Sunday, October 16, 2011

Occupy Montréal: Why?


Over a thousand people gathered in Victoria Square, the center
of Montreal's financial district, to "Occupy Montréal"
 The Occupy Movement has drawn disparate campaigners for a variety of  causes together. This has caused many to accuse the movement of being directionless or un-serious. In reality the people occupying Wall Street, London and other financial centers around the globe see these institutions as being the source of many global problems. While the previous global recession can immediately be linked to financial and political mismanagement of the economy, protestors also see how environmental concerns, the plight of aboriginal peoples, military actions, the stagnation of middle class incomes, the growth of impoverished underclasses in even the wealthiest nations and the continued success of dictators are all tied to a financial elite that holds undue influence over governments, democratic or not, whether international, national, regional or local.
The interests of a few include the senior executives
of major media and diversified corporations.

In Canada, stricter banking regulations protected our economy from the financial mismanagement that wounded much of the world's economy. However, the current government had advocated removing those restrictions, prior to the recession. Moreover, incomes have stagnated in Canada for more than a generation, although Canadian workers productivity has shown massive gains. Like people around the world, Canadian citizens have to work more and more to earn the same income, and this in an era of massive increase of corporate profit and GDP growth. Coupling this with environmental exploitation, this isn't seen as business development, but as a return a sort of technocratic feudalism. So many Canadians see these protests as the last, best hope for maintaining political and economic justice here and around the world.

Few believe that solutions to balancing human needs, environmental limitations and a sustainable economy will be simple, but all see this elite as being responsive only to its own narrow and short-sighted interests. Even those who consider themselves capitalists do not recognise this as anything but a kleptocracy. A kleptocracy that relies on the political class of various countries to act as partners or shills for policy that benefits the 1% to the detriment of the other 99%.

Certainly, you can find funny hats, and protestors that can only ramble incoherently. But these are a sliver of those that see the far reaching ramifications of a global class that plays Monopoly with the wealth produced by an increasingly disenfranchised majority. And unfortunately some believe that by allying themselves with the "1%" they will be allowed to join it. Yet their loyalty is exploited- we only have to look toward the behavior of some Police forces in their actions toward peaceful protest. But on closer examination the majority of the Occupy movement are citizens demanding democratic representation and economic opportunities that don't rely on onerous exploitation of people or the environment.
The police presence at Occupy Montréal was very visible, but
admirably subdued. For the most part, soldiers and police officers
are part of the 99% as much as these two women.


Monday, September 19, 2011

Fall note

When I finished my M.A. I assumed I would have more time to do things like play music, run and enjoy having my family back together under one roof. In the last case, I have made sure that happened, as best I can, with a strong willed seven-year old. He seems to be surprised when I insist he do his homework, clean up himself and his room, and generally conduct himself as a civilized human being. But I digress.
The demands of even a single child constantly call parents.

None the less I am busy with a PhD application, developing a game and finishing a short video documentary on my friend Christopher MacLeod's sculpture. Add work as a carpenter to keep body and soul minimally funded and I am probably busier than while writing my thesis.

Canada Malt, a derelict factory on the Lachine Canal, near my home.
Occasionally, my guitar is strummed, and I'll sketch an image, rather than a mind map. Most of my time is now spent on the practical demands of theoretical thought and scholarship. But I will return now and then to put a few thoughts here. You can also search around for my more professionally-(hate that word) focused blogs.

Monday, July 04, 2011

Improvised Carbonara

So I am making supper for the boy and I. His mum is delayed downtown, so I've decided to make Spaghetti Carbonara. The inspiration was a Carbonara I enjoyed at an Italian resto near Atwater on Notre Dame Ouest. It featured a raw quail's egg that was mixed into the dish after serving. Tonight, I am going to play fast and loose with the recipe– and see what happens.


I start by cooking two portions of pasta.

Meanwhile I broiled bacon, red bell pepper and carrot, cut into small pieces.

I mixed egg with a half-cup of grated cheese. In this case, I used left over "Mexican Mix" from Taco night, last Saturday. Purists would call for fresh-grated Pecorino, Parmesan or Romano cheese.
After the pasta is cooked to al dente, I set it aside, tossing it with a little olive oil.

I then added a little bacon fat to a deep pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil a sauted the bacon and vegetables. I then added the pasta and heated it up a little as I mixed it with the bacon and vegetables.

Finally, I added the cheese and egg mix to the pan and mixed it all together.

The egg and cheese mixture is added last and mixed in
after the pan is taken off the heat.


The finished carbonara, with roasted red pepper, carrot and bacon.

Monday, May 02, 2011

What's Next

It is the second of May, 2011 and I'm thinking about what's next. today, I'm anticipating the results of the current Canadian federal election. More personally, I'm reflecting on what I have just achieved and what I hope to achieve in the future. Much of this is an ongoing process that will just lead to the next thing until there is no more me, rather than no more next. I hope that will be a very long time in the future.

My very good March featured winning a few bucks in a hockey pool; Completing my M.A.; and reconciling with my wife. The latter two help me vindicate myself as an okay guy. I supported myself, and my son, while completing an M.A. and working often as a carpenter, teacher and digital materials developer. My wife asked for the reconciliation, and I immediately said yes, but I didn't approach her. So far, we are all happy to be back together as a couple and a family.
As a family, we're all pretty invested in education. My wife coordinates a medical research group. I'm looking for new/additional teaching opportunities. Developing a focus for a Phd is also on the horizon.

I have started by a very simple statement "The Game is in the player". An analysis of this concept begins with Aristotle and how his doctrine of causes plays out in his discussion of psychology in his De Anima. This theoretical discussion combines my interest in aesthetics and creativity, with my M.A. thesis, especially with regards attributing agency to art objects, a line of thought I derive from the anthropologist, Alfred Gell. It also sweeps up my comparison of Nietzche's idea of Dionysian ecstasos with the experience of 'immersion' that we find in digital games. While I suspect that Aristotlean causes will fail to account for the placement of the game in the player, I think it will fail in an interesting way,setting the stage for games as performances that map onto Husserlian intersubjectivity. The creative elements of play that are discussed by biologists Neil Greenberg, the idea of 'meaning machines' as developed by computer scientist Deb Roy and asynchronous relationship of experiential phenomena to time in the work of neurologist David Eagleman provide data to consider the  digital game as an aesthetic conduit to Husserl's transcendental ego. This relationship between intersubjectivity, time, rhythm and experience would employ Martin Heidegger's Being and Time but also Henri Lefebvre's Rhythmanalysis as relevant text to exploring the interaction of shared experience in digital games.  Aside from continuing to explore the intentional experience, a frustrated goal of philosophy  this work offers the possibility of new means to conceptualising user experience of digital games. The experience of ecstatic temporality always seems to hover around my work, whether it is philosophy, game studies or music.

By continuing to blog my research, you can follow and make comments, if you are interested. I may attempt a more elaborate blogging site for that. This is partially to learn how to use such modern web/internet technologies as PHP, Python, Joomla and Wordpress. As a humanities scholar, I haven't invested in learning such technologies but now I feel I must.

A blog on my dissertation research would be good for a project focused learning experience. I also plan to learn to program/develop games with Unity and the Ios. For fun, create music, including some for games. This all represents an attempt to integrate all my disparate activities into a whole.

                                                                                                                 

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Check your riding- see if you can help topple the Tories.

 Vote splitting between Liberals, New Democrats and Greens has allowed Conservatives to win many ridings with a minority vote. Check your riding- see if you can help topple the Tories.

Given that the Greens, NPD and Liberals are all generally more similar in policy than the Conservatives, here is a list of ridings where a strategic vote might help topple the Tories. I am not playing favourites. My goal is to minimise Conservative winners- For example, Liberals and NDP supporters should vote for Elizabeth May in Saanich Gulf Coast, otherwise the incompetent Conservative Minister, Gary Lunn(Co-author of the Chalk River nuclear reactor fiasco) will stay in office.



This information is drawn from ThreeHundredEight.com so you can check my information. If you didn't see your riding, it is because a strategic vote probably wont make a difference. If your incumbent is NDP or Liberal, simply vote for them. Likewise, Independents. If this strategic vote pattern were followed, the NDP would gain 12 seats, the Liberals would gain 24 seats, and the Green Party would elect Elizabeth May.


The Conservative party would lose 36 seats reduced to 107 seats out of 308.

British Columbia


Burnaby Douglas- NDP need Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons

Delta- Richmond East- Liberals need NDP and Green voters to defeat Cons



Fleetwood Port Kells- Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons


Nanaimo Alberni- NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons


Richmond- NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons


Saanich Gulf Islands- Green Party needs Liberal and NDP voters to defeat Cons


Surrey North- NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons


Vancouver Island North- NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons

West Vancouver– Sunshine Coast- Sea to Sky Country- Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Alberta


Edmonton Center- Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Edmonton East- NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons

Saskatchewan


Desnethé- Missinippi- Churchill River–  Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Palliser–  NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons

Manitoba

Elmwood Transcona–  NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons

 St.Boniface– Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Winnipeg South–  NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons

Northern Canada


Nunavut- Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Ontario
Brampton Springdale—Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons


Brampton West—Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Brant– Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Essex– Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Guelph–  Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Huron Bruce– Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons


Kenora– Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons


Kingston and The Islands– Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Kitchener Center–  Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Kitchener Waterloo–  Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons


 London West- Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

 Oakridges Markham– Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons


 Oshawa– NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons


Ottawa Orléans – Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Ottawa West Nepean–  Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons(Please let's remove John Baird from office)

Simcoe Grey– Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons
  
Vaughn–  Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Welland–  NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons

 New Brunswick

Fredericton Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Miramichi Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Saint John Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Nova Scotia

Central Nova NDP needs Liberal and Green voters to defeat Cons

South Shore St.Margaret's Liberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

West NovaLiberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Prince Edward Island

EgmontLiberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Newfoundland & Labrador

Random - Burin - St.GeorgesLiberals need NDP  and Green voters to defeat Cons

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Nuclear vs Solar

The tragedy of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan have now raised the threat of nuclear radiation escaping from nuclear reactors melting down and releasing atomic radiation into the air. This danger, along with the difficulties of storing used and highly radioactive fuel and materials have long stymied the expansion of nuclear power. The Three Mile Island accident in the U.S. during the 1970's and the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1980's pointed to the danger that nuclear energy poses. How ever, the threat from chemical & fossil fuel energies have become apparent in the last 20 years. This danger, both to human health and the global climate have suggested that the only way to power our advanced technological civilization necessarily involves more nuclear power.

The argument arises from the assertion that wind and solar power are insufficient to provide the necessary energy. Given that wind arises from solar energy– the heating and cooling of air masses by the sun's heat– how much energy actually reaches earth?  And how much energy do humans use?

It is estimated that the earth receives 1.8 x 1017 Joules/s (1) or about 1.6 x 1022Joules everyday from the sun. In contrast, humans consume about 4.7 x 1020Joules(I derived this figure by converting the Tonnes of Oil equivalent provide by BP into joules). Elsewhere I have seen figures of total energy consumption a magnitude smaller. So total human energy consumption seems to range between a 1/10 of a percent and 1 percent of solar energy. So why can't we gather that energy? It would require turning over 1 percent of the earth's surface to energy production with up to 3 percent to accomodate population growth and increased demand. On the other hand, we wouldn't be injecting an extra 1 to 3 percent of the energy the planet's ecology has evolved to cope with, with the attendant pollution.

So if we want to maintain the lives we enjoy, we either have to accept the dangers of nuclear radiation or that massive changes as we incorporate solar, wind and wave power.  



_________________________
(1) http://helios.gsfc.nasa.gov/qa_sun.html#sunenergymass

http://www.vaclavsmil.com/publications/

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Microblogging

So I signed up for a Twitter account, and use it to update my Facebook status. The thesis continues apace- starting the fifth, concluding chapter tomorrow. finishing the dense conclusions of chapters 2 & 4 today.

Had a nice German-style breakfast of sausage, strong coffee, a croissant(let's hear it for Franco-German accord!) and a german beer. Since then I've been sorta reading and napping, after putting in a good few early hours on Lefebvre's the Production of Space and the countergaming chapter from Galloway's Gaming:Essays on Algorithmic Culture. My idea is that Wafaa Bilal's Domestic Tension performance was an example of both countergaming but also subverting current museological practice(countermuseology?) by reaching an audience with no investment or indeed an active disdain for contemporary art practices. This arises from the paintball gun that was the central element of the performance acting to tie together the space produced by the overlapping of the gallery, the art community that supported Bilal in Chicago during the performance, and the space created by the web-based actions- Youtube, chatroom and remote control of the paintball gun via the internet.

Now, does that all make sense to you?

 
"If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country."
-E.M. Forster