I'll Have What She's Having

I couldn't resist posting this here. This movie would have something for everyone. Box office gold, I tell ya!

When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren from Billy Crystal

via Funny or Die

Mr. Government

Photo From the CBC

Tuesday evening's English debate did little to sway me: I'm still undecided on who I'm voting for, still outraged that Elizabeth May was excluded, still convinced that Harper is some kind of terminator robot sent from the future to see just how much Canadians will let one politician get away with (this one was especially not helped by the bizarre way that he avoided looking at any of his opponents and just stared directly into my soul the camera).  

I thought Layton really nailed it, handling the really low-blow from Ignatieff (the whole school-yard taunt about him forever being in opposition) gracefully; that Ignatieff is really going for record mileage with his whole Russian émigré schtick; that Harper doesn't really understand what the statement "that is simply not true" means; and to be honest I'm really frustrated that the Bloc gets a say Federally when they only represent one province. 

But, really I just felt kind of lukewarm; kind of par for the course, you know? Then I saw the above word-cloud on the CBC website of the most spoken words during the debate by the leaders and I got really, really depressed. Then I got enraged by how accurately the diagram represents Canadian politics: a bunch of old rich white dudes yelling out meaningless talking points and buzz words over one another. 

Looking at this diagram and the debate in general I can't believe how many issues, how many people are ignored.  

How long before we see a debate where one of the candidates is a person of colour? A woman? What will it take to get attention to issues outside of the realm of fear? That the gun-registry is still an on-going issue is mind-boggling. Aside from the fact that the money to put it in place has already been spent and that the upkeep is a fraction of the cost than the detractors say, despite the fact that police officers and RCMP across the country have said that it is used frequently and ignoring that long-guns are fucking weapons that should be fucking registered, the motion to dismantle has been voted down. But, no, by all means lets flog the dead horse! Yet, Aboriginal people, the first people of the country, were mentioned exactly once and only by Layton. 

Off the top of my head a few words that are missing: 

Aboriginal Rights

Women's Rights

Education

Childcare

Farmers

Fisheries

Foreign Aid

Environment

Veterans

Homeless 

Seniors

Sustainability

Pay Equity 

Canadians deserve better than this. 

Poetry Spam

Percy Shelley, you've just been out-Percy-Shelleyed

The bad news is This Recording, one of our most favouritest things on the Internet, suffers from comment spam. The good news is the spam is pure poetry, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, unapologetic poetry. What I really admire, is it's candor, it's openness, it's honesty. There is certainly a frailty, perhaps even a whiff of desperation but through that frailty is an inspirational strength. Some of my favourite comments (N.B. It is so much better if you read them out loud using a robot voice for the red parts):

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So supportive! I feel like Spam-Bot would even notice if I got my hair trimmed. I think I might be in love with Spam-Bot?

$9460 on haircuts and his hair still looks like poop (and he will eat your soul)

Update added 4/13/11 4:55 PM: And let's not forget this precious gem. Nickleback endorsed Harper. Effing Nickleback. If that's not a reason to vote for change, I honestly don't know what is.*

via artthreat

You have to watch this video, and visit ShitHarperDid.com for more. Seriously. Go. Do it now, come back to us later. We don't mind.

The Kelowna accord was a $5 billion breakthrough agreement to improve the quality of health and education for Canada's First Nation's Peoples. Harper canceled it in 2006, immediately after taking office. (via ShitHarperDid.com)

Since you came back, we thought we'd also tell you to read this compelling comic strip by just some guy. It is amazing. Come back when you're done.

Hey again, want more? Why is Stephen Harper trying to pretend to be a totally normal guy? We think Bonhomme looks more normal here than dear leader. More here.

You can also visit The Harper Government for more "hilarious" (depressing) memes here

*Other than all of the other crazy, fucked up stuff that the Harper Government has done. Like:

In the 2011 budget, the Harper government failed to allocate any new funding for drinking water on First Nations reserves. 100 First Nations communities currently have water advisories, including 49 communities which are high risk. Harper also refuses to sign the UN Declaration designating clean water as a human right. (via ShitHarperDid.com and rabble)

And:

At the 2009 G20 Harper actually said this - 'We also have no history of colonialism. So we have all of the things that many people admire about the great powers but none of the things that threaten or bother them.' (ShitHarperDid and rabble)

And:

In 2007, Harper cut $1.2 Billion in spending for the establishment of quality national childcare. However, he never kept his promise to cut the $1.4 billion in tax breaks he gives to oil companies (the wealthiest corporations in history). (ShitHarperDid and CUPE)

You get the idea...

CovEtsy: Rough Riders by Rebekah Hakkenberg

With the sunny weather Toronto had on Sunday afternoon, biking has really been on the brain. Sadly, I have been bike-less since my key snapped off in my bike lock last winter, and it will probably still be awhile before I can afford to buy a new one. It's a shame, because I really miss the freedom of riding, and walking feels so gosh darn slow now. So, in the meantime, I'm going to have to content myself with just daydreaming about all the accessories I would buy for my ride if I had one. And then a little something for post-ride.

Read more »

The Motown Files: Black Russian

You've heard of the legends: Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and The Jackson 5... but there are so many other acts that have been signed to Motown Records over the course of it's 50+ year history that deserve a listen. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of the unknown, unusual, and under appreciated recording artists of Motown.

We begin today with the first Soviet band to ever be signed to an American label, Black Russian. Their eponymous Stateside debut was released in May 1980 to much fanfare, but record sales ultimately failed to live up to the success of the band's publicity campaign. Husband and wife Serge and Natasha Kapustin, along with Natasha's brother Vladimir Schneider, had been successful musicians in the USSR, but they came to the United States hoping to escape the strict control the state held over their musical arrangements and production. In the Soviet Union, Serge had once been told to remove a particular bass line from a song because it sounded too Western, and no more than one quarter of their songs were allowed to be performed in English. 

"The Kapustins were members of Sovremennik, a state-run pop orchestra, with Natasha on vocals and piano. Serge on guitar and percussion. Vladimir produced and played piano for the Singing Hearts, which was one of Russia's hottest groups in the mid-'70s. But, as Vladimir notes, they were pumping out more agitprop than pop. "We'd sing 37 songs about how good the Communist Party is, and at the end—if we were lucky—we were allowed to play a mellow song like Killing Me Softly or Ain't No Sunshine. But never rock." (People, October 16, 1980)

"Even though Western music was condemned in Russia, we knew what was happening in the world. We listened to the Voice of America broadcasts, the major European radio stations and got records from our Western friends or bought records on the black market. I can still remember the day Jimi Hendrix died because there were black armbands all over Moscow."-Natasha

They defected in May, 1976, landing in New York City with no money or connections, taking day jobs while hoping to make it big. By 1978, they had saved enough to move out to to Hollywood, where they met Guy Costa, the head of Motown's Studio Operations, who introduced them to Berry Gordy (Motown's founder) and they were signed.

"Actually from the U.S.S.R., Black Russian is a pop trio which makes crystal-line pop/r&b that comes across as a more r&b-oriented Abba. Natasha Kapustin has an excellent soaring voice. "Leave Me Now" really gives her room to show off her vocal strength. The production is exceptionally clean with Vladimir Shneider's keyboard and the synthesizers of Serge and Natasha Kapustin lending a cushy sheen. The album is evenly divided between uptempo dance cuts and moody ballads. Best cuts: "Mystified," "Leave Me Now," "Emptiness," "New York City," "Love's Enough." -Billboard, June 14, 1980  

While their album received plenty of attention and positive critical feedback, sales were dismal. I haven't been able to find much information about what became of Black Russian after that, but Natasha Kapustin seems to have gone on to find some success on her own. She reemerged around 1984, now divorced from Serge and going by her maiden name, Natasha Shneider. It's not clear whether she was actively distancing herself from her days as Black Russian's lead vocalist, but the name change and lack of mention of her earlier career seem to suggest this was the case. Frequently using the name "Natasha Detente" she appeared in a couple of movies and even a few episodes of Miami Vice and Hill Street Blues. By 1987, Natasha was married to musician Alain Johannes, and together they formed the rock band Eleven, going on to produce, collaborate and tour with artists such as Gwen Stefani, Chris Cornell, and Queens of the Stone Age. Natasha also composed, produced and performed the theme song to 2004's Catwoman. Sadly, Natasha passed away in 2008 after battling lung cancer. A benefit concert was held after her death to offset medical costs where Jack Black, Brody Dalle, PJ Harvey, and many others performed.

C'Mon Low, Low: C'Mon

So, Alex and Rebekah (me!) are heading to Edinburgh in a coupla' weeks. That is AMAZING news. For us, obviously. And probably for the dear friends that we are going to visit. Probably. But something that is totally not amazing? I have 2 tickets to see Low. No, that's not the bad part. The really crappy part is that the show comes exactly one day after we leave Toronto for the land of the Scots. Which is something I am still really happy about, of course. But after listening to these tracks from Low's latest album, I get a little sad in a "wish I could be in two places at once" kinda way. Oh yeah, and I need to sell my tickets, so if anybody reading this is interested, leave a comment or send us an email...

Fall in Love

Source: imgfave.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

This is the Bee's Knees

Howard University flappers watching a football game via

book flaps just posted a fascinating find: an excerpt from a 1922 copy of Flapper, entitled A Flapper's Dictionary. I just love this. I want to run around telling people that they are Boob Ticklers and Crumb Gobblers. But that might not go over very well...

Some gems:

Dewdropper—Young man who does not work, and sleeps all day.
Dingle Dangler—One who insists on telephoning
Fire Extinguisher—A chaperone.
Handcuff—Engagement ring.
Lens Louise—A person given to monopolizing conversation.
Mustard Plaster—Unwelcome guy who sticks around.
Rock of Ages—Any woman over 30 years of age.
Strike Breaker—A young woman who goes with her friend’s “Steady” while there is a coolness.
Trotzky—Old lady with a moustache and chin whiskers.

Umbrella—young man any girl can borrow for the evening.

Read the whole thing here.

Sunday Songs: Julianna Barwick, mostly

Julianna Barwick is one of my favourite musicians. And kinda perfect on a rainy Sunday afternoon, dontcha think? I feel like her music is what you would hear in heaven, if heaven was populated by dolphins... or something. I'm also tacking on some Toro y Moi and Braids, just because. Anyways, enjoy your Sunday.

Free Ai WeiWei

via The All Day Everyday Project

From Al Jazeera English: 

"Ai, an outspoken government critic, has not been seen since apparently being taken into custody after he was barred from boarding a Hong Kong-bound flight at a Beijing airport on Sunday morning.

His disappearance comes as Chinese security services carry out a massive crackdown on lawyers, writers and activists following online calls for protests in China similar to those in the Middle East and North Africa. 

Dozens have recently been taken into custody with little word from authorities about where they are being held, who is holding them or the crimes that they are suspected of having committed."

Watch this video.

"Study of Perspective - White House" 

"Study of Perspective - Tiananmen Square"

As more and more dissidents disappear without a trace, China's government has told the U.S to mind their business when it comes to human rights. Meanwhile, Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo is still in prison, as are "many dozens, if not hundreds of dissidents, human rights activists and persistent protesters." (The Guardian)

Sign the petition for Ai WeiWei's release here.

Friday Fiction: Lil' Books by Alex Snider

Reasons why reading a novel consisting of no more than 150 pages is better than reading War and Peace:

1. You can read in bed and drift asleep without knocking yourself out.
2. The warm feeling that you get from starting something and seeing it through happens so much quicker.
3. You can brag to your friends that you read a book in a day and still got your laundry done.
4. A manageable number of characters.
5. Every word matters, nothing is wasted.
6. There aren't rants spanning fifty pages proclaiming the author to be a superior historian to actual historians.
7. Quantity and quality. Best of both worlds!
8. Tolstoy Wrist (think tennis elbow but smarter).

And, so, I give you a long list of short books:

Read more »

Pictures

A random collection of images culled from the last couple weeks worth of photographs. NO rhyme or reason here, just looking for an excuse to post them. Happy Friday :)

From my snowy walk at dusk.

In our living room.

Alex @ Clinton's

tulips and books, naturally

My blinding fluorescent pink toes.

A necklace I made recently. Instructions here

A blanket I'm beginning to think I'll never finish

CovEtsy by Rebekah Hakkenberg

Since so much of my time is spent browsing Etsy, finding and coveting so many amazing things each week that I can't buy, I've decided to share my top picks each week in a regular feature here on OATZ (OATZ?!?! Really?!) So without further ado, here are the top ten vintage, handmade, or repurposed items that caught my eye this week.

Read more »

Tuesday Afternoon at the Library, and Then Beer, Obviously

Alex and I braved the strong winds and took a walk over to the Bloor-Gladstone Library today. I had to return my books and Alex needed to find a book on Nabokov (big surprise). They did such a fantastic job on the renovation, it's so bright and spacious. After the library, we took a stroll along Bloor St., where I finally got the opportunity to snap a couple of pictures of my boyfriend! Doesn't he look dashing in his red jumpsuit? We also stopped for a bite to eat at Clinton's on the way back, where we quenched our thirst and watched a bit of Dog, The Bounty Hunter before heading home.