So my week kicked off with a big bang. Literally. My BF took me to the Metallica concert on Monday. The first time I've seen them live and wow. Had to be one of the best rock concerts I've ever seen. Our seats were great! Check out some of the photos (keep in mind the quality is crap - from my camera phone).
As for their set - the first few songs were from their latest album Death Magnetic. Although I'm not familiar with those tunes - very impressive. From there, they went to a few fan favorites with Seek & Destroy and One. Then the fever-pitch rose with Enter Sandman and Unforgiven. I have to say the highlight for me was hearing the epic Master of Puppets. If there's one song that defines this band (if that's possible), I think it's MoP. It was the showstopper that brought the crowd to a frenzy.
I'll be checking-in later this week with a new rant on the environment.
Until then, here's a very clever animated short for your viewing pleasure.
With Roman Polanski back behind bars, the expression life imitating art or art imitating life seems apropos of a filmmaker that claims the spotlight for better or worse. His personal life makes for some amazing fluff. Beyond the tabloid headlines, it's hard not to rubber-neck Polanski's pictures. The classic film noir/crime story Chinatown is no exception.
Overshadowed in 1974 by The Godfather Part 2 at the Academy Awards, I think Chinatown is a film more relevant in the big picture. I'll draw a comparison if you live in Ontario and happen to follow the provincial government's progress with the Green Energy Act.
Chinatown
The film's base plot explores corporate greed, murder and incest set as a period piece in LA circa 1930s.
Ontario
The Ontario government's Green Energy Act explores corporate greed, NIMBY bashing and cuckolding set in a surreal 2009. (I had to look that up - cuckold - thinking it was some bizarre new fetish.)
Chinatown
The scoop. The folks at LA's Water Works Inc. are up to no good. Deliberately diverting fresh water back into the ocean claiming there's a drought in the city. In real time supplying water rights to the rich & famous living large in estate homes & vineyards. Add the murder of the City's chief engineer and things are not what they seem with the evidence on display.
Ontario
The scoop. Boy George & Dalton McGuilty team up and enforce wind-farm development by creating the feed-in-tariff incentive before they figure how the grid can support it leaving local municipalities wondering why there's a new giant wind-farm in their village.
Chinatown
It's a picture that takes it's time telling the story and it needs to given the lack of narrative. Normally a crutch of Hollywood fair like this. It's refreshing not to have the protagonist blabbing away during useless segues to help the ignorant. Instead the viewer works along side Jack Nicholson (JJGittes), the PI hired to unravel the clues as characters come clean.
Ontario
It's a government doing as little as possible by telling it's citizens that greenwashing is the solution to jump-start a slumping economy. Employing expensive lobby groups who gorge on expenses while spewing endless rhetoric from renewable pundits. The bill at the end of the day is footed by the tax-payer.
In the film there's a famous line delivered from the PI when asked what he was doing in Chinatown. His reply: 'As little as possible'. It's a marvel of visual style, both the film and Ontario's Green Energy Act.
For the latest on the Ontario government's progress with the Green Energy Act, check out the Q&A from the National Post.
For more on Polanski as pedophile, read Jeff's view on the famous auteur.
I offer a different opinion on Roman than Jeff does. It took some balls at the studio to hire him to helm Chinatown. Surely he had made a name for himself with Rosemary's Baby but after the brutal murder of his wife (with expecting child) he probably went insane. No doubt Romans early Hollywood experience taught him there are no rules when you have the money and the power. (E.g Then you get the women - as per Scarface). His crime, wrong as it was, pales in comparison to his childhood memory as a Polish Jew during the Nazi regime or a victim of the Mason murders.
Messed up for sure but he's a survivor on the epic scale of life.
Just found this article on Spacing about what took place in the council chambers during the session to vote for the approval of the $6 million *takes a deep breath* "Jarvis Streetscape Improvement Environmental Assessment Bloor Street East to Queen Street East" project. Although only $50k~$100k will be devoted to the conversion of one of the lanes on Jarvis Street into a dedicated bike lane, the majority of the discussion (and controversy) was devoted to this.
Long story short, it's been approved, however I can't help but notice councillor Rob Ford adding his poorly worded opinion to the discussion. I am all for honest discourse but with real arguments. Please, if you are a constituent of Rob Ford in Etobicoke, write to him and let him know acting like a petulant child will not get your needs (as well as those of the rest of Toronto) across to the council. Personally I wouldn't want to be represented by him, come next election would you?
I cannot help but think that certain councillors really enjoy bogging everything down with minor details and miss the point of these important projects. I understand that it may be a hassle for commuters but I often fear for the safety of bikers downtown. This bike lane is great news for anyone who wants to bike to work but takes one look at the traffic and changes their mind. I feel that if bikers had their own bike lane, drivers will respect their space and pedestrians don't have to worry about dodging a bike on the sidewalk (Big no-no!).
Moving on, the plans for wider sidewalks, historical plaques and other beautification methods (with lots of trees, flowers and shrubs alike I'm sure) is definitely a great move for a better neighbourhood. A city with walkable and bike-friendly streets is a safer, happier and healthier place. Have you heard of the wonderful suburb of Vauban located in Germany?
Click the image to be taken to the New York Times Article: "In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars"
This is probably one of the most sustainable suburbs currently in development (*ahem* Vaughan you should pay attention!) and a real life example of why projects like...like the one council just approved are important to all constituents, whether they walk, drive or bike. Without roads dedicated to cars, the community is safer for children, allowing them to move about and play. As a mixed-use community, retail areas are littered around the neighbourhood encouraging residents to walk or bike more to reach their destinations, a healthier option for everyone (I'm certain that North American waistlines would benefit from this). Another great benefit is how the constant din of the highway, screaming sirens and general noise pollution caused by vehicles has disappeared with the roads. Here's a quote from one of the community's residents:
“When I had a car I was always tense. I’m much happier this way,” said Heidrun Walter, a media trainer and mother of two, as she walked verdant streets where the swish of bicycles and the chatter of wandering children drown out the occasional distant motor.
Any residents that wish to own their own vehicle must purchase a parking space for $40,000 in one of the two nearby municipal garages. These garages also offer a car-sharing service for residents that wish to use an automobile but don't simply don't require a car on a day-to-day basis. I feel the requirement of purchasing a parking spot is another demonstration of the true cost of the land we devote to our vehicles.
What I would love to see in Canada (and Toronto) would be policies that restrict commercial and residential development that lack connections to public transportation. Also, changing policies concerning residential zoning to allow areas to become mixed-use spaces that are more walkable. It doesn't just make sense environmentally, it makes sense economically. How else can all those suburban home owners that have lost their jobs (many of which have been laid off from nearby manufacturing plants) pay their mortgages? Retrofitting homes to become mixed use residential and commercial spaces will benefit the local economy and perhaps even improve the safety of suburban streets. What pair of eyes are more watchful on the street than that of a street vendor or store owner? It is in their interests to be alert to the happenings of the neighborhood, as well as to respect and offer a service to their neighbors. There are so many ways we can change Toronto (and Canada for that matter) for the better. Many are not aware of it, but the suburb is going the way of the dinosaur. In the future, the North American dream of a suburban home will be a distant memory. Here is a shocking documentary called "The End of Suburbia", describing exactly why:
While I believe the views of this documentary are often somewhat extremist, I feel there are several steps we can take in order to avoid this fate. Hopefully we are not too far gone.
