Expletive as in "Poop"

One of the viral commercials made for ShitHarperDid.ca

As far as digital and new media is concerned in the realm of Canada’s political theatre, the methods are fairly tried and true reflections of what would usually be seen in the physical arena. From political party juniors and hacks trolling social media platforms and blogs, to innumerably unfunny parodies of the old “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC,” commercial, pitting two partisan party personas against one another.

The Canadian federal election of spring 2011 has, unfortunately, brought little else in the way of defining, technological innovations in the world of political dialogue, promotion and information dissemination. Political party hackery has, as expected, run rampant and made many an eye-roll, recalling an old insight imparted by John Stewart, “...extremes run the world, because moderates have shit to do.”

However, one bright spot was the arrival of Shit Harper Did by TRUTHFOOL Communications. Though this initiative, in its parts, was not necessarily technologically innovative, in the integration of its parts into a broader socio-political communication strategy, it was both conceptually new and simply fun. This strategy quite effectively connected comedic, viral commercials with a simplified site as its hub. From there, a “shitty” fact about Stephen Harper was offered and links from this site directed users to news websites, such as the CBC, for further information on this fact. Shit Harper Did established itself as a humourously engaging, easily shareable, user-friendly, and informatively accountable, social and political vehicle.

What’s more, though it was quite obviously condemning of Stephen Harper and his Conservative government, it was otherwise un-partisan in its intent, as it was unaligned with any other Canadian political party. Shit Harper Did was more concerned with encouraging the large quantity of politically disinterested Canadians to vote, if for no other reason, than to prevent the election of a government that does the same “shit,” or, at least, the same “shit” to the same “shitty” degree.

It's All in the "Brown H"

Establishing, continuing, or changing one’s career path can be a challenging endeavour. In doing so, and especially in a world in which the ease of electronic communication gives backseat to face-to-face first impressions, our names are our introductory ambassadors, heralding our existence. What can make this career creation more difficult, is when one’s name proves a challenge in itself (particularly when it contains a non-existent, culturally specific letter).

Facing the challenge of unworldly articulation approaches for far too long, Arati (R-Thi) Sharma, project manager at Toronto digital experience creation firm Jet Cooper, decided to make an appropriately pre-emptive video detailing the proper pronunciation of her name. Having made the mistake once myself (sorry, A-Rat-tee), and then awkwardly tip-toeing around it saying it for at least a couple weeks (for A-Tari’s sake, not mine) the intent behind this video is both appreciated and justified. The video can be found on the Jet Cooper blog.

However, beyond the retellings of tragic first days in September, and even beyond the hilarious proclamation of the existence of a “Brown H,” (the alphabetic Big-foot of Indian names – has anyone really ever seen it?) the video highlights an oft championed, but rarely executed-so-well capability of our digital age; the individual ability to share our own stories and advance our own identity.

Cusp Will Return

Starting the week of April 25.

Si Bon

Post Facile Aujourd'hui.
Out of Quebec comes Beatrice Martin aka. Couer de Pirate.

When a Stwanger Tweets

There is no doubt that since its popular emergence in the 1990s, the internet has provided the world with the means to become, socially, much smaller. From the chat rooms of yore, to instant messaging services such as ICQ and MSN Messenger, to blogs and forums and, of course, now to the giant social media sites Facebook and Twitter, we are provided with a vast amount of opportunity to easily connect to each other.

However, we do not seem to do this to the extent that it is popularly believed. We commonly have Facebook and Twitter profiles that are packed with friends, or in the case of Twitter, followed by friends (though we may also follow famous people). Yet, by friends I specifically mean friends as people we know, have known and have developed relationships with, people who, more often than not, may share similar experiences, outlooks and lifestyles. Even when one’s “friends list” doesn’t necessarily reflect this, it will still be more than likely that the friends they most regularly interact with will. Either that, or their list will be semi-regularly purged of friends with whom they rarely communicate (a practice which I have never understood, I mean, it’s not like they’re actually taking up space or cluttering a physical area, but I digress).

What this seems to point to is an inherent contradiction in the social outreach capabilities of the internet. We don’t necessarily seek to make our world smaller through relating to others, rather, we seem to simply better organize our social world as it would otherwise exist. It is an opportunity afforded to us that we, more often than not, refuse to accept. After all, how often has it happened that you have rejected the friend request of someone whom you neither knew nor shared friends with (spam and porn aside)?

To this end, the question is raised as to whether or not we are stunting our own social development? By consistently adhering to only our immediate networks, we deprive ourselves of the richness and plurality of all the different people and social experiences that we could easily engage with. Even if we do not agree with the perspectives or lifestyles of an individual whom do not actually know, by simply relating to them in some way or another, we can chance the positive growth of our understanding of the world and all those around us.

Enter The Stwanger. After hearing an episode of CBC Radio’s technology program Spark, which was addressing this contradiction, a developer in Toronto created a Twitter based program that connects users to complete strangers. Based both on taking advantage of the internet’s communicative possibilities, as well as on the philosophy that expanding our networks and relationships to include those who we share little to nothing in common with makes us personally richer as global citizens, the Stwanger opens the door for us to, at least, peer into a world in which we would otherwise have no connection. Check out the “Huh?” section on the Stwanger’s website for a better explanation on how to use it, and how it can even be used as a game.

Nice Rack

The Paperback Bookshelf, by Studio Parade

If there is at least one thing that the old-fashioned, physical book has over the various types of e-readers, aside from a few millenniums of existence, it is the bookshelf. This thankless vanguard of intellectual support and storage has been keeping our bound volumes safe for as long as there has been a necessity to have a space to cram texts, parchments and/or papyrus.

Yet, beyond the functionality of the shelf, serving as a place to place our paperbacks, is its legacy as an element of interior design. Whether it’s for the infusion of an eclectic collection of colours in a common area or the development and gradual procurement of a stately library to ensure, and quite obviously assert, one’s intellectual acumen (whether feigned or for real), the bookshelf (presumably loaded with books) is an ancient and essential component of decor.

Of course, there are countless iterations of the bookshelf, from those costing $29.99 at your nearby Ikea, to improvised stacks of anything from milk crates to skateboards. However, the inspiration behind the Paperback Bookshelf, from Dutch-based design firm Studio Parade, is so absolutely simplistic, it borders on ingenious. This minimal shelf simply positions books on their sides and in small stacks. When said aloud, admittedly, it sounds ridiculous that such a thing had to be designed. Yet, when viewed, one has to appreciate the blunt wisdom inherent in the simple desire to see things from a different perspective.

Straight Tacheles

Increasingly, the benefits of urban gentrification are being hailed as hugely important to the cultural development of communities, and broadly, cities. By no means a new, positively received concept, it is certainly one that has powerfully come in vogue within, at least, the past two decades.

Specifically, the reversal of old industrial, or commercial, structures into modern, artistic and cultural hubs is a component of this trend that has proven extremely popular in many municipalities. Immediate examples can be seen in the project properties of Hamilton, Ontario's Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts; the Cotton Factory and the recently opened Hamilton Hotel, as well as Toronto’s Wychwood Barns, overseen by ArtScape.

However, bucking this trend of renewal, with no less of a creative and cultural vengence, is East-Berlin's Tacheles. This aging commercial complex, has housed, at different points in its long history, an in-door market place, a new-technology showroom, a Nazi prison, a theatre, and low rent housing. During the 1960s and 70s, after decades of consistent and intense usage, Tacheles was evaluated by engineers and ultimately slated to be demolished, a process that was initiated in 1980 and to be completed by 1990.

Yet, in 1990, two months prior to the final detonation which would have leveled the remaining majority of the complex, the artists’ initiative group Kunstlerinitiative Tacheles occupied the building and had it designated a historical site. Upon initiating another engineering survey of the Tacheles, it was found that the complex was, in fact, still sound, despite its semi-demolished appearance.



Since this time, the complex has become officially known as Kunsthaus Tacheles, and has become an art center and nightclub that is a central destination to a number of Berlin’s arts, activist and cultural groups. What is particularly interesting about this is that, unlike the trend of targeted, cultural gentrification, Tacheles' emergence as an arts centre has been a wholly organic one, lead by a gradually developing grassroots arts community.

Moreover, the most interesting facet of the Tacheles is not even necessarily in the groups that it hosts, but rather its manifestation as a gigantic, and continuously evolving, mixed media work of art. Boasting an ever-changing, eclectic array of murals, sculptures and other pieces, the deceptively un-dilapidated Tacheles is less a gentrified example of old into new, than it is fateful study of cultural
(r)evolution.

Albeit, one with an uncertain future.