Markets are Deleuzean!
"A rhizome ceaselessly establishes connections between semiotic chains, organizations of power, and circumstances relative to the arts, sciences, and social struggles..."--Deleuze & Guattari
I just saw on Gothamist.that Google has improved their mapping of the MTA Subway System in NYC, giving onnyturf maps a run for their money. In order to access the transit maps, go to Google
maps and click or enter a NYC destination. Click on the MORE tab and check on TRANSIT. I did a quick check and the transit maps are also superimposed for the Toronto area.
What's not included are the schedules, which are available for BART in San Francisco::
In due time, I'm sure.
Twitterversion:: @Gothamist reports new subway overlap on GoogleMaps. Also avail in #Toronto for #TTC & #SanFrancisco for #BART.
I wish I had more time to spend in NYC/Westchester, but who wouldn't? I strongly recommend the Sweet Grass Grill in Sleepy Hollow. I had the American bison burger, washed down with a Brooklyn Oktoberfest. Speaking of recommendations, my friend {Nance} from the area texted me to check out Brooklyn-based Elizabeth & the Catapult's "Taller Children." {MySpace Music}
This is well-crafted pop with a smart sound. Their début album, also titled Taller Children{$9.99 US AMZN/ $14.99 CAN}, was produced by Mike Mogis, who has worked with the likes of Rilo Kiley. It would be easy to lump the music into a genre of melodious pop with female vocals like the Postmarks, the Submarines, or the Bird and the Bee, which I'm a fan of, I think each has a distinct signature when it comes to their arrangements. Elizabeth and the Catapult's cover of Cohen's "Everybody Knows" has some great guitar work and drumming {the sound isn't great on this video of a live Boston performance, although I like it more than the album version}::
The band is currently on tour, with several dates in California {25 Nov.-Hermosa Beach, 27 Nov,-Pomona, 28 Nov.-W. Hollywood, 29 Nov.-SF@GAMH}, as well as a date in my old home of Eugene on 1 December. In January, they have a date in Clinton, {upstate} NY @The Barn on the 28th.
One of my favourite tracks is "Race You" {below} and I hope I can catch them live one of these days.
Twitterversion:: Belated #Newmusicmonday post on #BrooklynIndie Elizabeth & @thecatapult. New album & tour. Video clips,incl. Cohen cover. http://url.ie/2svr @Prof_K
So, I'm in Westchester County, NY and it's a drizzly autumn evening on the Tappan Zee. A perfect night to brave the elements to see Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Storyout at the Jacob Burns Film Centerover in Pleasantville, which is a great screening facility.
I find Moore to be a colourful character and I "get" his shtick. That said, no matter how you feel about his politics or this documentary, he brings up some interesting food for thought. In the documentary, there is a reference to an internal Citibank {a "zombie" bank these days} report on the "plutonomy."While the idea of a power elite is nothing new in sociology -or- to anyone familiar with institutions and the macro-structural, I don't think everyone is on the same page with respect to this being a bad thing or not. Well, let's not get too far ahead. What is this plutonomy business anyway? According to the Citibank report::
"Our thesis is that the rich are the dominant drivers of demand in many economies around the world (the US, UK, Canada and Australia). These economies have seen the rich take an increasing share of income and wealth over the last 20 years, to the extent that the rich now dominate income, wealth and spending in these countries. Asset booms, a rising profit share and favorable treatment by market-friendly governments have allowed the rich to prosper and become a greater share of the economy in the plutonomy countries. Also, new media dissemination technologies like internet downloading, cable and satellite TV, have disproportionately increased the audiences, and hence gains to “superstars” – think golf, soccer, and baseball players, music/TV and movie icons, fashion models, designers, celebrity chefs etc. These “content” providers, the tech whizzes who own the pipes and distribution, the lawyers and bankers who intermediate globalization and productivity, the CEOs who lead the charge in converting globalization and technology to increase the profit share of the economy at the expense of labor, all contribute to plutonomy. Indeed, David Gordon and Ian Dew-Becker of the NBER demonstrate that the top 10%, particularly the top 1% of the US – the plutonomists in our parlance – have benefited disproportionately from the recent productivity surge in the US.
So, this is good if you're in the top 1%, right? Let's move on to the "risks"::
"Furthermore, the rising wealth gap between the rich and poor will probably at some point lead to a political backlash.Whilst the rich are getting a greater share of the wealth, and the poor a lesser share, political enfrachisement remains as was – one person, one vote (in the plutonomies). At some point it is likely that labor will fight back against the rising profit share of the rich and there will be a political backlash against the rising wealth of the rich. This could be felt through higher taxation (on the rich or indirectly though higher corporate taxes/regulation) or through trying to protect indigenous laborers, in a push-back on globalization – either anti-immigration, or protectionism.We don’t see this happening yet, though there are signs of rising political tensions. However we are keeping a close eye on developments."
One of the themes in Moore's film is that there is collusion between government and business. Moreover, this is NOT a Republican vs. Democrat issue, as deregulation and the repeal of Glass-Steagall was signed under Bill Clinton's watch.
Have we gotten to a point where within the context of "democracy," we are now seeing an unholy alignment of interests of an unfettered private sector that seeks to influence the "rules" of the market and a public sector willing to bargain? I would argue that we are so far removed from the idealized capitalism of the flavour of Adam Smith's waxings, as the market has been replaces in many instances by "the visible hand" of managerial puppetry in the private and public spheres.
The checks-and-balances in "idealized" capitalism are that competition and the profit motive driven by shareholders will allow for smoothly functioning and efficient markets. In financial markets, undermining faith in the institution of the market through insider trading carries stiff penalties. The plutonomy sees fit to alter the rules for the political and economic elite. Some may argue that the plutonomy is fine. The alignment of interests is a way to channel wealth and capital towards successful ventures. The sociological "Matthew effect" in action, where the rich get richer and success breeds more success.
I'm not convinced. Historically, Microsoft has a marginal track record at managing and commercializing innovations and the well-heeled US pharmaceutical industry knows that newly patented drugs with incremental benefits are far more profitable than truly innovative drugs with an unknown track record. The entertainment industry strives to find or replicate a "formula," rather than try to push the envelope with creativity. Success breeds plutonomy...and Spiderman 4.
The thing is that the plutonomy doesn't care about companies or shareholders, let alone workers or pension plans. It's all about the power elites, who control, enable, and reap the rewards of wealth creation. I'm not sure Moore has the answers here, but Scorsese might. The plutonomy is all about feeding the top of the pyramid. The motto..."f*ck you, pay me."
Twitterversion:: #MichaelMoore's Capitalism: A♥Story brings up food 4 thought re:plutonomy. In the end, is it just Scorsese's #Goodfellas. http://url.ie/2qaw @Prof_K
So, I made it out to Westchester County taking in a perfect autumn week. On Sunday, I made it out to the Grounds for Sculpture, out in Hamilton, NJ {nr. Trenton}. I strongly recommend it. I strongly recommend not going to the restaurant, Rats.
Newmusicmonday has drifted into newmucictuesday, but I wanted to feature a band from the area. This week's offering, Jupiter One {MySpace,YouTube}, is thanks to WFUV. Jupiter One has a new album, Sunshower, and is currently on tour withRegina Spektor. Hailing from Brooklyn, Jupiter One offers up catchy synthpop and gamers may recognize their music from several EA titles. I'm a big fan of Volcano::
"Flaming Arrow" is another great track with an interesting anime-esque video::
I predict this band is going places and may become ubiquitous in popculture like Phoenix {in the sense of being used on TV shows and in commercials}, another synth-friendly band playing homage to 80s "new wave," but with strong guitar work. I'd put Malajube from Montréal, Québec in this musical genre, as well. Countdown {below} is another great track, but from their eponymous 2008 release. See discography.
Twitterversion:: @jupiterone is this week's #newmusicmonday. #brooklynindie synthpop band-new album w/strong tracks evoking #80s newwave. http://url.ie/2psq
The fact that Nevada and Utah are neighbours shows that the universe has a sense of humour. I'm in chaste Utah, while a block away is the gaudy, second-tier glitz of a borderline casino zone. Speaking of humour, before I left Berkeley, I saw commercials forThe Battle for Milkquarious, a rock opera about milk {seepress release}. I don't think this is being advertised outside of California, as it's sponsored by the California Milk Processor Board. Goodby, Silverstein, & Partners are behind it, the same agency that did the "Got Milk" campaign. The scary thing is I actually have dreams like this...{click to go to site in new window}
This takes me back to watching bad scifi likeSpace: 1999andLogan's Run. Well, not to mention good dystopian stuff like Kubrick'sA Clockwork Orange. Ah, the Korova Milk Bar::
I'm going to be in Westchester County next week, so I might have to gohere in White Plains, NY. Milkdonkulous!
OK, so back to Milkquarious, I found it campy and hilarious, with characters like White Gold, Jug Life, and the unipegacow, Bovina::
Oh, if Strawberry Summers {top right} looks familiar, she was in the IBM "Go Green" adsI blogged about last year::
Twitterversion:: Rock opera The Battle for Milkquarious rocks the Interwebs thanks to the Calif. Milk Processor Board & #GoodbySilverstein. @Prof_K
This ad has been making the rounds during the MLB playoffs. Someone said it's iPhone meets District 9, starting with the catchiness of indie pop well-known at Chiat-Day juxtaposed with the stark & dark futuristic imagery of Droid. It's an interesting attack ad execution for Verizon, highlighting iPhone's faults, but I wonder if it's too "high concept" for a launch. It caught my eye and ear, getting me to find out more info. online, but will others follow suit or be primed for the launch in November? I think the Motorola offering really needs to dazzle in order to make a dent.
Twitterversion:: Verizon pokes fun at ChiatDay #Apple ads with #iDont campaign. #Music&theAd starts out indiepop & disses iPhone, but turns dark. Effective?
I feel a bit bad that during my recent stint out in Eastbay I really haven't given any shoutouts to SF area bands on new music Mondays. I just found about Ryan Lynch's Dominant Legs {MySpace Music site w/ demo tracks; Hype Machine}. Ryan {vocals, guitars [acoustic/electric], synth., & drum machines} does quirky pop and while Stereogum makes a comparison to Belle & Sebastian, which I can hear, there's a decidedly 80s referent here I just can't seem to recall right now. BTW:: I love the "dissing" comments on Stereogum, which reminds me why I hate hipsters. The Fader user the term "quivering" and and makes reference to Archie Bell, which are both apt. Oh, maybe Lynch's music can start a new variant on the Fishstick meme.
A shout out to a blog I just found out about via Tumblr:: Letters of Note. I loved this recent entry{see link for context & debate on what this is referring to in the Stones' discography}::
Twitterversion:: Shout out for Shaun Usher's @LettersOfNote, dedicated to "correspondence deserving a wider audience." #MickJagger to #AndyWarhol. @Prof_K
