The Canadian English Debate

I watched the Canadian English debate yesterday. There wasn't a lot of substance to the whole debate and Harper held his own. However, I find him quite patronizing and a bully. He did not have many new ideas, but rather stayed on course with the economy and what he had done in the past. Ignatieff, unlike a TrudeauJust Watch Me: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau: 1968-2000 does not have the charisma of the former. I found that he held his own and raised some important issues. He raised such issues as the funding for university students. I think that may have been a tactic to get the youth vote. He also made an interesting point of the proposal to augment jails. He said that it would be better for at youth risk to attend and finish high school and then have some money for university. Ignatieff Human Rights as Politics and Idolatry: (University Center for Human Values) is a teacher and you could feel that he did not feel that comfortable in the debate. He was, after all, the rookie. Jack Layton also raised some interesting issues, such as violence against women and the role of women in politics. He did say that he had the most women representatives of all the parties. He also raised the aboriginal issue and the end of the war in Afghanistan. Both the Tories and the Liberals wanted to prolong the war. Layton had some good ideas when it came to the health system as well. He wanted to make more doctors, as there are 5 million Canadians without doctors. Gilles Duceppe, unlike his predecessor Lucien BouchardThe Antagonist : A Biography of Lucien Bouchard does not have his charisma or the whole of Quebec behind him. He raised some interesting issues in regards to the forestry industry in Quebec and the role of the government in provincial health care. However, he is a seperatist and his points revolved around Quebec. The debate was not a debate of issues, but rather an accusation of one party against the other. Harper held his ground, in his demeaning way and the others tried to put in their two cents. How do you say, another brick in the wall.

My trip to New York

I went to New York a few years ago. I went solo. I stayed on Manhattan Island, but that's where everything is. I was there for a week and stayed for a few days at the Jazz on the Town in the East Village. The rooms were cramped and there wasn't a communal lounge but it was ok to sleep in. On one night coming home from the local pubs, it seems that there's a pub at every corner, I had to look around my hostel room for my glasses, which I had misplaced. I got in a bit of trouble since I was looking in the wrong hostel room. For some reason, I couldn't stay the following day. Most of my nights consisted in going to the local pubs where I met some charming waitresses and interesting New Yorkers. One such New Yorker told me he had been to 300 bars in his life. There were probably a good dozen right where I was staying. During the day I checked out the touristy stuff. I went up the Empire State building and went on a ferry to check out the Statue of Liberty. There was more security to see the Statue, then at airports. The Statue is actually not that tall. I also checked out a musical called the Producers. It was awesome with much hilarity. I was right up there in the balcony. I also stayed at the Carlton Arms Hotel, where there was no TV or phone. However, there was a nice decor to the room.
I don't remember much from New York, since I spent my evenings in bars, but I saw a few art galleries. They say New Yorkers are rude. I did not find that to be true. On my way to the museum, a few people helped me find my way. A barfly even bought me a beer. I'll say this though, many people thought I was there to find work and I met quite a few people trying to find work. As they say, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

My review of Cuban singer Compay Segundo

Compay Segundo (Máximo Francisco Repilado Muños) (1907-July 2003)was born in Cuba. He is a singer and trova guitarist. He is most known for the movie and album Buena Vista Social Club. However, in the CD Compay Compay we hear him play some wonderful Cuban music recorded in Clubs and Theatres. His most famous song on the album is Chan Chan

Here are a few verses (rough translation) The sweetness that I have/You cannot deny/
Another of his songs is called Sabroso.

The name of this song means succulent. Here's a rough translation of a few lines: The day that you no longer love me/I say quickly/Because I don't want to have/ the head of this animal.

Compay sings danzones, waltzes and sones. His songs are usually short with heavy guitar and ensemble. His songs are usually of a romantic nature and he has a distinctive voice. I heard about Compay Segundo in Mexico. It was not uncommon to hear his songs, however he is known as a great Cuban singer. They are sweet songs of love, loving and longing. The lovely rythym of the guitar and singer make all the difference.

My review of Czech author Milan Kundera

Milan Kundera was born in 1929 in Czechoslovakia. He is of Czech origin but moved to France later in life. His books were banned in communist Czechoslovakia before the velvet revolution in 1989.
In his book The Book of Laughter and Forgetting we see a fragmented novel, but more of a set of short stories. We do experience his past in Lost Letters and Mother. They talk about his upbringing and the state of communist Czechoslovakia. The term disappearance is used more than once. In the Angels we see a couple of teenagers recounting and discussing the novel Rhinoceros and Other Plays by Eugene Ionesco. Though they analyze it, they figure out that it is nonsensical. In the second part of Lost Letters we see an enamored man and his mistress. They have to keep this a secret from their mother. In Litost we see the rise of a relationship between a young educated man and a housewife. Litost has a special meaning in Czech, it means

a feeling as infinite as an open accordion, a feeling that is the synthesis of many others: grief,sympathy,remorse, and an indefinable longing.

In The Angels we see a young woman kidnapped to an island of children. There she learns to live with the children, however problems occur. It is a rather desolate and isolated encounter. In the last story we see the end of a unique character in the book and the ritual orgy that ensues.

This book is quite varied in its approach and does not tie in all the stories together, but rather explores different aspects of life. Like any communist era writer, Kundera talks about the revolution, but more than just that. There are human relationships and engrossing tales of sexuality.

The novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being, also has tales of sexual encounters. The protagonist is a womanizer, who only truly loves his wife. In the end he figures out that it is only she that he wants. This novel, his most famous, is also a movie. It stars Daniel Day Lewis and Binoche. It has deep roots in existentialism. It is a novel about the purpose of living and explores the difference between love and sex. The setting for the novel is also a year before the occupation by the Russians. It takes place within one year. The protagonist and his wife eventually move to the country where they find peace and each other.

My review of author Henry Miller

Henry Valentine Miller (1891 –1980) was an American author. He is also known for his paintings. His works were originally banned because of obscenity. However, in the 60's he got his works published. His style is very distinctive. He is a poet and narrates in train of thought and embellished sentences. He is known for his semi-pornographic descriptions and adventures in the sack. Beyond that, he does showcase his novels with social criticisms and semi-autobiographical accounts. His words are sophisticated and his style of writing is very liberal and complex. He sorts his thoughts in a sort of ambiguous web of poetry.

He was famous for his novel Tropic of Cancer. In this novel we see him in Paris with all sorts of seedy characters, plotting his next exploits. He lived a poor life as an ex-pat living off his writing. There are some descriptive encounters with women and an exploration of different orifices and extensions. The book also recounts drunken escapades and barroom banter.

In Tropic of Capricorn we see more of his life at work in an office. He recounts his life as a married man, with mistresses. This story makes me think a little of the Post office by Bukowski. post office: A Novel
It appears that he is in a constant state of arousal and pursuit. However, this time he is in New York.

In the novel Black Spring, we see vivid images of his past in Paris, New York and his upbringing. He relates a hard upbringing with a group of tough youth. His thoughts are more scattered and poetic in this book. There are more descriptive passages then in the other two books.

Finally, in the book Stand Still Like the Hummingbird, we see Miller as a social critic. His focus is no longer exclusively on women but on the complexities of the American life. He criticizes many aspects of America. There are also some chapters on some of his most liked authors such as Ionesco, Whitman and Thoreau. In this book he often questions the reader and relates anecdotes that foster thinking. This book is more of a reflexive remembering.

Miller was very controversial in the 60's, but today he is known for his endearing style of writing. He was an original when it came to elucidating his points. That is to say, his points were vague and full of irrelevant imagery. However, remember Miller for his task at hand.

My review of author Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Miller Hemingway (1899 – 1961) was born in the United States, but traveled all over the world. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. He was an ambulance driver in WW1 in Italy, which is the background for the novel A Farewell to Arms. He was married 4 times and also covered the Spanish Civil War in the book For Whom the Bell Tolls. He was a journalist, yet wrote many books, some of which were posthumous. He also wrote short stories. Hemingway also stayed for some time in Cuba, which is the background for the books Islands in the Stream and To Have and Have Not. Ernest traveled to Africa where he wrote a book on big game hunting and was also a fan of bull fighting, in the book Death in the Afternoon.

Ernest Hemingway has a distinctive style of writing. His prose is condensed and to the point. He does tend to have run on sentences, but the descriptions are brief and the dialogues more elaborate. He influenced many writers of his period and changed the style of writing novels.

In the novels For Whom the Bell Tolls and A Farewell to Arms we encounter many armed conflicts. There are many descriptions of gun fights and the atmosphere of the countryside. Both novels also talk about romances which he had, more so A Farewell to Arms. In this book he talks about his relationship with a nurse in a hospital. Hemingway was injured during the first world war and stayed for some time in the hospital. We see the emergence of the relationship in this novel. For Whom the Bell Tolls is more centered around the Spanish Civil War and its repercussions.

In the novels To Have and Have Not and Island in the Stream the background is Cuba. These books were released posthumously. To Have and Have Not is more of a tale of the black market. There are gun fights and trips abroad. In the novel Islands in the Stream, the book is divided into three parts. The first is a reunion with his sons, from divorced women. The second happens in a bar, and his reunion with his wife. The third, and final part, takes place around the island of Cuba. The protagonist and his ship crew chase a WWII German boat, to the final fight.

A Moveable Feast and The Sun Also Rises are more light hearted. The Sun Also Rises talks about his time in Europe as a journalist. We see, in the book, some interesting conversations with other ex-pats and how they saw the world of the 20's in Paris. It is a tale of going out with friends, and mingling with beautiful women.

He also had pastimes such as bullfights, seen in the book Death in the Afternoon. I did not finish this book, as it delved too much into the bullfighters and bulls, a little bit like the description of whales in Moby Dick.

The Old Man and the Sea is another classic by Hemingway. This book talks about fishing off the coast of Cuba. It also envelops the relationship between and old man and a boy. A great read.

The compilation of short stories Men Without Women and his complete Short Stories vary a great deal on the topic at hand. They reflect such themes as war, love, abortion, sports and friendship.

I have always loved reading Hemingway. He is a great writer, and talks from the heart. His details of relationships with women are believable and romantic. When he describes fights they seem plausible, even death is experienced in a plausible manner. His style of writing won him the Nobel Prize, and he traveled so much that his tales often have different flavors and backgrounds. He had the pulse of American ex-patriot of the 20's, 30's and beyond. His courage left him in the latter years, and he took his own life, but he left us with wonderful stories and a distinctive writing style. Hemingway shows us his ambitions and his past times in his books, they carry the books. He had the mind of an adventurer and the style of a storyteller.

My review of Canadian poet Al Purdy

Al Purdy is a Canadian poet (1918-2000). He was married and had life long relationships with Margaret Laurence and Charles Bukowski. Rooms for Rent in the Outer Planets is a collection of poems from 1962-1996. They range the political span of the 60's and beyond. He has poems about Fidel Castro and Che Guevera. For example in the poem 'Hombre' Purdy talks about Che Guevera.

And I remember his quick hard handshake/in Havana among the tiny Vietnamese ladies/And seem to hold ghostlike in my own hand/five bloody fingers/of Che Guevera

Purdy also wrote a poem about Robert Kennedy, in which he writes

death takes him/As it takes more beautiful things/populations of whole countries/museums and works of art/and women with such a glow/it makes their background vanish/ they vanish too.

Many of his poems are about the wilderness, the past and aboriginal art and life. In the poem 'The Cariboo Horses' he writes,

At 100 Mile House the cowboys ride in rolling/stagey cigarettes with one hand reining/half-tame bronco rebels on a morning grey as stone/-so much like riding dangerous women/ with whiskey coloured eyes-

There are some interesting poems from the pompous Voltaire, to being in a drunk tank, to the Vikings. However, he has a homegrown feel to the poetry. He's a bit rough, but his passages often dwell with what is Canadian. He is a treasure of Canadian poetry.
Bukowski once stated

I don't know of any good living poets. But there's this tough son of a bitch up in Canada that walks the line.

My review of the book The Montreal Canadians (hockey)

The Montreal Canadians started their franchise in 1909. They won a total of 23 Stanley Cups and the last won was in 1993 anchored by Patrick Roy. It is also the last time a Canadian team won a Stanley Cup. This book relates the story of the Canadians. They started in a small market and eventually went to the NHL. They won Stanley Cups in the 1910's and 20's, but it wasn't until the 1940's that their majesty reigned supreme. In the Selke era they also had talent like Maurice Richard and eventually Jean Beliveau. It is during this time that they came to be known as a French-Canadian team. Before this time, their players were often Anglophones. The rise of this team is well documented as are many of the players that played during that era. After Selke came Pollock. The Montreal Canadians still dominated the ice rink. Eventually Scotty Bowman took the helms and with the help of Guy Lafleur won many cups. They only won 2 Stanley Cups since the 1970's but there have been many coaches.
The book goes into the detail of many key coaches, players and managers. There are moment to moment descriptions of famous goals. As well, the life of Maurice Richard is detailed with the turmoil of the 1960's. They also describe the move of the Canadians to their new arenas and their owners. The book also describes the rise of salaries and the eventual skyrocketing of the salaries. There are a lot of statistics in this book and key dates in the history of the Canadians. It is a well organized (by decade)description of the Montreal Canadians. Did you know that the 'H' in their jerseys means hockey and not habitant? Also, there are good points of view by journalists of the time. There is an introduction by Bob Gainey, who has since left and the later years with Kovalev and Koivu. This is an impressive look at one of the most storied franchises in sports history.

My review of the French Canadian singer Daniel Lavoie

Daniel Lavoie is a French Canadian singer. He is originally from Winnipeg and now lives in Quebec. He had great success in the 80's and 90's and traveled overseas with his band. He tried his luck with English songs with little success. One of my favorite songs is Jour de Plaine (Days of the Prairies).

This French poetic, yet political song, talks about life in the prairies. It also talks about the disappearance of French in western Canada. This was a popular song when I was in high school. They actually made a documentary of the same name. I saw him live a few times. He has a great velvety voice and is a terrific piano player.
The following song called Docteur Tendresse is another, more recent, hit by Daniel Lavoie. It has a bizarre look, with a baby doll as the main protagonist. However, the song itself is quite romantic. Lavoie is known for his romantic songs and for his poetic verses. He uses the French language with ease and conjures up images of the past and present human conditions.

I bought Ou La Route Mene and I use some of the videos in my French classrooms. The two previous songs are used in one of my classes. All of his hits are on this compilation. There is the music and also the music videos with commentary in French.
Douce Heure, or sweet hours, is a beautiful compilation of his most romantic songs. He is a wonderful singer-songwriter, pianist, and poet. His hits are more like Easy listening, with a pop feel, depending on the period in which he wrote them. Daniel Lavoie is still involved in the music business and releases albums every few years. He comes to Winnipeg every couple of years and puts on a sold out show every time. He's one of my favorite singers.

My review of Spanish poet Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) also known as Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto was born in Chile. He was a poet but also involved in politics. He wrote love poems and many from the sea. This collection is bilingual and is perfect for learners of Spanish. I have used some of the poems in my Spanish classes. That is to say one side is in English and the other side is in Spanish. There are 50 poems in the Essential Neruda from some of the best translators around. The collection is divided into some of his most known poetry books, that also range his lifetime. In his first collection of poems called Twenty love poems, love and separation intermingle with sweet sayings and recollections of the sea.

Leaning into the evenings I throw my sad nets to your ocean eyes.

Some of his poems deal with nature, and more specifically the sea. Yet others deal with death, and old age. One of the sections even deals with Macchu Pichu. Macchu Pichu is the great Inca monument in Peru.

And then on the ladder of the earth I climbed/through the atrocious thicket of the lost jungle/up to you, Macchu Pichu.

Neruda even has a poem about the United Fruit Company.

When the trumpet sounded, everything/ on earth was prepared/ and Jehovah distributed the world/to Coca-Cola, Anaconda/ Ford Motors and other entities.

Some of his best poems are about captains and the sea. The poem called The Sea is brief and details the effects of the sea.

The sea comes and reunites our lives/ and attacks and divides and sings alone.

The poems of Neruda do not assume too much, but rather guide the reader into its words and aspirations. It is not a heavy read, but like poetry it leaves the reader eager for more. They are not poems about religion or politics, but rather life, bearing his soul to the oneness of the world.

The French singer Gainsbourg

Serge Gainsbourg also known as Lucien Ginsburg (1928-1991)is a well known French singer-songwriter and lesser known for his acting and directing. In the movie Gainsbourg we see his relationships with his wives. Some of them well known such as the actress Jane Birkin and he also had an affair with Brigitte Bardot. He was also married twice before, with a few children. He had a varied style, ranging from pop, to reggae and even, in the early 80's to electronica. The movie is an interesting mix of reality and fiction. It shows him as a youth, already trying to seduce women. He had a way with words and women. He also grew up in WW2 torn France. There is a background of war in the early part of the movie. A puppet of sorts appears later on in life, which mimics his inner problems. We see his evolution as an artist and the various jobs he had, including working in bars and being a teacher or sorts. It is a romantic movie, with male and female nudity. The movie also showcases some of his most famous songs. His later years were mired by alcohol.
He had a song, which talked about lollipops (called les sucettes) and has a sexual undertone and was sung by the then famous France Gall.


The first song called Initials B.B. stand for Brigitte Bardot It's a wonderful popish sound with a velvety voice. There are also interviews with some of his ex-girlfriends with English subtitles, including Brigitte Bardot.

In some Youtube clips we see an older Gainsbourg attacking a French pornstar. There is even a clip of him trying to seduce Whitney Houston. (clips unavailable) He was a poet at heart, with a wonderful wit and sense of entertainment. He was a wonderful artist in his day, and had an influence on many artists. Yet, alcohol destroyed him and he died an early death.

I worked in Mexico in 2002-2003. One of the most popular bands at that time was Molotov. Their song Frijolero, a bit ranchero, was at the top of the charts. The song is a response to the anti-american sentiment toward Mexicans. The song itself is in part English and Spanish. There are English and Spanish lyrics on their CD. The CD is known for its strong language and heavy metal feel. If you want to try Mexican heavy metal music, hip hop this is your album. They were formed in 1995 and are a bit political in nature.

Some of the lyrics of the song Frijolero are

Don't call me gringo you fuckin beaner-Stay on your side of the goddam river-Don't call me gringo you beaner

There are other good songs on the album such as I'm the One and their title song Dance and Dense Denso.


I remember people talking about frijolero when I was in Mexico. Since I was a gringo or "foreigner" I did not want to talk too much about the song. It is very political in nature and it took me a while to decipher the Spanish slang they used in the song. However, if you want to learn some Spanish slang this song is for you. Some people have thought of them as a sort of Mexican 'Rage Against the Machine'. It is a song that is still talked about and will be a classic for a while.

Manu Chao-The Best Band in the World

I started listening to Manu Chao on a trip to Europe. I was in a youth hostel and the clerk would play it all day long. After I got back from my trip I bought the album called Esperanza (1998) and it was awesome. It has a pop sound with a reggae feel to it. The instruments on the album are quite varied, with a nice guitar sound and beeps and some radio addresses. Also, the lyrics are in English, Spanish and French. I've used the song Me gustas tu in some of my Spanish classes. It's a nice song about what the singer likes and if you like him. It's good practice to learn another language. Promiscuity is also a good song, some of the lyrics are

promiscuity leads to insanity

. Does that remind anyone of a certain period in their lives.
I also bought the album La Radiolina. This is their latest album from 2007. It has more of a political feel to it. It's a rebuke to the Bush years. The same sound prevails in the CD. It has a reggae feel to it and other odd sounds, and good guitar riffs. This album also has songs in English, French and Spanish. I love Manu Chao and it was quite popular on my trip to Mexico. I heard it in many bars and people would often quote lyrics.
I also bought another album called Radio Bemba Sound System, which is a remix of their old songs with more of a dance/techno feel to it. It has the ever popular song Bienvenido a Tijuana, with the quote

tequila, sexo, marijuana

I did go to Tijuana a few years ago, and I had none of those delights. However, I did drink a lot and met some interesting people. I didn't stay in Tijuana, but rather the beach resort called Rosarito. I remember the bar Papas and beer fondly. The crowd there was mostly from San Diego. The under 21 crowd would come and party in Mexico, because the drinking age is probably 18 in Mexico. Though, not enforced. Nevertheless it is one of the most known songs of Manu Chao. Manu Chao is a world reknown group and they travel to all parts of the world, especially Latin America. Listening to Manu Chao is quite nostalgic for me, as it reminds me a lot of a few trips I took. Have a listen to Manu Chao, one of the best bands in the world. Hasta luego, Pascal

Gonzo:The Life of Hunter S. Thompson

The life of Hunter S. Thompson has been filed with ups and downs. In this book, there are many different accounts of Hunter's life. Many people explain a part of his life, from his early childhood to his death. Friends, family and neighbors explain some of his adventures and tales in sometimes frank and obscene ways. Gonzo is an icon, and has revolutionized the way stories, and articles are written. He has given the word gonzo to the masses. His early childhood was troublesome and it followed him throughout his life. There are interesting accounts of his life as a journalist, his life in Denver and for Rolling Stones Magazine. Where ever Hunter went, trouble followed. There is no way to understand the madness that was Hunter, apart from perhaps watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. They talk about his adventures briefly in the book. They also talk about his dealings with the Hell's Angels. His life was filled with booze, womanizing and drugs. His walk made him topical, yet his dealings with people made him who he was. Hunter S. Thompson has written many books, including a few on the Campaign Trail and even a Black Book of sorts. He followed his dreams until they were no more. A great read to have a perspective on specific events with his wives, friends and important events in his life. Purchase for a bit of debauchery.