Burial’s 2007 LP Untrue introduced many electronic music fans to Dubstep. Untrue’s potent combination of murky beats, bleak melodies mangled R&B vocal samples put a decidedly soulful spin on a genre that was otherwise migrating from its darker origins to a more rave/tweaker friendly sound. The problem was that once you got through Untrue and Burial’s less flashy self-titled debut, there was little else in the scene that sounded nearly as rich. Most popular dubstep tracks sound like lethargic remakes of the squelchy club music from Jersey Shore – fantastic to the clubbers tripping on Ketamine and distracting to just about anyone else.

Lithuanian producer Eleven Tigers breaks that mold authoritatively on his debut LP, Clouds are Mountains. While inspired by Untrue, Clouds are Mountains forgoes R&B and Garage mutations in favour of ambient pads and generous layers of IDM-style synth-work. Vocals are used sparingly and garbled to the point of sounding like Simlish. The songs flow seamlessly, engaging one other via crossfades of up to 40 seconds. The album is mixed like a well-planned DJ set and can be played from start to finish without a break in the action.

While the sum of Clouds are Mountains is indeed greater than its parts, there are still standout tracks. Songs for You plays like the lovechild of Dido and Burial, pulsing along at a slow dub-like speed lead by acoustic guitars before moving double time over ringing analogs. Atomic Turnip pays homage to the dub roots of dubstep with chest-tickling sub-basslines and a heavily reverberated organ. Thesis veers into vintage Prodigy territory, albeit with an IDM twist as three generations of grimy old school rave beats crunch against heavily altered speech loops and indescribable random noises that barely avoid chaos. Stableface easily boasts the greatest crossover appeal and dance floor potential, featuring chopped female vocals over several airy layers of pads and a driving drum beat. Even this track is complex, however, and like nearly all of the tunes on Clouds are Mountains, it constantly evolves.

Clouds are Mountains is easily one of the best albums of any genre that I’ve heard in the past decade. Numerous visitors to my house parties (whose musical tastes span from Alt-Rock to Hip Hop) seem to agree. Only dubstep scenesters may not bite since this album is closer to Boards of Canada than Rusko. However, anyone with an even passing interest in headphone-friendly electronic music would be well advised to check out this hidden gem.

And for Burial lovers … yes, this will tide you over for awhile.

Vienna based producer Angina P has amassed an impressive underground following since first posting music to mp3.com. Her photogenic looks belied her skills behind the sequencer as she gained cult status for synthesizing complex electronic rhythms and melodies with the soul and story-telling capability of a traditional artist. In 2008, Angina P released her debut album, 8-Rooms on Notochord records to wide critical acclaim – all the while teasing wanting fans about upcoming releases.

Angina P’s sophomore release, Sensitive Files, dropped abruptly on May 30 and spares little time turning on the energy. “I break your beats” kicks off with a classic trance-style build up to a techy 2-step ruckus – complete with Amen break teasers. Of course, there are several layers of atmosphere behind the floor-friendly energy along with chilled out moments of reflection, as long-time listeners have come to expect. The energy soon fades into “Remember That”, a similarly energetic track containing something we are not used to – vocal samples (and naughty ones in this case). Angina P crafted “Sensitive Files” with equal parts aggression and finesse, weaving the experimental sound of her IDM-focused debut with proven club rhythms and vocal snippets.

The album also differs in that it contains a lot of previously available material, whether widely released (“Belladonna d30”) or available primarily on the artist’s website (“Free Radical”). The advantage to having these tracks on CD is obvious, as the uncompressed mix-downs don’t choke out the ambience and more subtle layering of atmospheric noises. On a good speaker system, the spatial griminess of the down-tempo “Geiteskind” literally jumps from the speakers.

Sensitive Files ends on a strong note with the rush hour mix “Tokyo 6pm”, that timeless classic that created an instant cult on mp3.com several years ago. For the uninitiated, this track was inspired by the artist’s experiences with the Tokyo subway and sounds frantically industrial … yet maintains a strong melodic presence capable of appealing to music fans outside the electronic genres. If any track from the golden age of mp3.com had “movie soundtrack” stamped all over it, this was the one.

Angina P has added another jewel to her crown by surpassing her initial release with a sophomore LP – no mean feat at a time when, thanks to online music services, the single is once again the primary focus. Long-time fans may be let down by the lack of brand new material and many buyers will be annoyed with the hoops they may have jump through to actually obtain a CD (ordering directly from the label is a two-step process involving email verification and painful shipping charges for non-Europeans). However, Sensitive Files was certainly worth my money, adding a touch of heart to a notoriously soulless branch of the music universe.

Track List:

1. I break your beats
2. Remember that
3. Belladonna d30
4. Free radical
5. Geisteskind
6. Meta dialogue
7. Regime in my head
8. Stand alone unit
9. Wander away
10. School’s out
11. Tokyo 6pm (rush hour mix)

Few filmmakers can claim to have a greater impact on American political culture than Michael Moore. His initial release, Roger & Me, revolutionized the modern documentary by casting the filmmaker as truth-seeking protagonist. Moore’s relentless pursuit of then GM CEO Roger Smith about his company’s decision to move manufacturing jobs to Mexico (and thus decimating the economy of Flint, Michigan) provided the perfect mix of comedy and social commentary. Moore’s quirky yet infectious approach would be further refined in several subsequent documentaries, including Bowling for Columbine and the anti-war Fahrenheit 9/11.

Michael Moore took his role as left-wing agitator to the extreme, creating a cottage industry for counter documentaries that question his political intentions, dishonest editing of footage and truthfulness of his factual claims. Most of these films, among them Fahrenhype 9/11, Celsius 41.11 and Michael Moore Hates America, are also American and decidedly right wing in nature. However one documentary stands alone in the group. It is Canadian both in origin and presentation, created by Debbie Melnyk and Rick Caine (previously known for their work on Citizen Black). While not counter-partisan, their film raised as many or more disturbing questions about the intentions of Michael Moore as its more fervent brethren.

Manufacturing Dissent is a Michael Moore style documentary, only casting Melnyk as the truth-seeking protagonist and Moore as the evasive object of interest. Along her ill-fated journey, Melnyk interviews a plethora of Moore’s current and former friends. Most are in the former category and portray Moore as an egomaniac not so concerned with finding justice for the little guy as he is with making money and a name for himself. The interviewees pull few punches in their assessment of the award-winning filmmaker:

• A former writer for the publication Rock n Roll confidential alleges a young publisher Michael Moore used some articles for his own local paper without paying the proper royalties. Moore is also accused of not paying his staff
• The infamous Mother Jones controversy is covered in moderate detail, with former employees of the magazine describing Moore as a tyrant who demoralized his employees and sanitized the image of the Nicaraguan Sandinistas – a revolutionary group often seen as too extreme even for the American anti-Reagan left.
• Producers and others involved with Roger & Me allege timeline manipulations, staged events and most startlingly that Michael Moore actually received two interviews with Roger Smith (both ended up on the cutting room floor, so to boost the dramatic effect of GM’s depravity)
• In stark contradiction to the anti-war sentiment contained the documentary Fahrenheit 911, Moore’s private foundation was discovered to have owned and sold stocks in defense contractors that profited from the Iraq invasion – most notably Honeywell and Halliburton (the latter being publicly associated with none other than George W. Bush’s VP, Dick Cheney)

The intended and well-demonstrated irony in Manufacturing Dissent is that Michael Moore reacts very badly when confronted with Michael Moore style gotcha journalism – much worse than, say, Roger Smith. The unintended irony of the film is that it can be discounted for the same reason as most of Moore’s documentaries. On several occasions, Melnyk swoops in on Moore during public appearances, demanding his undivided attention to tough questions even though other cameras are rolling, before getting silenced by Moore’s omnipresent security. Very seldom do targets put on the spot in this manner answer gracefully and thoughtfully, suggesting that the viewer is not getting both sides of the story.

More importantly, Melnyk misses the opportunity to explain in detail how Michael Moore actually manufactures dissent. For instance, it’s not enough to chase around the CEO of GM and indirectly present his supposed evasion as a reason to rebel against GM’s decision to move manufacturing jobs to Mexico – the economic incentives for moving jobs to Mexico (despite immediate relocation/retraining costs and reputation risk) must also be explored. What role did American unions and labour costs play? Is Mexico exploiting its own people to secure manufacturing jobs? Is GM merely a symptom of a much larger problem concerning US trade with third world countries? In terms of shaping opinion, it could be argued that ignoring the economic mechanics behind unpopular decisions like relocating GM jobs is just as critical as superimposing distraught civilians over clips of aloof political figures. Unfortunately, Manufacturing Dissent ignores these possibilities in favour of merely trying to make Moore sweat the same way he enjoys making other sweat.

Manufacturing Dissent is vindictive, somewhat disjointed and plays more like a lengthy episode of W5 than a documentary film. Conversely, it excels at probing the intentions of the man behind the Michael Moore myth without coming off as a right wing hit job, occupying that rare space in the documentary spectrum where politicized figures can be dissected without necessarily making a political statement. Given the cultural prominence of Moore’s films and the dogmatic zeal of his supporters, Manufacturing Dissent becomes nearly essential in understanding what drives this polarizing cultural icon.

The Obama Deception is the latest documentary film from talk-show host anti-Globalist activist Alex Jones. The film opens with dramatic election footage backed by excerpts from various Obama speeches but wastes no time tearing into Obama’s populist image with an opening monologue by rapper and activist KRS-One (aka Kris Parker) that compares the role of president to being shift manager at a Burger King. Parker ends his diatribe by observing that the angry customers (i.e. voters) can complain all day to the manager but never get to see the owners of the restaurant.

Parker’s analogy summarizes the film’s premise: Barack Obama, like all U.S. presidents since JFK, is little more than an attractive empty suit who was promoted by the political “elites” to quell public anger over the direction of the Bush administration. The president’s role is largely ceremonial to pacify the masses while the real power is held by international bankers and non-elected bodies like the Federal Reserve and the mysterious Bildeberg Group. These non-elected bodies aim to consolidate their world power by precipitating a crisis (e.g. the recent failure of the banking system tied to sub-prime mortgages) that will coax the people into submitting more of their civil liberties to centralized powers in exchange for (perceived) security.

Jones seeks to prove this thesis by demonstrating a long history of economic imperialism, the way unelected bodies have affected the policies of past U.S. presidents (the JFK conspiracy is discussed, as he was allegedly the last president who truly tried to change the system; his comeuppance is illustrated via the infamous Zapruder assassination film) and most importantly compare the one-time senator Obama’s platform to what has actually been done since he took the white house. Despite President Obama’s term being barely 3 months, Jones provides a rather impressive list of promises already broken by the 44th president of the United States:

• Instead of repealing the patriot act as pledged, Barrack Obama voted to reinstate it
• Obama watered down his original pledge to bring all troops home from Iraq in 6 months. Now a only portion of troops will allegedly be brought home in 23 months
• While signing off the closing of Guantanamo bay, Obama’s mandate still allows for rendition; the administration threatened to cut intelligence ties to the United Kingdom over alleged evidence of American misdeeds
• Despite being elected on a platform of neutralizing lobbyists, Obama’s cabinet contains some of the most powerful lobbyists in the country. Most notably, treasury secretary Timothy Geithner was a top lobbyist for Goldman Sachs – to date, the leading beneficiary of the so-called stimulus packages ($12.9 billion)

This documentary excels at providing externally verifiable facts and sometimes shocking footage. For instance, most people probably didn’t know that Barrack Obama -model liberal- has ties to staunch Republicans. The film reveals one of Obama’s early endorsers to be none other than Henry Kissinger – the former Secretary of State is shown in a CNBC clip declaring Obama to be the perfect candidate to set a new world order.

Seasoned skeptics will be relieved to hear that The Obama Deception provides a concise description of what they believe to be President Obama’s agenda for the coming years:

1. Bringing the US financial system under the control of the Bank of the World
2. Conscription for persons aged 18-24 into a domestic paramilitary force under direct command of the president
3. Disarmament of Americans through stricter gun control
4. Strong restrictions on free speech through promotion of the Fairness Doctrine and various hate speech laws
5. Military control of African resources through Africom (to secure resources and push away China from the continent)
6. Further integration with Mexico and Canada in preparation for the North American Union
7. Federal control of family farms through animal ID legislation

Perhaps most shockingly, the film alleges that Obama will in due time fall on his sword and take responsibility for the social upheaval resulting from this agenda. This virtual abdication will pave the way for the next Republican “saviour” who will court the American people as a renegade against socialism, all while perpetuating the agenda dictated by the “elites”.

It’s at this point that The Obama Deception starts to resemble the standard conspiracy theory flick, recently popularized by Zeitgeist and Loose Change (Jones was executive producer for the latter). This perception is only bolstered by the film-maker’s own footage of supported activists picketing and harassing cars entering various political functions they allege to be anti-democratic, playing cat and mouse with event security. The factual portions of the film are not immune to scrutiny either. The Obama Deception backs its core thesis by repeatedly sequencing verifiable information, somewhat alarming (if abbreviated) video clips that could be taken out of context and allusions to sinister activity that seem logical based on the presented information. It’s the classic Yes-Yes strategy of persuasion used by the aforementioned films – a technique that can reach the same level of deception Jones alleges of the president. Alex Jones is no stranger to controversy himself, having spearheaded a movement to rebuild the infamous Branch Davidian compound in Waco Texas that was destroyed by the ATF during its pursuit of cult leader David Koresh. Jones has also produced several conspiratorial films such as Endgame: Blueprint for Global Enslavement and 911: The Road to Tyranny (containing some of the more infamous 911 conspiracy theories). In fact, it could be said that The Obama Deception is merely clever marketing in that it attacks Obama in a seemingly partisan way to bait audiences into hearing Jones’ traditional messages regarding totalitarian world government.

Hence, the Obama Deception is not the smear job some political partisans may have hoped for; instead, it is a discomforting launch point for discussion about the impotence of American democracy. If viewers come away from this film with one question, it is hopefully be why such readily available facts and inconsistencies must be highlighted in fringe films and not the so-called free press (from the Huffington Post to FOX News) that shapes the vast majority of public opinion and has been supposedly liberated by the internet.

A large grain of salt is required, as always, but some of this information simply can’t be dismissed out of hand (plus, we skeptics were given a prediction score-card on which to grade the film). Watch and decide for yourself.

To understand the significance of Invaders Must Die, one must first consider The Prodigy’s relationship with its many imitators. The UK act’s first three albums literally changed the landscape of electronic music and did so in completely different ways. Prodigy’s debut album, Experience, was a funky collection of rave anthems while the sophomore LP, Music for the Jilted Generation, provided a more mature and diverse collection of electronic tracks unafraid to draw on cinematic and rock influences. Fat of the Land broke with the underground to appeal to American audiences through the techno-punk styling of tracks like “Firestarter” and “Breathe” while keeping funky with tracks like “Diesel Power”.

Each of Prodigy’s first LP’s spawned copy-cat acts who thought they could recreate or better composer Liam Howlett’s magic by stringing together a few repetitive female vocals over some crunchy, saturated beats and fat sliding analog bass lines. Sure, all the sonic elements of Experience/Jilted/Fat were present but the outcomes were typically mechanical and uninspired, typically aspiring to no better than being background music on b-grade action movies geared to teenage boys.

So, ignoring the catastrophe that was Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, Prodigy are back to show the rest of the boys how it’s done right? Somewhat. In a strange twist of fate, the imitators seem to have become The Prodigy’s inspiration, as the majority of the tracks on Invaders Must Die are structurally indistinguishable from the electronic generica that emerged in Howlett’s shadow during the 1990’s.

Each track essentially consists of the following: kick ass buzzing bass line, rah-rah vocal samples, a standard dance drum beat popularized at least a decade ago and a one signature old school stab/sample. The latter, so legend has it, was an attempt to recreate the anthem-rave vibe from Experience that first put Prodigy on the map. All the earmarks are present, for sure: the opening title track starts with a fuzzed guitar over a building bass line then hits hard with an aggressive electro-guitar wall of club-friendly energy. “Omen” keeps the energy high by superimposing Keith’s foreboding chants onto xylophone-accented analog breaks, while “Thunder” initially lulls the listener with a dub-influenced intro that quickly gives way to what is essentially the same high octane breakbeats as the last two tracks (albeit with ragga vocals).

The album highlight is “Warrior’s Dance” which easily lives up to its online buzz by recreating the 1992 rave breakbeat vibe with hardcore stabs and infectious female vocals.
The closing track, “Stand-Up” is a distinguishingly down-tempo track written in the style of “Molotov Bitch”. It is also the only track where Howlett truly takes a risk by sampling an R&B horn section for the head-nodding hook.

As expected, the production is top notch – neatly sampled, immaculately mixed and without any sharp diversions in its sequencing. Paradoxically, Invaders Must Die suffers from its mechanical perfection and predictability. Apart from Warrior’s Dance and Stand-Up, there is very little separating these tracks sonically from each other, though elements from Prodigy’s ground-breaking work can be found randomly distributed in all of them. Coming from the standard Myspace sensation producer with a copy of FL Studio, this album would be an A- effort. Coming from the creator of “Poison” and “Weather Experience”, Invaders Must Die sounds recycled and overly conservative. Worth your money for the nostalgia, but don’t expect to be blown away.

Track Listing:

1. Invaders Must Die
2. Omen
3. Thunder
4. Colours
5. Take Me To The Hospital
6. Warrior’s Dance
7. Run With The Wolves
8. Omen Reprise
9. World’s On Fire
10. Piranha
11. Stand Up

A few years ago an African-American friend from Michigan visited me in Toronto . He was amazed at how integrated the city appeared to be: there were even people of different races standing together at the same bus stop! He later told me he aspired to live in Canada one day. While I was touched by his admiration for my country, I warned him that unfortunately racism does exist in Canada . I would hate for him to come here under the illusion it did not and then be bitterly disappointed on discovering the truth.

Many Americans, both Black and White, are taken in by Canada ’s seeming racial harmony. One (White) American who immigrated here in the 1970s with this vision in mind but who later found out otherwise is Margaret Cannon, a social worker, professor at York University , Globe and Mail columnist, and author of The Invisible Empire: Racism in Canada. The book is a chronicle of her investigation into the presence of racism (and anti-Semitism, which for the purpose of this review will be subsumed under the heading “racism”) in her adopted country.

The Invisible Empire: Racism in Canada was first published in 1995. While it may appear a bit outdated (Preston Manning and the Reform Party are frequently mentioned, for example), it is still relevant today in understanding racial discrimination in this country. It is written in a personable but not overly informal style. The Invisible Empire makes references to a number of well-known individuals, such as Western University psychology professor Philippe Rushton, late journalist and philanthropist June Callwood, and Catholic Archbishop of Toronto Aloysius Ambrozic. Perhaps the real substance of the book, though, lies in Cannon’s interviews with the people on the ground, so to speak: White Supremacists, police officers, immigrants, and native-born Canadians of all colours. To her credit she does her best to get feedback from all sides of the various issues she addresses. For instance, a young Black man in Toronto talks about receiving death glares from complete strangers right after the Just Desserts case. On the other hand, Cannon hears from a policeman who when describing the shootings of African-Canadian men by the police explains the dilemma officers face in trying to use as little force as possible while at the same time keeping crime under control.

The Invisible Empire begins with a description of White Supremacist organizations and their members. Cannon attempts to discover what attracts people to such groups. Her final conclusion is that many of these individuals join out of a need to belong to something larger than themselves, just as she in her younger years became part of the Young Socialists Alliance in the United States . She goes on to discuss several major players in the movement, some still famed like Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel and the late Heritage Front leader Wolfgang Droege and others who have since faded from collective memory, such as Carney Nerland, the “Fuhrer of Saskatchewan,” who was convicted in the shooting death of a Native Canadian man.

One controversy that emerges is the clash between the freedom of expression of people like Zundel and the desire to protect Jews and other minorities from hate speech. The issue gets thornier yet when it involves educators telling their students the Holocaust never occurred, as Eckville , Alberta high school history teacher Jim Keegstra did. Even individuals like myself who would, albeit reluctantly, defend Zundel’s “right” to spew any nonsense he wished in self-published pamphlets would draw the line at teachers doing the same with impressionable young minds in the classroom – though I might also agree with a trustee at the Eckville school board who said the matter should have ended with Keegstra’s dismissal, not in a court of law.

Other race-related controversies take up the pages of The Invisible Empire as well. Among them are the “Into the Heart of Africa” exhibit at Toronto ’s Royal Ontario Museum , the North York Performing Arts Centre’s decision to feature the musical Show Boat, and the resignation of social activist June Callwood from Nellie’s, the battered women’s shelter she had founded. Though Cannon refrains from taking sides in these battles, she says the side you do end up taking is literally the side of the colour line on which you fall. For example, in viewing “Into the Heart of Africa,” which displays the paraphernalia of Canadian missionaries to Africa in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Cannon saw “an ironic look at a lot of dead white people who thought they were doing the right thing.” Black critics of the exhibit however spoke of its “false representation of African people, denigrating language and images, and perpetuation of colonialist and imperialist thinking about Africa .” Similarly while Show Boat was originally meant to be a statement against anti-miscegenation laws in the United States , Blacks in 1990s Toronto focussed on lyrics like “Niggers all work on the Mississippi .” June Callwood was forced to resign from Nellie’s following charges that women of colour were being excluded from positions of power on the hostel’s board of directors. A number of (presumably White) corporate sponsors withdrew their support for Nellie’s after she stepped down, but many non-White observers felt her accusers had some legitimate points.

The book attempts to portray how racism permeates Canadian daily life in its various spheres: education, entertainment, and even language. For instance, the word “Hymie,” which Canadian former talk show host Dini Petty used on the air to describe cheapskate husbands, derives from a derogatory term for Jews. Though Petty claimed to have no knowledge of the word’s origin and issued a public apology, the Jewish community was understandably upset. The stereotype of the greedy Jew has after all figured behind everything from pogroms to the Holocaust to the exclusion of Jews from institutions of higher learning (in Canada among other countries). At other times the racism of seemingly innocent words is more doubtful. One of Cannon’s interviewees, a Guyanese woman of mixed African and East Indian descent, says she can call a White woman “girl” but coming from the other end it would be racist because “it makes me the maid.” Here even the ultra-progressive Cannon admits this “may seem like linguistic hair-splitting to some.”

Towards the end of the book Margaret Cannon delves into the twin political issues of immigration and multiculturalism. Unlike in earlier years, most immigrants coming to Canada today are not White, a fact with which not everybody is comfortable. Canadians’ views on immigration are nuanced, however: polls show that while a majority of respondents want to reduce the number of immigrants, they also believe newcomers make Canada a more interesting place. Quebec holds an interesting position as a French-speaking province. Cannon notes that minorities report experiencing less prejudice in Quebec than in other provinces. Nonetheless, many Quebec Francophone leaders insist that those who settle in the province must learn French.

Multiculturalism is another political “hot potato.” Often described disparagingly as an orgy of singing and dancing and spaghetti-eating, the policy has been criticized by Whites and non-Whites alike. Trinidadian-born writer Neil Bissoondath believes it prevents immigrants and their children from fully integrating into their adopted nation. Black writer Marlene Nourbese Philip sees it as a way to appease non-Whites while continuing to exclude them from positions of power in this country’s institutions.

The Invisible Empire: Racism in Canada is all in all a well-written and informative book. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to point out a few of its potential shortcomings. Beyond a short mention of past prejudice against the “heathen Irish,” Cannon says virtually nothing about White-on-White (“white” here in the sense of White Christian) discrimination. She is silent for example on the internment of Ukrainian Canadians during World War I. Perhaps her silence stems from her view of racism as the “conviction that the white (or White Christian) race is superior to all others [and that] all others are inferior.”

The notion of racism as a “Whites versus Others” question also clashes with her own findings that different non-White communities don’t necessarily love each other or bond together to oppose the great White oppressor. In one neighbourhood Cannon visits not only the White but the South Asian residents as well are convinced that “Blacks are committing crimes at record rates.” Even members of the same broad racial group don’t always engage in a gigantic love fest. Some Somali children speak of being assaulted by Jamaican gangs at Toronto schools.

Though Cannon’s dedication to eradicating racism is heartening in many ways, in her zeal she at times appears to see discrimination where it may not truly exist. For example, she states that “Blacks, Natives and Orientals [I have to admit being a bit surprised at her use of a ‘politically incorrect’ term for East Asians] report that they are regularly stopped by the police.” However, a couple of surveys show that while Blacks and Natives are indeed more likely than Whites to be stopped by the police, East Asians are actually less likely to be so targeted. One wonders whether if Cannon interviewed a group of young White men they too would tell her of being pulled over by the cops.

I read The Invisible Empire twice: the first time when it originally came out and the second just recently. I have tentatively come to the conclusion that racism in Canada may not be as pervasive as Cannon seems to believe it is but that she does provide a good description of race relations in this country. However, anybody wanting to challenge or confirm this conclusion should read the book for him- or herself.

How do you become a better parent? A better husband/wife/partner? A better friend? A better neighbour? Most books, especially those tinged with a “New Age” approach, focus on what you can do for yourSELF. Now a new book asking those same questions has come out, but with a twist: to paraphrase JFK, “Ask not what others can do for you – ask what you can do for others.” Such is the message of Love-Ability: Becoming Lovable by Caring for Yourself and Others.

The book is written by Madeline Pecora Nugent, a married mother of five and Minister General for the Confraternity of Penitents, and Julian Stead, O.S.B., a Benedictine monk and priest at St. Gregory’s Abbey in Portsmouth , Rhode Island . Though the two obviously come from very different walks of life, their diametrically opposed personal experiences complement each other and underline the book’s relevance for all readers no matter what their gender, marital status, or station in life.

Despite the authors’ differences, Love-Ability is written from a Christian, and more specifically Catholic, perspective. Quotes from Scriptures and prominent saints – in particular sixth-century Pope Gregory the Great – appear throughout it. However, the authors also include Buddhist maxims and references to the Islamic faith, so if one is willing to overlook the Christian references the book has a message that can be heard by all.

The main point of Love-Ability is that if you put others before yourself, you end up not only helping them but gaining something for yourself as well. In other words, “givers are receivers.” Placing oneself last involves both concrete acts such as volunteering or making charitable donations or even on a more abstract caring for the environment and less tangible measures like paying attention to one’s manners or being careful before attributing bad intents to other people’s actions (for instance, if your friend seemed to snub you at the store, he or she might have been too occupied to notice you).

Nonetheless, there is a “good” kind of giving and a “not so good” kind. We should not look down on those to whom we make charitable donations. It is similarly wrong to selectively give to those we view as more “worthy” of our kindness. Love-Ability cites the case of a woman who refused to donate to AIDS foundations because she considered people with that disease “sinners.” We must in addition examine whether the motives for our generosity are sound. For example, believing that if we perform good deeds we can make up for past wrongs we have committed is misguided. The authors explain that “righteousness cannot be bought.”

On the other hand, putting others first doesn’t mean being a doormat. The authors tell readers to “splurge” on themselves from time to time and do something enjoyable with it. This is protective against becoming a miser. In addition, they warn that in the long run it is better not to pretend to agree with somebody if you in reality disagree with him or her. In other words, your opinion counts too. And don’t expect to take on every responsibility thrust on you; at worst this can lead to making promises one cannot keep, another mistake to avoid.

The final chapter of the book advises readers who feel they need professional help what to look for in a counsellor (who could be not only a counsellor per se but a physician, member of the clergy, etcetera). All in all, no matter whether or not we are actively seeking to become more “lovable,” Love-Ability is a book that is worth reading.

To find out about ordering the book, go to www.love-ability.com.

Title: Zeitgeist Addendum
Release: 2008
Genre: Documentary
Run Time: 123 Minutes
Author: Peter Joseph
Rating: 73%
URL: http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/ (watch online)

The word “Addendum” implies a small addition or expansion of a larger body of work. Clocking in at 2 hours and 3 minutes, Zeitgeist Addendum is a full-fledged sequel to Zeitgeist the Movie rather than a mere addendum. “Zeitgeist 2” picks up where its predecessor left off by launching a detailed explanation on the mechanics behind the monetary system and fractional reserve banking. Using the American economic system for its examples, the brooding narration explains how the central bank issues notes to the government for deposit in commercial banks, who in turn loan a large fraction of these deposits to consumers. The explanation of money purely as an instrument of debt seems philosophically valid, if not a little cynical. Filmmaker Peter Joseph’s view of the monetary system as both a pyramid scheme and a form of organized slavery serves as a basis for the remainder of the film.

The second phase of the movie features a long interview with John Perkins, author of “Confessions of an Economic Hitman”. Perkins outlines the role and evolution of the so-called economic hitman – a private or public sector agent who corrupts foreign leaders and economies to enable cheap access to national resources. Foreign leaders who do not comply with agents of the corrupting nation (typically from the West) are typically assassinated and replaced with a more “business-friendly” regime. Perkins cites the Iranian coup of 1953 and subsequent installation of the Shah as the first true economic hit while citing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and Panamanian president Omar Torrijos Herrera (who signed the bill transferring the Panama Canal from American control) as examples of leaders who refused to be corrupted and were subsequently killed.

Visions of Utopia

Part three and four of the movie deal with The Venus Project, a visionary design for a resource-based economy whose proponents believe all of humanity’s problems can be solved by technology. In such world, the representatives claim, all humans can be fed, housed and otherwise placated by the abundant resources available in a society that uses technology to cater to social needs rather than military or capitalistic objectives. This portion of Zeitgeist Addendum is the most challenging to watch – not just because it is too long, but also because it mixes equal portions of science fiction (e.g. magnetic levitation tube trains traveling 4000 miles/hour), societal absurdities (e.g. no need for laws since every human’s economic needs to be met with technology and there will be no need to commit crime) and genuinely good ideas (e.g. harnessing solar, wind, wave, tidal and geothermal power to minimize or eliminate dependency on fossil fuels).

Focus returns to the monetary system, citing its inherent corruption as the primary reason why societies similar to that outlined by the Venus Project aren’t possible. After once again maligning the banking system as the root of all human woe, Zeitgeist Addendum offers a surprisingly practical list of what the average person can do to exploit the current financial chaos for social transformation. Among the suggested measures are divestment from America’s three largest banks, boycotting mainstream media sources in favour of independent news sources, avoiding military service (extra focus was placed on the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on Gulf war veterans) and removing from the energy grid.

You’re Either With us or Against us

The movie closes with a stark choice for the viewer – remain a materialistic slave of the monetary system and its divisionary institutions or discover truth and oneness by joining the Zeitgeist movement. The accompanying dramatic sequence depicts a series of business, military and religious people throwing down the symbols and tools of their respective institutions before looking to the sky and embracing a re-colorized earth.

Timing can mean everything to a movie’s success and Joseph chose the perfect time to release Zeitgeist Addendum. The monetary system is in retreat worldwide while defaults skyrocket among consumers and once-unshakable mega-corporations. One narrative at the end of the movie should resonate with even the hardest critic of anti-establishment sentiment:

As of now, the world financial system is on the brink of collapse, due to its own shortcomings. The comptroller of currency stated in 2003 that the interest on the U.S. national debt will not be affordable in less than 10 years. This theoretically means total bankruptcy for the U.S. economy and its implications for the world are immense. In turn, the fractional reserve-based monetary system is reaching its theoretical limits of expansion and the banking failures you are seeing is just the beginning. This is why inflation is skyrocketing, all debt is at record levels, and the government and fed are hemorrhaging new money to bail out the corrupt system – for the only way to keep the banks going is by making more money. The only way to make more money is to create more debt and inflation. It is simply a matter of time before the tables turn and there is no one willing to take new loans while defaults grow, as people are unable to afford their current loans. Then the expansion of money will stop and contraction will begin on a scale never before seen.
-Narration, Zeitgeist Addendum

Sadly, Zeitgeist Addendum devalues such timely and thought-provoking observations with the same dishonest recitation and logical leaps that earned its predecessor the “conspiracy theory” label from skeptics.

• Yes-Yes persuasion. This subtle but effective technique starts with reciting two or more verifiable/probable statements and forcing a conclusion on the plausibility of the previous statements. While a decent argument can be made that debt and interest will inevitably force some foreclosures in any society, one cannot therefore assume that the banks INTEND to bankrupt people and hold them to any kind of modern bondage. In truth, bankruptcy is bad news for the modern bank because most of the assets purchased with consumer debt have limited resale value … and of course the bank is out of the money it loaned. People in many U.S. states can legally walk away from their homes without legal penalty. Furthermore, the existence of a relationship between government and business does not imply premeditation, and in the case of the current sub-prime meltdown even most bankers were not aware of the exposure presented by mortgage-backed securities. If there exists a conspiracy to enslave humanity and consolidate power, it’s proving a colossal failure.
• Willful omission. Attacking banks as omnipotent forces of profit may be fair game, but who owns the banks? The majority of banks are publicly held, traded on the open market. Huge contributors include pension funds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. The ultimate owners of these funds are the same “wage-slaves” said to be indirectly working for the bank, regardless of their actually occupation. With few exceptions, the slave does not own the farm. The recent collapse of Lehman Brothers did not result in mass freedom but did wipe out thousands of average people’s retirement savings.
• Drive-by accusations. Alarming accusations and insinuations are placed amid factual statements without elaboration or future reference. While defining terrorism, the narrator claims that the organization Al Qaeda never existed, with the name referring to a database created by American operatives. Another passage insinuates that 9/11 was executed by American forces as a pretext to invade Afghanistan and revive the opium trade.

Shaman or Charlatan?

Zeigeist Addendum’s core message is somewhat contradictory. Firstly, the narrator suggests divesting from the three largest banks as a form of protest, but wouldn’t reinvesting those funds in alternative firms perpetuate the same fractional reserve system? All banks in a nation hold deposits with the same central bank – that’s why it’s a CENTRAL bank.

Secondly, the film suggests joining The Zeitgeist Movement to attain critical mass and inform the world that resources should be free for all of mankind to use. This, the narrator claims is “the only true sustainable solution”. Previously, the film dismissed the world’s major religions (Islam, Christianity and Hinduism) as closed-world views. Why, then, wouldn’t this criticism hold true for a movement promoting the inalienable truth of environmentally-conscious collectivism?

Thirdly, the film states several times that politicians cannot solve humanity’s problems since they are controlled by the same few corporations. These statements are accompanied by flashing images of Democrat/Republican symbols and pictures of the 2008 presidential candidates. However, the film also flashes a picture of failed Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul when speaking of honest politicians who are sidelined by the system. Paul also appears in a C-SPAN clip, sternly questioning FRB Chairman Ben Bernanke. How do we know Ron Paul isn’t also controlled by the same corporations, provided as a distraction to create the illusion of dissidence?

With such gaping inconsistencies in mind, who should watch this film? In some respects, everyone should view this film because it at least challenges our understanding of and allegiance to the social institutions we rarely question. The high points of this film are the initial explanation of fractional reserve banking and entire economic hitman segment – both can be easily verified and/or criticized. The rest is somewhat pie in the sky to this cold pragmatist but can stoke the imagination of more eccentric types. Like Zeitgeist the Movie, Zeitgeist Addendum is primarily a conversation starter, but now the presentation is a bit slicker and the content more relevant to current events.

Goldie is a man with something to prove. The unofficial ambassador of Drum n Bass, his aptly-named 1995 debut album Timeless was hailed as a landmark album that crossed over into the mainstream and brought media attention to a still-underground mutation of breakbeat music. Above all else, new listeners admired Timeless’ heart and soul – the lush strings, smooth vocals and story-like arrangements had more in common with Classical and Soul music than pulse-pounding dance vibes. Having set the bar extraordinarily high, Goldie followed up with the ambitious 1997 release Saturnz Return. The double-CD featured the 60 minute orchestral track “Mother” as well as collaborations with Noel Gallagher (Oasis) and KRS-One. Reaction to Goldie’s sophomore effort was mixed at best, with particular scorn for the directionless Mother and the failure of the edgier tracks to deliver a true floor-killer..

Still, Goldie remained a cultural icon in the UK (as demonstrated via several movie appearances, art exhibits and DJ Mix CD’s) and so even 10 years later heads were waiting for the ambassador to take the increasingly stagnant genre to the next level. After some teasing, the digital-only release Sine Tempus was finally released with announcements made web-wide.

Sine Tempus could be best described as Saturnz Return 2.0. Many of the synth sounds, samples and drum patterns are reminiscent of or directly from the 1996-1999 era. The opening track, “Letting Go”, builds in epic fashion with powerful vocals from Jenna G before dropping into a funky drum solo with atmospheric swirls and additional vocal riffs. Like most of the album, the programming isn’t particularly complex but very catchy and dancefloor-friendly. “Say you Love Me” is aimed directly at the dance floor with an aggressive mixture of analog buzzes and digital brass horns. Goldie seems to be reworking older ideas throughout the album: “I Know Who I am” distorts the lead synth to a near-guitar sound reminiscent of “Temper Temper” while “Don’t Give In”’s down tempo beats and inspirational lyrics sounds wouldn’t be out of place on the Timeless LP.

The beats disappear completely for the guitar-driven “Never Still” and the orchestral “Truez String”. These tracks will not appeal to DnB purists but add variety for the home listener who doesn’t necessarily want to hear 60+ minutes of straight thrashing.

As mentioned earlier, Sine Tempus is a digital-only release, but before you start scanning ITunes or Amazon be advised that the album is available exclusively at the Metalheadz website. Herin lies the sorest point of Sine Tempus – the album is only available in MP3 format yet costs an astounding £13.99 (roughly around $28US as of writing). Comparatively, physical CD’s can be purchased for around $12US with digital downloads averaging $10US. Metalheadz’ pricing virtually promotes piracy.

Is Sine Tempus worth the exorbitant price? I’m still unable to answer that question after 4 listens. There are no absolute standout tracks but no real stinkers either. Most of the songs are reminiscent of the mid-90’s and carry a certain nostalgic factor for older listeners. Many newer and hardcore listeners will chafe at the excessive use of vocals and lack of, shall we say, technical complexity (which has sadly become the main determinant of an artist’s value to the scene). Few people are going to debate whether Sine Tempus was written in Logic or whether it used VST’s in favour of hardware. These tracks just sound good when played LOUD. In the long run, that’s all that matters.

Track Listing:

1. Letting Go
2. Say You Love Me
3. Don’t Give In
4. Chances
5. I know who I am
6. Breakin Glass
7. Something About You
8. Rhythm Killa
9. Inside your Soul
10. Never Still
11. Latin Skin
12. Invisible
13. Truez String

The American Pit Bull Terrier has become synonymous with viciousness and danger in North American culture. Once admired as intelligent family pets and used to advertise a variety of products from phonographs to children’s clothing, Pit bulls are now associated with fatal human attacks and the shadowy world of dog fighting. The latter has spawned the equally controversial derivative industries of pit bull supplies and Pit Bull training, as well as a fierce sect of activists dedicated to pit bull rescue and fighting the growing number of laws blindly restricting the ownership of Pit Bull Terriers.

Off the Chain is a graphic hour-long documentary detailing the origin and evolution of both the dog breeds collectively referred to as “Pit Bull Terriers” and their human admirers. The film begins with a historical overview of the use of bulldogs for bull baiting, a popular form of British entertainment during the 18th and 19th centuries. Once England banned the practice, dog vs. dog fights were arranged and Bulldogs were subsequently bred with Terrier breeds to produce the Pit Bull family.

The documentary follows the migration and breeding of the American Pit Bull Terrier, its short-lived status as an all-American dog and eventual decline into violent status symbol. In the latter [present-day] stage, the film-makers give equal air time to the breeders who engage in dog-fighting and the activists / police who oppose them.

The dog-fighting participants wear disguises and defend their activities as sport. After proclaiming his love for the breed, Dog Man Tucson – a participant in and strong advocate of dog fighting as a sport – explains in detail the ad-hoc surgeries dog owners perform on injured pit bulls. Dog training, which begins with the mild baiting of baby pit bulls, can be as innocuous as treadmill exercises or as extreme as standing on a dog mid-fight or filing teeth to a sharp point. Steroid injections have also become popular among breeders, though even the breeders in the film admit that it is easy to damage or kill the dog by administering the shots improperly.

The mid portion of the film is extremely gory and will not appeal to most viewers. Hidden camera video clips of fatal fights and post-match executions are interspersed with still shots of dead and mutilated dogs.

Fortunately, Off the Chain moves beyond the carnage to explore the fascination with and motivation for dog fighting. Most people correctly identify the macho aspect of Pit Bull ownership – having the baddest dog on the block can be good for street cred. However, money seems to be a greater motivator for dedicated breeders – American dog fighting events take place in remote or secluded areas, charging entries fees between $20 and $50. Owners have waged upwards of $500,000 on a single match (which can be as short as 5 minutes) while tournament-winning dogs can provide further revenue through breeding. Dog fighting is a billion dollar, worldwide industry with a mild level of social acceptance in Mexico, Japan and Italy. The latter nation’s matches can take place in an arena with a seated audience dressed as though they were attending an opera.

The last word goes to the Pit Bull activists, who challenge the “love” professed by the pit bull trainers and detail their efforts to adopt the [very few] rescued dogs who represent a minimal risk to society. The featured advocates (including Pit Bull Rescue Central) offer recommendations on curbing malicious dog training such as breed-specific, graduated licensing for dog ownership.

Off the Chain requires a strong stomach to watch and will not be to everyone’s taste. If there is a bias in the film it is against the dog fighting industry, but observing the brutal training and disposal of young pit bulls makes pure objectivity impossible. Watch with caution.