangs did, and offer them necessities and other support (education, mentoring) to show them that there were other options available than being a gang member. Many of these 'kids' came from either single or no-parent environments, and lacked a support structure of any kind. Community pastors and elders worked cohesively to fill this void to try to steer the youth in the proper direction.The end result was a 70 per cent drop in firearms-related homicides and assaults in the first two years, which leaves no doubt at all that the model used in Boston should become a worldwide means of dealing with an issue in a pro-active and preventive manner to reduce this scourge that is prevalent in many of the globe's major cities. In fact, jurisdictions as far away as Manchester, England are borrowing these same ideas and strategies as they try to wrestle their gang problems into submission, just as Boston has so impressively done.So for those who think that it's impossible to achieve any substantial headway against this modern urban dilemma, we now know that with the necessary funding, strategies, community involvement, and co-operative teamwork between various agencies, this problem can be greatly minimized so that everyday citizens can go to a birthday party and not worry about being killed. The city of Boston and its various agencies have proven this, beyond a doubt. Canada's largest city and other equally affected urban centres such as Vancouver, should follow suit and do everything in their powers to duplicate this great success and achievement.We owe this not only to the Jane Crebas and Rachel Alleynes of this world, but also to their loved ones who have to deal with their loss on a daily basis, and relive it every time another innocent is cut down in a senseless act of violence.Because whether it’s on Yonge Street in the middle of a busy shopping day, or at a neighbourhood birthday party for a young child, no one should ever have to worry about becoming another statistic in Toronto's continuing saga of 'the year of the gun'.
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| Toronto Needs a Miracle (Toronto's Year of the Gun?) By: Shane Christensen |
| 02.02.08 (9:41 am) [edit] |
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Visit Swanktrendz(Image: Toronto's latest gun victim)The year 2005 is remembered as Toronto's Year of the Gun, thanks to the high number of homicides (78) and injuries that resulted from random gunfire. And as a final despicable act to rub salt in the wound of an embattled city, a beautiful young girl named Jane Creba was shot and killed while out shopping with her mom across from the Eaton's Centre on Boxing Day. That story was on the front pages of every notable newspaper across the province and was the major story on all news broadcasts for days, if not weeks. The young victim's name is a household word in Toronto and most of the country, and her face is now one of the most recognizable out of the millions who live in the Greater Toronto Area.That senseless crime brought an outpouring of shock, grief, and anger, which culminated in the media demanding that something 'had to be done'. But sadly, apart from the usual media 'routine' that follows one of these senseless acts, nothing of any substantive level IS being done. Because in the year 2007, there were actually more homicides (82) than in the 'year of the gun', and 2008 is already starting out in a similar manner as two innocent bystanders have been gunned down in the last couple of weeks.The latest victim, 47-year-old Hou Chang Mao, was an immigrant from China who had worked ridiculously long hours at minimum wage, so that he could bring his wife to Canada to join him and their son and daughter in their adopted homeland; until he was killed while stocking an orange cart at the market where he worked. He was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, as rival gang bangers opened fire at each other.The first victim of gunfire in 2008, 42-year-old John O’Keefe, died a week earlier while innocently passing a strip club on Yonge Street, which is arguably Canada's busiest thoroughfare of pedestrian and vehicular activity, and is now getting the reputation of being one of the most dangerous spots for people in Toronto. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time as gang bangers tried to take out the bouncer of the club, but missed.There are a number of other gun-related crimes that have evoked media and civic cries for something to be done. Rachel Alleyne was a 30-year-old mother of a 2-year-old boy, and she was cut down by gang bangers who crashed the housing complex where she was attending a child's backyard birthday party on a summer afternoon.Ephraim Brown was only 11 years old when he was cut down in a hauntingly similar fashion as he was atop a fence at a birthday party as gang bangers opened fire at each other in late 2007. The list could go on and on, and includes victims of all creeds and ethnicity, in a city that is known as possibly the most diverse in the entire world. The one constant is that all of these victims were in the wrong place and at the wrong time, so they needlessly lost their lives.So what is the answer to reducing this problem that plagues Toronto and other large cities across North America and even the world for that matter? In a word, MIRACLE!That's right: We need a miracle. But not the biblical miracle of old when the seas parted or hordes of locusts rained down from the sky. I'm talking about a tried and proven method of dealing with the gangs that was initiated by the Boston Police and various community agencies, and which has been so successful that it is now heralded as the Boston Miracle.This miracle was actually |