your little ampersand

Credit for the title of this post goes to John K. Samson, whose wonderful new solo album, "Provincial," is streaming at Exclaim.ca. Click through to listen.

It's dreadfully cold in Edmonton. I want to say "finally," in part because I've been anticipating this plummet in temperatures for several months and at least I can stop worrying about it. While this "return to normal" (-38* C) provides some rational closure and helps to temper some of the environmental paranoia that conditioned my Christmas holidays (Winnipeg, like Edmonton, enjoyed a very brown Christmas), I can't find anything else good to say about it. In the words of a fellow Edmontonian, "This shit is real." And suddenly we all feel like we've fallen behind, now struggling to catch up with the season.

Speaking of falling behind, I've returned to the quagmire of thesis research/writing. After submitting a sprawling, disjunctive first chapter (and from what I hear, the first chapter is always a disaster), I'm beginning to envision my second and third chapters, which I hope will be more focused and straightforward. Expect to see many related blog posts over the coming weeks. For now, I'll leave you with a song about distractions, which are of course a mainstay of grad school.

Caught Live: Prince - Dec. 8, 2011

A guest post by Sue Sorensen

At which point during the December 8 Prince concert in Winnipeg did I decide that Prince was really Sinatra? Perhaps it was early, when the lights snapped up after his opening number, a shuffling of melodies and rhythms on his singular electronic piano. (He was, I think, opening for himself.) Under the brighter lights, Prince was revealed in a dapper dark suit. Sharp white shirt, ascot. The surprise was the asymmetry of his jacket. At the back: one side long, a tail coat. The other side: short, so you could see his trim 53-year-old behind.

Sinatra dressed impeccably for his shows. He took his vocation as a professional entertainer seriously. Likewise, Prince told us that this was his job; he was willing to sing and play the guitar as long as we were willing to get up, do the windshield wiper, and waggle our hips. When he talked about his job, he sounded joyful.

I hadn’t expected to encounter joy at a Prince concert in a hockey rink. I respect Prince for his prodigal musical imagination, for his sometimes bizarre independent stance in the music industry. I appreciate the way he has crashed together his dirty mind, now somewhat curtailed—this was surprisingly wholesome show—with his love of God. I’ve been bemused by how prolific he is. Prince by normal standards writes far too much music. He has driven his distributors crazy. The listener cannot keep up, and in recent years Prince could delete and edit more. But he doesn’t. It’s his life, his music.

This profligacy, this delirious too-muchness that goes along with Prince, is ineluctably part of the experience of real joy. We don’t encounter enough joy. My other insight that night, as a bunch of purple confetti erupted, was that this was what good Vaudeville once felt like. Maybe Prince is a funk or R&B singer. Or he’s the last Vaudeville performer. Or the best entertainer with a vocation since Sinatra.

from Winnipeg to Edmonton

I've relocated. I now live in a city with as many people as the province of Manitoba, a city with bike paths and an LRT, a city with an NHL franchise, a city whose streets are actually based on a numbered grid. It's hard to resist comparing Edmonton with Winnipeg, and I've been doing it constantly since arriving here a few days ago. And as a Mennonite from southern Manitoba, I admit I feel a bit uncomfortable with the amount of money that gets thrown around here. Then again, I don't miss Winnipeg's potholes.

In last weekend's Calgary Herald, there was a rather unfortunate article that assigned several of Canada's major cities with a corresponding superhero. It provided me with a helpful introduction to Calgarian arrogance. I'm not going to pretend that I've always dreamed about living in Edmonton, but if you've read "Civil War," you know better than to trust Iron Man. Judging from these descriptions I've ended up in the right place:

Calgary (Iron Man). Amoral economic heavyweight by day, party animal by night who happens to possess the power of flight and a reasonably good sense of humour. Also a slight crack problem.

Edmonton (Whiplash). Intellectual, Eastern European, sensitive, emotionally damaged northern city whose primary obsession is getting revenge on Iron Man for all of it by hogging all the available federal money to help pay for its contemporary art museum.

We visited the museum last week. It was a bit of a letdown. Winnipeg also gets a mention on this list, and its description shows that this writer clearly doesn't know anything about superheroes or recycling.

Winnipeg (Optimus Prime). Good-guy Transformer whose best days lay behind him. Started out a hero, but these days, lumbers around like a big old broken robot short of WD-40. (This is the toy you keep begging your kid to toss).

so long, stylus meetings

This evening I attended my last Stylus contributor meeting: the first in a long series of "lasts" for me here in Winnipeg. Because of this special occasion, I went for a second pint of Little Scrapper and the meeting just seemed to ease right along. Although there's one more issue in which my writing will appear, it already feels like the end. No more nachos, no more awkward introductions and no more nerdy music references (that I can get away with). Furthermore, how am I supposed to feed my addiction to physical media without a constant influx of promotional cds!?

My reviews from the last issue:

Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday (Sub Pop)
Snotty, lo-fi rock and roll styled after the British invasion of the ’60s may not seem as refreshing as it did a decade ago, and with bands like Girls currently enjoying massive success, the self-titled debut from Vermont’s Happy Birthday is unlikely to evoke many strong reactions from critics. It’s really too bad, because Happy Birthday have made one hell of a summer record. . . . (read more)

Eluvium - Similies (Temporary Residence)
It’s always a risky move when an ambient artist transitions from experimental soundscapes to the more familiar territories of pop music. Eluvium is the moniker of Matthew Cooper, whose work is influenced by neoclassical musicians like Erik Satie and Philip Glass, and, more recently, takes its cue from Brian Eno’s work in the mid-’70s. . . . (read more)

Nice Nice - Extra Wow (Warp)
Nice Nice, an experimental duo from Portland, Ore., know how to have fun. On their third full-length (and their first for Warp), Nice Nice try to capture the energy of their bombastic live performances, and believe it or not, they actually pull it off. . . . (read more)

Kaki King - Junior (Rounder)
With such a personal arsenal of talent, Kaki King should succeed. But Junior, her sixth album, is a bit of a disappointment. It’s not terrible, but she’s capable of a better, more focused collection. . . . (read more)

timely advice for cyclists AND motorists

Police examine the scene where a pickup truck hit a group of cyclists, killing three and injuring three on May 14, 2010, near Rougemont, Que. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

From: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/07/22/f-bicycle-safety-avoiding-accidents-injury.html

Share the road. Sounds good in theory. But in practice, pedal-powered two-wheeled vehicles and motorized four-wheeled vehicles sometimes don't get along very well when they're on the same stretch of blacktop.

And when they meet, the results can be grim — almost always for the person on two wheels.

According to figures from Statistics Canada, of the 14,135 people killed in road accidents in Canada between 2000 and 2004, 263 were cyclists. That's just under two per cent of all road fatalities.

In 2007, the latest year for which statistics are available, 65 cyclists died on Canadian roads. That's 2.3 per cent of the total number of road fatalities, according to Transport Canada.

Around 7,500 cyclists suffer serious injuries every year. It's estimated that as many as 70,000 others are treated in hospital emergency rooms for cycling-related injuries.

It could be worse. In the United States, 698 cyclists died in road accidents in 2007. More than half a million others required treatment in hospital emergency rooms.

However, death and injury rates in several European countries are substantially lower. Cyclists in North America are twice as likely to be killed and eight times more likely to be seriously injured than cyclists in Germany and three times as likely to be killed and 30 times as likely to suffer serious injuries than cyclists in the Netherlands.

Part of the reason is more bicycle-dedicated routes. But researchers say there's also evidence of strength in numbers: more people riding bikes creates greater awareness by cyclists and car drivers which translates into lower accident rates.

In Canada, 56 per cent of cyclist fatalities and 85 per cent of serious cycling injuries occur in cities.

Other risk factors include:

• Time of day: 17 per cent of deaths and 23 per cent of injuries occur in accidents during the afternoon rush hour.
• Time of day: 30 per cent of cyclist fatalities occur at night or in artificial light situations.
• Location: You're more likely to be killed or injured at an intersection or at road locations with traffic signals or other traffic control signs.
• Rural areas: 44 per cent of cyclist fatalities that occurred in rural areas were on roads with posted speed limits of 80 km/h or higher.
• Age: Cyclists under the age of 24 have substantially higher death and injury rates than the rest of the population.

What you can do

Most provinces have passed mandatory helmet legislation for cyclists. But in some provinces, the law applies only to people 16 years old or younger. In Prince Edward Island, the law applies to all cyclists, wherever they're riding a bike.

Transport Canada advises all cyclists to:

• Always wear a helmet.
• Always obey the rules of the road.
• Use a light (front and back) at night.
• Wear bright or reflective clothing when riding, especially at night.
• Be vigilant at both intersection and non-intersection locations, especially in urban areas.
• Never assume that motorists will yield, even if you have the right-of-way.

The Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria recommends five basic principles to avoid collisions in its Cyclist's Collision Checklist:

• Maintain your bicycle in good working order.
• Be as visible as possible to others.
• Learn the skills needed to control your bike.
• Cycle in traffic safely and predictably.
• Know and obey the rules of the road.

The rules of the road include properly signalling a turn or a lane change, stopping at all red lights and stop signs. Those same rules mean the lane you're riding in is yours — and a driver can either pass you in the left lane or patiently wait for your progress. If you do stay on the right side of the lane so cars can pass you, you should also drive about a metre from the curb. If there are parked cars in the lane, make sure you're a car door's width from those parked cars. A significant cause of bike accidents is driving into a car door that's opening.

Mirrors on your helmet or handlebars can help you see what's coming but — like in a car — there can be blind spots. You should look behind you before you change lanes, pass someone or make a turn.

You can also make your bike more visible during the day by attaching a fluorescent flag on a 1.8-metre plastic pole to the back wheel. This is especially handy for a child's bike — although it's not exactly ideal for someone out training for a bike race.

However, you can do all the right things and still find yourself in trouble. In an accident that left five cyclists seriously injured in Ottawa on July 19, 2009, the cyclists were all riding in a designated bike lane when they were struck in broad daylight.

On May 14, 2010, three cyclists were killed and three others were injured when they were hit by a pickup truck. The cyclists, who were training for a triathlon, were riding in single file at the time of the accident on a highway east of Montreal. The road did not have paved shoulders.

Transport Canada says there are steps car and truck drivers can take to help make the roads safer for everyone:

• Always be on the lookout for and yield to cyclists and pedestrians, even if they don't have the right-of-way.
• Always obey traffic signals and traffic control signs.
• Be prepared for cyclists and pedestrians to appear unexpectedly at both intersection and non-intersection locations, on both urban and rural roadways.

Looking for answers

At the University of British Columbia, the Centre for Health and Environment Research is studying ways of making cycling safer in Canadian cities. Researchers are currently collecting extensive data about cycling injuries in Vancouver and Toronto. They're talking to injured cyclists and gathering information about the types of routes they were riding when their accident occurred. The study is still in its preliminary stages.

If you thought getting off the road is the key to avoiding injury, you might want to think again. Two studies of cyclists in Toronto and Ottawa found that cyclists riding on sidewalks were four to eight times more likely to suffer an injury than cyclists on the road — and 1.2 to 1.8 times more likely to be injured on a paved or unpaved multi-use path than on the road.

In the Netherlands, another study showed that while you are twice as likely to be injured while riding in an on-road bike lane than an off-road bike path, the pattern was nearly reversed when it came to intersections. The danger increased when an off-road bike path crossed a road.

Wherever you ride, it's driver beware.

It's really cold in Winnipeg right now. For some reason I'm still riding my bicycle to work like an idiot. Apparently there are a lot of us out there, says the disgruntled writer of this letter to the editor:

Take the bus

Driving a motor vehicle on the winter streets of Winnipeg requires patience, attention and careful consideration of current road conditions. I take driving seriously and when other motorized vehicles are impatient, attention-deficient and careless to current road conditions, it puts many of us at risk (including pedestrians).

I don't take the bus too often, but I did today. I could not believe the amount of bikes on the road. I want to applaud the bus driver (route 44) and how he was able to manoeuvre in and out of the lane for a cyclist who seemed to be on another planet. I just cannot understand why someone would want to ride their bike on snow-packed streets? Is it really worth it? My advice -- take the bus -- and hats off to Winnipeg Transit!

Stephen Sutherland

Thankfully, the following day the man I know as the CMU's former computer science prof responds:

Winter riding is fun

Stephen Sutherland in his letter Take the bus (Jan. 5) says: "I just cannot understand why someone would want to ride their bike on snow-packed streets."

Most people can only imagine biking as a summer activity. I bicycle to work year-round and often get asked about riding in winter. I answer by asking if they know anyone who cross-country skis, because it's very similar. I'm outside, dressed appropriately and exercising on packed snow -- it's very enjoyable.

On top of the enjoyment, I pollute less, save money, get to work faster than the bus, get daily exercise and I'm warmer than I would be walking to a cold bus shelter to wait. Given the option of riding my bike to work, why would I want to ride the bus?

Stuart Williams

AHA! Take that! But seriously for a moment: as much as I like it imagine that I'm "on another planet" when I ride my bike, it's impossible to ignore the fact that it's really, really cold. Segue!
Apart from lots of hot drinks, wool socks and long johns, I've been keeping warm with a new album I've had the opportunity to review: Tara Jane O'Neil's fifth album, a ways away (K Records). It came out in 2009, and I probably should have got to it sooner, but ...you know. It's the perfect antidote for cold feet and a runny nose: an album of lullabies crammed full of reverb. Please do yourself a favour and listen to her song "Drowning" on myspace.

City's cyclists may follow 'Idaho stop law'

(from the Winnipeg Free Press, 6/10/2009)

THE city may consider letting cyclists roll through intersections with stop signs when there are no vehicles or pedestrians present.City council's protection and community services committee is poised to ask the Winnipeg Police Service to study traffic regulations in Idaho and elsewhere that allow cyclists to slow down and yield at stop signs but not come to a complete stop when no other traffic is present.

On Friday, councillors Gord Steeves and Jenny Gerbasi plan to formally ask the police to spend two months studying the idea and recommend whether it could work in Winnipeg.

The move follows calls from cycling groups to change Manitoba's Highway Traffic Act as well as a police initiative that saw cyclists ticketed for rolling through inner-city stop signs this summer, Steeves said.

"Nobody should complain about what police do when they're simply enforcing laws," said Steeves, noting it's up to politicians to change the rules of the road if it's deemed advisable to do so.

What's being called the "Idaho stop law" could work in Winnipeg if it's enforced, said Mark Cohoe, a director of Bike To The Future, a commuter-cycling lobby group.

"In the city of Winnipeg, it seems like stop signs are used for traffic calming. As a cyclist, it doesn't make sense to stop every block along the road," he said.

Bike To The Future also wants to see the provincial Highway Traffic Act amended to allow bikes to pass cars on the right, a move that's currently illegal, even in curb lanes.

The group is also pushing the province to make it mandatory for motor vehicles to come no closer than one metre from cyclists when they pass on the left, especially in the shared lanes known as sharrows, Cohoe said.

While any regulatory changes would likely require the province to amend its rules first, there may be moves the city could make on its own, Steeves said.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 6, 2009 B1

destination winnipeg

The concerts are coming. Yes, indeed, things are shaping up for the spring.  Fall was quite dry, save another visit by Women, and shows by two heroes of mine (Neil Young and Stephen Malkmus). 

Bonny "Prince" Billy will be at the Pyramid on March 21st supporting a recent live album and last year's delicate Lie Down in the Light. The New Yorker recently published an article about this American folk icon entitled "The Pretender," which gives Oldham some overdue recognition for his fascinating, consistent career and dress-up mystique.   

We'll soon be hearing new sounds from the Junior Boys, who are at the Pyramid on April 4th. 

And there's the Weakerthans/Constantines in April, which might give me an opportunity to talk to Bryan Webb on behalf of Stylus or the Uniter. I've got my fingers crossed. 

I have it on good authority that Chicago's post-rock luminaries, The Sea and Cake, will be one of the many fine acts to grace the Winnipeg Jazz Festival in '09. 

Another seemingly too-good-to-be-true rumour about the jazz festival revolves around the Rev. Al Green. Headliner? That would be massive.