The Daily Gist: With Ben Istiphan

 Over the course of time,  an individual develops an admiration, not just for the art, but for who the artist is. One discovers common principles and ambitions when that art is being displayed. Simply put, the art is a reflection of the artist that they admire. When an individual walks among billboards and other various advertisements, they only see the art. Without any knowledge towards the ”who” and “why”, they quickly come to the conclusion that what they see is merely an act of vandalism and child’s play. They can’t sense the animosity of the art, because they are foreign to the artist who gave birth to that animosity. It is possible that the spectator could interpret the art as accurate as the artist, but that all depends on their relationship with the consumer culture. If the spectator is fully immersed in the culture of consumption, they will remain desensitize, and the art will be nothing more than a bunch of squiggly lines of spray paint. On the other hand, if the spectator is skeptical of their culture, they will further be drawn towards dissent, and a  precedent will be established.  

Cultural Jamming; Graffiti not for the sake of Graffiti, but for a legitimate cause and message. Regardless of their intentions, cultural jammers are too often chastised for their artistic expressions. Not only are they deemed criminals by the upper echelons of the State, but they are also ridiculed within the various facets of society. Where are the sympathizers who encourage the actions of these unique individuals? For the most part, they cease to exist. The reason for this is because in the perspective of the audience, the art has no artist. The artist is detached and isolated from his or her’s artistic expression. The artist remains anonymous in fear of being persecuted, but by doing so, they are unable to garner the support that they deserve. Take for example a musician who has produced a piece a music that has been objectively rated as mediocre. Despite the mediocrity, an avid supportor of that musican may value the piece simply because of who that musician is.   

The era of Big Government is back, as Barack Obama has recently outlined his $3.55 trillion budget. The President intends on spending billions on education, health care, and renewable energy in order to reverse the economic downturn. However, one fundamental question must be addressed; how will Washington fund these new programs with what seems to be an insurmountable deficit? Obama’s mission is to target wasteful spending, but critics claim that Obama is simply concerned with redistributing wealth.

The President plans on increasing taxes for those making more than 250,000 a year, a move that has many Republicans shivering. This will be the primary source in order to fund the up coming budget. Call this a redistribution of wealth, but the government is merely asking those families who can afford a college education and health care for their children to give a little to those families who can’t do the same. Think of it more as charity than the expropriation of wealth.

Since the beginning of the recession, it is estimated that four million Americans have lost their health insurance. To be more precise, each day, up to 14 thousand Americans are in danger of losing their health care coverage. Last night, Obama pledged that he will embark on a health care reform as part of his plan to lift Americans out of the recession.

Shortly after Obama’s speech, Republican rising star and Louisiana Governor, Bobby Jindal, addressed the American people as he rebutted Obama’s comments on behalf of the Republican Party. Jindal expressed his commitment to provide the American people with universal health care, but he rejected the idea that the government is responsible for this guarantee. He claims that big government should not come in between the patient and the doctor, yet he failed to mention the health insurance companies, who have proven over the years that they are the primary contributors in the demise of patient/doctor care. Of course I’m going to side with the Democrat on this one, but neither contemplate a country without the big bad monster.   

Barack Obama just finished delivering his address to the joint session of Congress . Obama sounded optimistic as he outlined his plan to rebuild health care, education, and the economy. Immediately after his speech, Obama began to wander around the spectator area, where politicians from both parties were waiting to personally greet the President.

As the television cameras continued to role, Democratic Congressman, Dennis Kucinich, confronted Obama, as the President was signing what seemed to be a plethora of paper-back programs of his speech. The audio managed to pick up Kucinich’s voice as he spoke, but it was difficult to comprehend his words. Nonetheless, Obama proceeded without much eye contact or a verbal response, which may suggest that Obama had little interest towards whatever Kucinich was saying.

I’m merely speculating, but to me, it seemed like he was asking the President a question. Knowing Kucinich, he may have quite possibly asked, “why didn’t you mention NAFTA?” or “what about universal single-payer health care, like all the other western democracies?” Seeing that the media rarely pays any attention to the genuine politician, we may never know.

Two Afghan children were killed on Monday near Kandahar city, after reports that the Canadian military was undergoing a firing exercise. A local citizen claimed that the children came across an unexploded Canadian rocket just prior to the explosion. The incident fueled a hostile protest outside the city’s provincial council office, as the irate demonstrators chanted “death to America”, as well as “death to Canada”. 

Fortunately, there has yet to be a terrorist attack on Canadian soil, but such animosity makes you wonder if Canada will eventually experience the same fate that other western countries endured in the hands of Islamic fundamentalism. Back in 2006, a group of Canadian citizens inspired by the ideology of Al qaeda, plotted a series of terrorist attacks in southern Ontario. The attacks were foiled by the police and the men were detained, but such threats to our national security in the future are inevitable if we follow same path. A path that preaches freedom and security, but delievers death and chaos. 

It’s Oscar night, and as I speak, millions around the world are glued to their television screen. Many tune in specifically for the award presentations, while others are more keen on watching their favourite stars parade themselves on the red carpet. Despite the uncertainties of the future and the downfall of the economy, the atmosphere during the festivities was positive and electrifying. Whether it’s a recession or depression, the rich and famous typically don’t feel the brunt of the hard times. They continue to be envied by ordinary individuals, because during times of desperation, even the struggling cling to the epitomization of others as way to escape from the harsh realities. Everyday, millions who work hard in order to provide food and shelter for their children have demonstrated the highest degree of resilience and perseverance. Let’s hope that one day their hard work and dedication are rewarded as well.    

For the most part, Barack Obama’s first visit to Canada was hailed as a success. Not only did Obama proudly voice his affection that he holds for Canada, but he also managed to fit in a little sight-seeing during a very brief and hectic visit. Obama made a surprise apperance at Ottawa’s Byward market in order to purchase a deep-fried Canadian delicacy known as the beaver tail.

One of the hot topics of the day was the environment and climate change. Harper and the Conservatives claimed that they made significant progress, stating that an energy dialogue has been agreed upon by the two sides. Wow, two neighbouring democratic states speaking to each other on an issue that threats the existence of humanity… now that’s an achievement. The environment is just one of the many components that have been disregarded by NAFTA, and as Obama pushes for reform, Harper seems to be hesitant to re-negotiate the trade agreements.

The vitality of Tim Horton’s in Canada has been questioned very little, even during this economic recession. If any flaws exist within the company that may impede their ability to make profit, it likely exists south of the border. Overall, profits have dropped, primarily because of the weak performances in the United States. In fact, 11 stores in New England recently closed down due to the lack of sales.

Whether it’s the preference for a cafe latte at Starbucks or just a lack of avid Coffee drinkers, Americans are just not consumed in the double-double craze that exists in the north. Besides, the U.S already has a garbage epidemic to address, and there are only so many landfills to house billions of so-called biodegradable coffee cups. On the other hand, they can always ship the trash to Canada, we have plenty of vacant land for waste.

Today, the parliament of Kyrgyzstan voted nearly unanimously in favor of closing an important U.S. air base which is used for the mission in Afghanistan. Now I know what most of you are thinking right now… where in the hell is Kyrgyzstan? The fact that it’s a “stan” country is a hint in its self, but to be more precise, Kyrgyzstan is north of Tajikistan, which in turn, is north of Afghanistan. Thousands of troops, as well as hundreds of tons of cargo make there way through the country each month.

It is difficult to assess the implications that this decision will have on the overall mission in Afghanistan. I’m sure the Empire will dish out it’s fair share of accusations towards the government of Kyrgyzstan. It seems that the U.S is left with two options in order to reverse this decision. Either link the country to terrorism, thus forcing the government to comply to prove otherwise, or just install a pro-American leader through a pseudo-democratic election.