Printing at Concordia!

This just in! If you have a laptop you don't need to stay in line to use the library's computers to print stuff anymore. You can print straight from your laptop. Although this doesn't work for the newer versions of Mac, all windows versions work apparently! Can't wait to try that out!

http://library.concordia.ca/services/computers/laptops/own.php?guid=info

Production Music!

You know the kind of music that is, although you probably don't realize it. Fact is, a lot of the shows we watch, games we play and commercials we see get their music from the same: A production music library. Since using songs from known artists would cost too much for the company, a song from an anonymous source, made for a company is a lot more cost effective. Why do you care? Well, the songs themselves can sometimes grow to be known and loved tracks, like Hockey Night in Canada for example. Ever since I got the musical score for the Ren and Stimpy cartoon, I payed more attention to background music. While not all the musical tracks were meant to be used as background music originally, they were used that way at some point. You might recognize some of them, but the real point is to enjoy the emotions you're supposed to feel while listening to them, and creating your own narrative.

Spooky Scherzo - Sam Fonteyn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY0MM075iNw&feature=related

This song will be my theme song when I build the death star and I'm taking over the world. I'll be wearing a tux sporting a cane with the most obnoxiously large diamond the world has ever seen! My stormtroopers will choreographically dance through the halls while I pass by them and I'll sit on a chair with a back as high as the wall behind it

L'Esprit de Paris - John Leach
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPdV8QMhOFc

As stereotypical as this sounds, this is my idea of France. Baguettes, bicycles, and cigarettes on long plastic sticks like Cruela de Ville's. All kidding aside though, I sincerely love this song... a little short but it makes me want to have a great night out dancing with a loved one

Heavy Action - Johnny Pearson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtHW9TPZ_TI

Who doesn't know this song! Even if I don't watch American Football (it's the theme song from monday Night Football), I can definitely appreciate it. This is like the theme song of some crime fighter show in the 80's where the cast-members take turns realizing they're being watched, and react by smiling big and posing. This will be the song I'll play in the morning getting ready... now I just need to cut down my getting ready time to exactly 1:34...

Laughter - Jurgen Schlachter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC2BYB36_BE&feature=related

A song from an episode Spongebob Squarepants. (it's the tickle belt! I figured out where it's from) I can't help but start laughing when I hear this.... until I listen to it for more then 30 seconds... then it starts getting a little scary... This is the song I listen to while playing first person shooters.... is that weird?

Stadium Rave A - Mark Governor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCIyguGtFqU&feature=related

EXERCISE MUSIC! From Clone high and Spongebob (aparently there's an episode where spongebob gets accosted by a school of jellyfish with a boombox blaring this song.........imagination.) This song also reminds me of old video game music from the mid 90's, not really mario and the like, but strategy games like Command and Conquer mostly (especially the cheer in the background!) I'm buying a turqouise headband and short shorts while I enjoy this song.

Bubba dub Bossa - Robby Poitevin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8PSYorL1cE

This jazzy number is a song that I heard from one of the "real" (as in when there's a real life actor) scenes of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. This one and the next one, both from the show are really some of my favourites. They sound just purely carefree: next time I study and I need a break, I'll listen to this song and imagine myself on a beach in Cuba.

La Mia Mania - Gianni Morandi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTWvIoHblsA

I like this song even more then the last one! This one is so fun, and I think i want to learn how to play a trombone JUST to play this song!... the second song played during a real life montage for the Harvey Birdman show... this one is playing at my wedding... even if the girl's name isn't Maria.

Mystery Song #3 - Muzak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS7Tpz6lRLM&feature=related

With a title like that, how can you not fall in love? This is Muzak, a company who was famous for inventing the elevator music. I learned of the company on Steven Colbert a year or two ago, when he mentioned that the company went bankrupt. It's crazy that something that was everywhere in the past got replaced by just playing radio (soft rock...bleugh) instead of these songs.... Reminds me very much of my childhood trying on crappy clothes at Eatons...

Macchina Typographica - Luigi Russolo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcHJySm7ZO0

Now this last one isn't production music really. I came upon this song while researching the history of electronic music ( a lot of the songs are made with synthesizers and I was wondering about their history) A futurist song by Luigi Russolo (who in fact made a manifesto regarding futurist music too), this piece is more then just a song, it's an experience. Very much in the same that...let's say... a psychopath decends into a general state of crazy!

Sov

Dear Internet

It has been a while since we were last acquainted, and for that I am deeply sorry. During a christmas shindig I spent with my group of university friends I realized people were actually reading my blog! I was pleasantly surprised, and I think I haven't been treating my blog seriously. I redesigned it again, made it look less crowded and I plan on updating my blog every Sunday evening after work! There's a few topics I have planned for the coming weeks, starting with today's post on some production music I found that I liked, so I should be providing you with interesting random things and the like for many weeks to come! Thanks for reading!

A Friendly Political Conversation

Hanging out with some friends can be a great way to forget about some of the tough times you’re going through. Even though I know I have responsibilities (with 5 classes and a job it’s hard to have any social life.. I’ve essentially ignored it this semester while I try to catch up in school) I felt that since tonight I don’t have anything to hand in urgently I could use a drink. It had been a while that I’ve spent some time with the people I call my “University Group” and I felt I owed them the night.. more for my sanity then theirs.

Anyway, after I got a good buzz going on only two beers and having some people of the group leave to get some work done (Hi Sarah and John!), I was left with Jean Marc and Eunice. One is a white “Pure Laine” Quebecer, a genuinely kind person and one of the most level headed individuals I’ve ever met while the other is a beautiful Haitian girl (to Eunice: grrrowl, to Jean Marc: Don’t read this. Hahah.) with a  great sense of humour and a bright future. While I’ve gone through some tough times lately they were always there for me. We had a video project to do and to be completely honest they did more work then I did. They felt (at least the way I think) that I was overwhelmed with work (which I clearly was) and they’d try to help as much as they could, and the work they completed without my help was incredibly important and while I haven’t thanked them personally for their help and encouragement, I’d like to do so now.

Anyway, we began talking about politics, and more specifically bout decolonization. I told them about how I’ve found the whole concept amazing. Why did decolonization begin right after World War 2?  Did it start with the problems of the English monarchy right before the war or did the ‘colonies ‘ of the world simply say they’d had enough? We had a long discussion about what the oppressed people of the world were, what it meant and where we thought the world was headed. We came to the conclusion that while China is powerful in the sense that it’s producing most products for the entire world, the United States is still on top but really needs to cut back on expenses if it wants to remain a superpower and a stable government. The world economy is falling into debt upholding the baby boomer generation, and that’s going to cause our generation to have to tighten our belts because they didn’t tighten theirs. As for Africa, their time in the sun will come after many more years of hardship, when China’s working people have enough of their oppression and exploitation and decide to fight for a fair wage ( at least in comparison to north American or European standards.) With the destabilizing of the Chinese economy, Africa may have a chance if it should have the opportunities available for cheap labor. The bottom line is at this point, that while we come from oppressed places, we’ve become the haves, rather then the have-nots… and it’s better to be us then them.

The point is, even if our theories aren’t based on concrete fact (3 art history students with no political science experience should hardly be considered professionals) we’re definitely not the only people who think this way. Many people just choose to keep the status quo, claiming ignorance at the solution. We pointed at the people and countries that poor millions into infrastructure and industrial projects in developing nations, only to see scarce improvement in their condition. We looked at this situation, finding that the people being helped were weary of European help and ‘western influence and information.’ Do we instead wash our hands and leave them? Right now pouring money into Africa and the poor regions of the world seems to be the only solution, and maybe one day, we might find that the situation improves… even if it seems that the money isn’t going anywhere. What I’m trying to say is that doing something, anything, is better then just leaving them. They are human beings and while they may seem inferior,  they should be considered our equals, and we need to find a way to improve their condition… their world view and their knowledge will improve ours as much as ours will help theirs.

Now on a completely unrelated note, today was the first real, thick, bountiful snow!! As much as I love summer, it was great to walk in snow again... :)