Don Street Retreat: Talk Amongst Yourselves

Lake Winnipeg

While posting has been slow these past few days here at Don Street, things are about to come to a stand-still. I’m going to be away for a while and will not be posting or even reading comments until I return. But, on my left (your right), you can find many links to some sites from Winnipeg, none of them endorsed by Don Street. By the way, post below if you know of other good Winnipeg blogs adn sites to which I should be linking.

Local Winnipeg News seems to be heating up right at the time that I am leaving! The Taman Inquiry continues, taser tragedy is in the news, City Hall seems to have a human-resources crisis, the Mayor is expected to make a decision on the stadium, Transit may go on strike, and the Bombers finally won a game. Don Street is looking forward to catching up on news and commentary on these events and more.

But, since you are wondering my views (or you wouldn’t be reading this), here are some brief thoughts:

TAMAN INQUIRY: (Dan Lett has oodles to say on this at his blog.) Could the police look any worse? This abdication of responsibility only compounds their attempts to deal with other issues, like the taser incident. Having shown themselves corrupt - at least in the eyes of the public - they taint our view of all other actions. To wit…

TASERS: Curtis Brown’s good comment in the Free Press Saturday was undermined by a story a few pages back. While I agree that the use of tasers is a thousand times better than shooting someone, the Brittish remind us that there are more than two options for dealing with people. In this latest incident, we don’t have nearly enough evidence to comment conclusively, though the Taman Inquiry does give the public reason to pause and question. Policy Frog is none-too-impressed with the MMF’s Chartrand, but I think that suspicion of racism is a reaction that flows from brutal historical wrongs. To suggest that the Metis should not be suspicious at all, we would need to show the precise moment when racism was eradicated. In the end, however, I give the benefit of doubt to the officers involved until such time as the evidence shows otherwise.

EXEUNT: The surprising turnover at the top is a reason why we need newspapers and reporters. Dig into this story, o reporters! It is possible that this is just a coincidence, but why would so many key people leave at around the same time? Is there something more to this? Don Street wants to know.

ASPERLAND: The big decision on the Point Douglas Stadium is coming soon! I’ve made my views on this plan clear here, and here. However, I would like to say that I feel sorry for Asper. He’s been put in a tough spot by Toews’ sudden interest in “urban renewal”. The original plan for Polo Park should be reconsidered. And, while rejecting the stadium, Katz should lay the foundation for a complete re-development plan for South Point Douglas that ensures that people move into our downtown, thus doing a enormous amount to truly renew our core. (hat tip Dan Lett)

FARE TREATMENT: It would be a tragedy to shut down Transit and strand its tens of thousands of riders. However, the drivers do have some good points. Quality of life is important and should not be overlooked. At the same time, Transit has been struggling to find new staff and has been working hard to avoid taking the measures that are upsetting drivers. This doesn’t seem like an easy issue to resolve and Don Street sure is happy to be a cyclist.

NEITHER BLUE, NOR BOMBING: Finally!

 

Well, thus ends my thoughts as I drift into the luxury of a week of vacation. Don Street has been faithfully serving Winnipeg’s blog-readers for three weeks and has enjoyed the experiment. A couple of reporters, at least one urban studies prof, and many young “creative class” types have stopped by to join the conversation. Your input has been much appreciated and enlightning. While blogs have their limits, I think that they offer a wonderful opportunity to engage the public in meaningful discourse, to advance ideas, and to learn from others. I’ve enjoyed blogging with you so far and look forward to my return.

-Mike

Review from the Fringe #3

Teaching the Audience… But Will We Ever Learn?!

Teaching the Fringe is all about you and me… yes, the audience!  When Kier Cutler took the stage, a woman a few seats down from me was trying to open a candy and was making quite a loud crinkling noise.  Kier emphatically gave her permission to keep struggling with that annoying candy wrapper, which she did… seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was being made fun of.  This event nicely set the tone for the rest of the show.

The premise of the show involves a rather nasty letter that Kier received from an audience member at last year’s Winnipeg Fringe in response to his show Teaching As You Like It.  The letter – three pages, handwritten, single-spaced – is wittily dissected sentence-by-sentence.

The gist of the complaint, which was sent to the past executive producer of the Fringe, is that in last year’s performance Kier used the Fringe as a venue to teach audience members in the art of seducing underage schoolgirls.  The letter boldly asserts that Kier’s play acted as a textbook for individuals interested in learning about the specifics of this illegal and immoral act.  To which Kier responds, “If someone wanted a textbook on this topic, why would they come see a Fringe play?!  Especially since they can simply go out and pick up a copy of The Lecherous Professor.”  Incidentally, The Lecherous Professor is an actual book on sexual harassment on campus that he holds up for everyone to see.

At another poignant moment during the performance, Kier reads aloud the part of the letter that charges him with bastardizing Shakespeare by using his works to teach seduction.  Again, Kier has a book on-hand to refute this.  This one is called Shakespeare and the Art of Verbal Seduction.

Overall, Kier does an excellent job of logically ripping this letter apart line-by-line.  However, at times it felt a bit tedious, like I was back in university English class.

The play ends with a good message for all Fringe audience members:  If you are offended by a play, it’s probably just because you didn’t get the joke.  In the case of Teaching As You Like It, the device used was something called irony.  He pleads with the audience that if we ever see someone getting upset over what is said in a Fringe play, we should lean over and whisper to them not to worry, the actor is simply being ironic.

Walking out of the theatre, my friend overheard someone exclaim how she could understand why the person wrote the complaint letter.  Unfortunately, my friend didn’t turn to this individual and explain the irony of the situation.  If I had heard that remark, I sure would have!  Oh well, it just goes to prove that even in a play that is about audience members who ‘just don’t get it’ there will be people who don’t get it that some people don’t get it… get it?!

For it’s snappy commentary, albiet a bit tedious at times, I rate this play:  Light Rapid Transit.

  Light Rapid Transit - A great option, but the clickity-clackof the rails can be slightly annoying at times.

Free Press review - 4 stars
CBC review - 4 aces

A Bit Grey for the Fringe?

The show Shades of Brown delivers a good message about racism.  No, actually the message is great.  Specifically, the play recounts various stories about the Filipino-Canadian experience from the perspective of a Filipino-Canadian who doesn’t feel Filipino (The Coconut – brown on the outside, white inside), the recent Filipino immigrant to Canada (The FOB – Fresh Off the Boat) and the white woman who grew up immersed in the Filipino community (The Rice Lover – one who only dates Asians).

The diversity of perspectives makes for some very interesting stories and some of them are truly touching to listen to.  At scene changes the audience is treated to short dances by Magdaragat Philippines Inc., who provides essentially a mini-Folklorama experience.

Despite the great message and clever delivery of that message, I kept thinking throughout the performance that I’m not really being entertained.  The whole thing kind of felt like a workplace diversity training seminar where everyone agrees that diversity is good and prejudice is bad.  The problem with the play and most diversity training, is that it was, imho, geared towards the wrong audience.  The individuals who really need to hear these messages tend not to attend plays like these.

I think Shades of Brown would send a powerful message if delivered in front of a junior high or high school audience, but it felt a bit out of place at the Fringe.

For delivering an important message on racism, but perhaps not in the most entertaining way, I rate this play:  Bus Rapid Transit.

  Bus Rapid Transit - A good option, but perhaps a bit out-of-place.

Free Press review - 3.5 stars
CBC review - 5 aces

Chris Hedges on the end of newspapers

Author and journalist Chirs Hedges (whose books “American Fascists” and “War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning” were much enjoyed here on Don Street) - a veteran New York Times reporter who reported from Bosnia, El Salvador, and Israel - gives us a reason to pause and remember the value of newspapers:

“The decline of newspapers is not about the replacement of the antiquated technology of news print with the lightning speed of the Internet. It does not signal an inevitable and salutary change. It is not a form of progress. The decline of newspapers is about the rise of the corporate state, the loss of civic and public responsibility on the part of much of our entrepreneurial class and the intellectual poverty of our post-literate world, a world where information is conveyed primarily through rapidly moving images rather than print. ”

Further, Hedges argues that blogs (like this one) are not to be highly regarded:

“We live under the happy illusion that we can transfer news-gathering to the Internet. News-gathering will continue to exist, as it does on this Web site and sites such as ProPublica and Slate, but these traditions now have to contend with a new, widespread and ideologically driven partisanship that dominates the dissemination of views and information, from Fox News to blogger screeds. The majority of bloggers and Internet addicts, like the endless rows of talking heads on television, do not report. They are largely parasites who cling to traditional news outlets. They can produce stinging and insightful commentary, which has happily seen the monopoly on opinion pieces by large papers shattered, but they rarely pick up the phone, much less go out and find a story. Nearly all reporting—I would guess at least 80 percent—is done by newspapers and the wire services. Take that away and we have a huge black hole.

“Those who rely on the Internet gravitate to sites that reinforce their beliefs. The filtering of information through an ideological lens, which is destroying television journalism, defies the purpose of reporting.  [...]  If we lose (the journalist ethic) we are left with pandering, packaging and partisanship. We are left awash in a sea of competing propaganda. Bloggers, unlike most established reporters, rarely admit errors. They cannot get fired. Facts, for many bloggers, are interchangeable with opinions.” (emphasis mine)

While I don’t share all the opinions Hedges expressed, they do hit home when I consider my own tendency to read news from sources that agree with my worldview.

That said, Hedges’ vaunted ethical journalism is not always in plain view. From convicing the public to go war over Weapons of Mass Destruction or the sinking of the Maine or the Gulf of Tonkin, some in the media have a bad tendency to want to believe the big lies. Other “journalists” are just plain nationalist mongers of war, like Fox News.

Hedges does make clear, however, that these fringe news sources are surviving in the form of biased blogs and ideologically driven websites - while the well-researched news organs are cutting back. His warning should be taken very seriously as we move from the era of TV - which Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death aptly describes - to the era of the Internet.

But I’m an optimist on this point. If the medium is the metaphor, then what are we to read into the internet? If you are still reading this, then you have read far far further than any newpaper article written today. And all this without pictures! I believe that the internet could see a return to longer articles as well as the acceleration of memetic evolution. As I pointed out in my first-ever post, memes reproduce in much the same way as genes. As this process speeds up, ideas live and die very short lives and reproduce only if they are able to survive the criticism of and competition with other ideas. On the internet - though we may gravitate to certain sites - we are often thrown curveballs which make us reconsider fundamental ideas.

As we construct our own understandings of the world, is it not advantageous to have access to as much data and opinion as possible? Yes, but only if our education system teaches us to synthesize, analyze, and evaluate complex ideas, rather than to memorize facts. Teaching these higher-level skills is the major challenge for Educators in the Age of the Internet.

Review from the Fringe #2

B-Girlz Provide A-List Performance

The show, The B-List,  starts with a video depicting the out-of-control antics of the three B-Girlz:  Barbie-Q, Hard Kora and Ivana K.  The vignette is professionally done and does a great job of poking fun at the downfalls of modern celebrities.

When the troupe takes the stage, they do so with plenty of energy and sexual innuendo.  Much of the show is devoted to poking fun at celebrity mishaps through song and dance.  Now I must admit that while I’ve never been too interested in the not-so-intimate lives of celebrities, I was thoroughly entertained throughout this performance.  The song and dance routines are expertly choreographed and make perfect use of props.  Many of the songs performed by the B-Girlz are parodies of popular hits from throughout the ages, evoking the likes of Weird Al Yankovic.  Their timing, lyrics and eye for subtle gestures is really quite astounding.  Even though their singing could be describe as “karaoke-quality,”  it somehow adds to the charm of the whole performance.

I must admit that I may be a bit biased because I was called on stage to take part in a Canadian trivia challenge and got a free t-shirt and noise maker out of the deal.  I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the shirt because the label tells me it’s an “S”, which I can only assume means “Skin tight”… I’m sure I can find some use for it.

For their ability to sustain a high level of energy throughout their entire performance, their great choreography and their ability to demonstrate the subtle while performing the exaggerated, I rate this performance a:  Monorail.

  The Monorail - It gives you a ride that you seldom get to experience.  The pace is extremely rapid, yet smooth. You will want to tell your friends and family members all about it.

Free Press review - 4 stars
CBC review - 3 aces

“Bizarre” Stadium plan doesn’t have “any redeeming features”

Thank you to the urban planning conference for taking the time out to pan the Point Douglas plan.

I had previously noted that the planners had lots of good things to say about our downtown re-development. It’s good to hear that they also agree with Don Street on the stadium.

 July 20 Update: Curtis Brown has a good comment on the same article and a look at the situation in Minnesota.

Review from the Fringe #1

Editor’s Note: Don Street has a new author, reviewing Fringe Shows. Rob’s been to Fringe shows since he was a small boy and he lives on Donald, so he meets the strenuous qualifications to become our Senior Reviewer. You’ll have to excuse the prose, though, as he works for the gubment.

Rating System

Keeping in theme with the rest of this blog, I’ve developed the following rating system to rate the plays I see.  As you can probably tell, I either enlisted child labour to draw the pictures for this system or I drew them myself… I’ll let you guess.

A note of caution about the system:  Please don’t read too much into the modes of transport I’ve chosen.  In no way am I implying that light rail is better than roads with bike lanes or any other such hierarchy; this is all in good fun!

A note of caution about the reviewer:  While I’ve enjoyed attending the Fringe for about 15 years, I’ve never written reviews before and I certainly do not claim to be an expert in any way, shape or form.  Actually, I can’t draw, I’ve never written a review before… I’m not sure why Mike asked me to do this.  Oh wait, I do live on Donald Street.  It’s either that or Mike’s desperate for content! Hope you enjoy the reviews!

How, exactly, does this professional rating system work you ask?  Well, steer clear of roads and roads with bike lanes.  Bus rapid transit might be good, if that’s your genre.  Light rail transit and subways will get you to where you want to go.  If you see a monorail anywhere, hop aboard for a ride like you’ve never experienced before!

Without further ado, all aboard for the first reviews.

Jem Steamrolls Over One of Society’s Favourite Constructs:  The Mall

By using the mall as fodder, Jem Rolls:  How I Learnt to Stop Worrying and Love the Mall provides biting social commentary on society’s obsession with consumerism, conformism and our quest to show progress over previous generations.  During a particular poignant moment in the performance, Jem ponders aloud how future civilizations will perceive us.  He believes they will ask why we had to use everything up, why we had to do it so fast and why we couldn’t leave some for them.  He juxtaposes this with what we represent to civilizations of the past:  We are the culmination of the hopes, dreams, aspirations and hard work of everyone that came before us.  Makes you feel kind of humble.

I had the opportunity to see Jem perform on two other occasions.  While this particular performance is perhaps slightly less poetic, opting for a bit more prose, the topic is decidedly less philosophical/esoteric and more sociological, meaning most audience members will be able to personally identify with the experiences so eloquently described.  Think of the last time you were in the grocery store, walking down aisle after aisle after aisle, watching the boxes, tubes, bins, cans and tubs go by.  Jem is able to paint a literary picture of scenarios like this one much better than this reviewer.

For his ability to make you stop and contemplate our larger role in this thing we call life, while making it enjoyable to listen to, I give Jem Rolls a Subway.

    The Subway - It will take you to an interesting destination, with a smooth ride along the way to boot!  In fact, the journey is half the fun.

Free Press Review - 4 stars
CBC Review - 5 aces

Prairie Fizzle

The play — Prairie Fire Presents… The Follies — gets off to an odd start with a dancer dressed in a flowing red costume spinning around in circles to music.  At first, I was somewhat mesmerized by the movements of the actress, but after several minutes of essentially the same move my head was also starting to spin.

After another short skit, the actress takes a moment to explain what follies are.  The audience is told that follies are a series of unconnected acts meant to entertain.  The play certainly achieved the unconnected part.  That is not to say the play doesn’t have potential, though.  The premise behind several scenes, notably the 50’s housewife and the dance audition, was fine, but the execution was somewhat lacking.

I think one of my friends summed it up best when she quipped, “The play would have been more interesting with the addition of lasers and if those lasers were attached to sharks, it would have been pure gold!”  While sharks with laser beams attached to their heads would be great, simply tightening up the execution of this play would help tremendously.

Given that the play has much potential, but lacks in terms of execution, I find it difficult to assign a rating to it.  Therefore, I have invented a new rating just for this act:  The Trolley.

The Trolley - It is quant and will take you somewhere.  But the trip will be slow and boring at times.  If you’ve got some extra time and this is your sort of thing, you might want to pay the fare and enjoy the ride.  Otherwise, I recommend you find some more exciting mode of transport.

CBC Review - not yet rated

A Family Room that Definitely Isn’t Kid-Friendly!

As Mike pointed out in his post, Susan Fischer is back in town presenting Evelyn Reese’s Family Room.  I had the opportunity to see Evelyn perform two years ago and I would rate that performance as one of the best Fringe shows I have ever seen!  While this performance wasn’t quite at the same calibre as the first time ’round, Susan delivers a solid set.

If political incorrectness makes you squirm, stay away from this play.  Nothing is off limits as Evelyn takes aim at banning perfume in the office, people who get upset over the death of a pet and receiving a New Kids on the Block tape for your birthday.  The play is devoted to recounting tales about Evelyn’s family — think alcoholic mother who cheats on her father with the school principal and a father who has managed to miss all of her birthdays — and her friends, who are just like family to her.  Audience members who saw Susan’s performance two years ago will be treated to the re-appearance of such familiar characters as Reynold — Evelyn’s gay, or poufter as she puts it, friend who drags her along to a class for people with low self-esteem who are addicted to being doormats where she is promptly shown the door for ”offering advice” — and her co-worker Dorothy “Dot” MacKay who marries one of her former boyfriends after Evelyn “loosened the lid” on his sexual prowess, thank you very much.

For Susan’s zany portrayal of Evelyn, a whack of oddball stories and a string of off the wall jokes that leave you thinking, “I shouldn’t be laughing so hard at this!!”, I rate this play a Subway.

  The Subway - You will meet many interesting and crazy characters as you whiz by scenery that is out of the ordinary.

CBC Review - 4 aces

Rally Towel Protest

Don Street is officially joining Jonovision’s blog-protest of the dismal Bombers season. Until the Bombers get a win, the Rally Towel is flying upside down!

We Shall Overcome

Pat and Tap

The Winnipeg Free Press carried a few comments today from visiting urban planners (”Maybe We’re On The Right Track After All“). For all the negative vibes that Don Street Blog sends out regarding the city, its good to stop for a minute and point out that things have come a long way in the past few years. The list of big downtown projects is huge and a testament to the hard work of groups like Downtown BIZ, Center Venture, and yes, some members of Winnipeg City Council. Great start. Pat yourselves on the back.

However, looking to the future, I am struck by the 2006 census data for downtown neighborhoods. Broadway-Assiniboine, my immediate neighbor, experienced a decline of over 300 people (over 5%) since 2001. The combined South Point Douglas - Exchange District population is sitting at 762. The Forks has a population of zero and the neighborhood on the other side of the bridge has seen a 6.8% population decline. But, it’s not all bad. Spence, with its wonderful neighborhood association, grew 12.5% and Central Park, with its large immigrant population and support from local community centers like Welcome Place and the Knox United Church, saw a growth of 9.4%, including a mini-baby boom.

What do Central Park and Spence have going for them? How can that be replicated in the rest of the city center? My very immodest proposal is that in order for Winnipeg to capitalize on the major projects built in the heart of the city, we need to organize groups locally that can fill in the space between the Mega-Projects with people. These groups create the safe places and communities. They put in the community gardens, make the steets safer, organize the markets. For governments, we need to organize tax incentives provincially and municipally to encourage housing in the downtown. We need to improve public transportation and cycling routes in the city center. And, we need to take a serious look at housing developments near the Forks.

Immodest proposals, yes. But at a time when we should seriously deal with climate change and the looming peak in global oil production, the Province can hardly afford not to have an urban strategy that seeks to dramatically increase downtown density.

Slip Sliding Away, Slip Sliding Away-hey…

Faced with record gas prices, the prospect of high inflation, the potential for an imminent, long, deep global recession, poor roads, and poor public transportation, Winnipeg City Council has taken decisive action!

“Winnipeg city council has approved a $7-million subsidy for a new indoor waterpark. “

Using public funds previously designated to improve public transportation, the city has given away $7,000,000 to millionaires! No doubt, without public funding, this project never would have happened. Nope. Not a chance.

In exchange, at least, the city did get something to help the poor pay the $20 - $35 admission:

 ”In return for the subsidy, the city will get reduced admission to the waterpark for low-income families.”

Weee! What a deal! $10 discounts on tickets!

I have a question for my readers: Do businesses regularily give out discounts in order to attract repeat business as part of a mass marketing campaigns? If businesses don’t have things which I call “sales”, then the city is at least getting something back. If they do have these “sale” things, then how much did the city really get in the deal?

But really, who cares?! Water slides!!!!! Bread! Circuses!

Peak Oil to Suburbs: Pay up the nose now, collapse later

From an excellent article in the Edmonton Journal by Dan Gardner:

A somewhat less obvious benefit is the smack in the face urban planners are about to receive. As the cost of transportation rises, people will value housing nearer to their work and they will find it absurd that the purchase of a quart of milk or a visit to the gym requires the ignition of an internal combustion engine. Urban design that brings homes, shops and employers closer together — and allows people to get around on feet and bicycle wheels — will flourish. Suburban monocultures and soul-crushing commutes will slowly shrivel.

Read the whole thing. Then, let’s learn from the Norwegian example.