Random Thoughts
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I came up (so to speak) with a brilliant new signature that disappointingly no-one has commented on.Who Shot Sam? wrote:A lot of bitching and moaning about the Lexus ad, some gig reports/setlists from EC's recent US shows. Otis tearing his hair out over ManU losing the FA Cup. Not much else.
WSS was smug and patronising, but could have been worse.
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
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There's no need to get all testosteroned up about it, I was just quoting Regina Spektor!Who Shot Sam? wrote:I saw the sig and love it Otis. One of the things I miss most about not working in Manhattan is that glorious moment in the spring when you go out for lunch and all of the heavy coats have come off.
Your new avatar is turning my stomach!
Last edited by Otis Westinghouse on Fri May 25, 2007 2:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
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Since the Mid-term elections in November (6 months ago) the Democratic party took control of Congress by gaining control of the House and the Senate. Much of the levergae came from the widespread unpopularity of the War on Terror (fought largely in Iraq). Promises were made to 'bring the troops home' and 'stop the spending' that subsidized the war effort.
Late last week the Senate and the House voted to continue funding the war and to establish no timeline for troop withdrawal. Diametrically opposite of the promise of the Democrats to make short order of "this travesty of a war".
Maybe it ain't so easy. Certainly is not as easy as it looks. In fact, the fear factor is so large that Baraq and Hillary would not reveal their votes until the very last second (neh), leveraging the long weekend to allow people to forget their vote. So if 72% of America is against the War effort, why are the Dem's so afraid to live true to their commitment to end it now by stifling funding and setting a timetable.
There's a thought worth spending a few random minutes on.
In the final episode of 24 (TV Series), the acting President (actually VP but President was incapacitated) said "It looks so easy when your not in the chair...the decisions seem so obvious...so simple. But once you sit in that chair, it is an entirely different story."
I think that line from a silly TV show probably holds more truth than anyone on this forum would want to give it.
Late last week the Senate and the House voted to continue funding the war and to establish no timeline for troop withdrawal. Diametrically opposite of the promise of the Democrats to make short order of "this travesty of a war".
Maybe it ain't so easy. Certainly is not as easy as it looks. In fact, the fear factor is so large that Baraq and Hillary would not reveal their votes until the very last second (neh), leveraging the long weekend to allow people to forget their vote. So if 72% of America is against the War effort, why are the Dem's so afraid to live true to their commitment to end it now by stifling funding and setting a timetable.
There's a thought worth spending a few random minutes on.
In the final episode of 24 (TV Series), the acting President (actually VP but President was incapacitated) said "It looks so easy when your not in the chair...the decisions seem so obvious...so simple. But once you sit in that chair, it is an entirely different story."
I think that line from a silly TV show probably holds more truth than anyone on this forum would want to give it.
"The smarter mysteries are hidden in the light" - Jean Giono (1895-1970)
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There are no good answers in Iraq and no chance of victory, just varying degrees of failure. Whoever is elected president is going to face an almighty shitstorm of criticism whatever he/she does. It's an impossible situation. We lost nearly 100 soldiers this past month, years after declaring victory. It irks the hell out of me, but the fact that nearly everyone (the supposedly left-leaning news media especially) just takes it in stride makes my blood boil.
Thanks George.
Thanks George.
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I was going to waste breath on pointing out that "the war on terror" (as if it's a monolithic enemy) is not nearly the same thing as the current war in Iraq. However in the interest of perspective, and as a late observance of Memorial Day, I''ll instead recommend the two on-the-ground accounts you can to listen to here. Both these pieces aired earlier this spring; the combination is a moving tribute to people who have given their lives in this war.
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Sorry if this post is long an of little interest, but I felt like sharing - so there.
Sam The Record Man, my favourite record store, is closing at the end of June.
The illegal downloaders have no doubt forced this upon them, and it makes me sad. Back in high school there was a point where I would go to Sam's almost every weekend and spend hours seeing what they have. People in Toronto recognize that this place is more than just a store, it's a landmark that has managed to retain its independent feel. Sam himself would often be there to help people find what they were looking for. It eventually expanded to a chain of stores across Canada (it's now only the one store), but the main downtown store has been there since 1961, and the business itself stretches back to 1937.
It's one of those places that seems to have everything, even the obscure genre-specific stuff most people have to special order. It also actually hires people who know their shit, unlike places like HMV or Best Buy who aren't helpful at all. I will miss it. A lot. And that feels silly, but what's amazing is how I'm not alone at all in feeling that way.
Here are a few sentiments shared in the local newspaper:
I've been going to Sam's for nearly 45 years. My most memorable experience was lining up to buy the Beatles' White Album on the first day it went on sale. A Sam's employee was just taking the albums out of box and writing the price on the cover with a magic marker. Probably half my CD collection comes from Sam's. I'll be sorry to see it go.
Thomas Linderoos, Toronto
Sam’s will be missed. No other retailer besides the web had such a wide selection of artists and back catalog. I miss the Montreal store very much and would go to the Yonge St. store every time I came to visit Toronto. A knowledgeable staff and wide selection are now going to be even more difficult to find.
Kevin McCoy, Montreal
The legacy that Sam the Record Man has built should be honoured by the City of Toronto. It should be named a Historical Landmark and perhaps it could become the home of the Canadian Record and Music Hall of Fame.
Patrick Rutledge, Toronto
I remember going to Sam's to find a record that I couldn't find anywhere unless I ordered it from Europe. I was lucky enough that Sam himself was in the store that day. I asked a clerk and he then asked Sam, and low and behold, Sam came through with a copy. I even got it at regular price rather than import all because Sam and I had something in common: love of music. You will be missed.
Laurence Habel, Vancouver
I still buy a lot of music from Sam's, since they are more knowledgeable and carry more esoteric stock in music then the Big Box/Wal-Mart stores will ever sell. In the article it says that CD sales are down. Could it be that a lot of great artists get little or no radio play so people can't hear them? So why would you buy a CD from an artist you haven't heard before?
Alan Whitley, Toronto
When I immigrated to Canada in the early 80s from Vietnam, I knew nothing about English music. My sister's boyfriend took me to Sam the Record Man. I was overwhelmed with the selections. I ended up making my first ever purchase of English music, a single LP of U2's "With or Without You" at Sam the Record Man. I still have it at home.
Jett Chow, Toronto
Sam The Record Man, my favourite record store, is closing at the end of June.
The illegal downloaders have no doubt forced this upon them, and it makes me sad. Back in high school there was a point where I would go to Sam's almost every weekend and spend hours seeing what they have. People in Toronto recognize that this place is more than just a store, it's a landmark that has managed to retain its independent feel. Sam himself would often be there to help people find what they were looking for. It eventually expanded to a chain of stores across Canada (it's now only the one store), but the main downtown store has been there since 1961, and the business itself stretches back to 1937.
It's one of those places that seems to have everything, even the obscure genre-specific stuff most people have to special order. It also actually hires people who know their shit, unlike places like HMV or Best Buy who aren't helpful at all. I will miss it. A lot. And that feels silly, but what's amazing is how I'm not alone at all in feeling that way.
Here are a few sentiments shared in the local newspaper:
I've been going to Sam's for nearly 45 years. My most memorable experience was lining up to buy the Beatles' White Album on the first day it went on sale. A Sam's employee was just taking the albums out of box and writing the price on the cover with a magic marker. Probably half my CD collection comes from Sam's. I'll be sorry to see it go.
Thomas Linderoos, Toronto
Sam’s will be missed. No other retailer besides the web had such a wide selection of artists and back catalog. I miss the Montreal store very much and would go to the Yonge St. store every time I came to visit Toronto. A knowledgeable staff and wide selection are now going to be even more difficult to find.
Kevin McCoy, Montreal
The legacy that Sam the Record Man has built should be honoured by the City of Toronto. It should be named a Historical Landmark and perhaps it could become the home of the Canadian Record and Music Hall of Fame.
Patrick Rutledge, Toronto
I remember going to Sam's to find a record that I couldn't find anywhere unless I ordered it from Europe. I was lucky enough that Sam himself was in the store that day. I asked a clerk and he then asked Sam, and low and behold, Sam came through with a copy. I even got it at regular price rather than import all because Sam and I had something in common: love of music. You will be missed.
Laurence Habel, Vancouver
I still buy a lot of music from Sam's, since they are more knowledgeable and carry more esoteric stock in music then the Big Box/Wal-Mart stores will ever sell. In the article it says that CD sales are down. Could it be that a lot of great artists get little or no radio play so people can't hear them? So why would you buy a CD from an artist you haven't heard before?
Alan Whitley, Toronto
When I immigrated to Canada in the early 80s from Vietnam, I knew nothing about English music. My sister's boyfriend took me to Sam the Record Man. I was overwhelmed with the selections. I ended up making my first ever purchase of English music, a single LP of U2's "With or Without You" at Sam the Record Man. I still have it at home.
Jett Chow, Toronto
This morning you've got time for a hot, home-cooked breakfast! Delicious and piping hot in only 3 microwave minutes.
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I can't imagine downloaders have anything like the impact that Amazon and Best Buy do on the demise of independent record stores; after all, independent book stores are hardly thriving. Sorry for your loss, however. Someone mentioned to me yesterday that they thought Newbury Comics, Boston's fantastic independent mini-chain, was going under. I nearly had a heart attack... luckily it was a false alarm. Damn I love that place. Always filled with portentious people like myself.BlueChair wrote:The illegal downloaders have no doubt forced this upon them, and it makes me sad.
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