And So This Is Christmas; Peace 2 All

Peace and Blessings to all good folks everywhere! Many happy returns in 2011!

Yuya Joe College


Happy Christmas by John Lennon

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now...

Homicidal Taliban blows up starving people on Christmas Day

The news out of Pakistan is fucking depressing to say the least, in that 43 people were killed while waiting at a food distribution checkpoint. A woman wearing an explosive vest threw two grenades into the crowd before setting off her suicide bomb, which also injured another 100 or more people.

Officials stated it was the first suicide attack by a woman in Pakistan. The homicidal bomber attacked in the northern city of Bajur, a conflicted region near the Afghan border where the military has clashed with the Taliban and al Qaeda. While it is understood that many of those attacked belonged to the Salarzai tribe, who were among the first to set up a militia – known as a lashkar – to fight the Taliban, it remains difficult to fathom how attacking the hungry will win over public support for the Taliban neanderthals.

The Wahhabi believe that the 10th and 11th century represented way too much liberalism, and believe that things should be exactly as they were in the 8th Century, when Mohammed's descendants laid down the original rules of Islam. Although the 7th to 11th centuries represent the ascendancy of Islamic faith and culture, with crucial progress in mathematics, architecture, art and music, this beneficial development was deemed degenerate by early Wahhabis, who could already sense how globalization would reduce their power.

In the excellent book Militant Islam, the author points out how losing wars and experiencing cultural erosion has made many Arab and Muslim nations feel victimized, and Wahhabis have played on these emotions. In the 21st Century the battle will not be won with guns and bombs; Peace in the global Gaia Village will come from human compassion and understanding, consciousness and wisdom.

Evidence of al-Qaeda observing Canada; Canadian Press / Yahoo News

In an article by Marten Youssef of the Canadian Press, re-published by Yahoo News, there is a report of 200 Arab Christians being listed on an al-Qaeda website as opponents of Islam, and over 100 of these reside in Canada.

Now it is well known that Canada is a multicultural Mecca, however, what are the odds that over half of those identified would be from one small country? With over 4 million Coptic Christians living outside of Egypt, is it a coincidence that the majority of those named are in Canada?

One explanation is that the info on the Canadians may have been more readily available online, yet it seems that a more likely answer would be somebody hovering nearby, or acting like they are close to the Coptic community, when the reality could be otherwise...

Is Justin Trudeau Canada's Barack Obama?

Speak and Be Heard



If you think about it, the table is really set for a charismatic Liberal Party leader to emerge, and who has more star power than Justin Trudeau. The fur is flying and PET is smiling and you just gotta love the gall of the guy.






Justin Trudeau links:

Justin Trudeau wikipedia page

Justin Trudeau official website Internet webpage

Google search Justin Trudeau images photos

Justin Trudeau online photo album

Toronto Maple Leafs; Kitty-cats or Lions???

When the puck drops in Vancouver tonight will we see the Toronto pussies we witnessed in Calgary, or the rock-em sock-em lions we enjoyed in Edmonton? The blueshirts have to play smart, however if they don't play fast and tough, then they're not playing to their own strength.

Take the man, win the battles; the rest takes care of itself!




Video of Colton Orr / Zack Stortini fight, Toronto Maple Leafs at Edmonton Oilers

Phaneuf leaves PEI, returns to Lion's Den in Calgary

Dion Phaneuf working out on a PEI sand dune, photo by Matt Barnes of top Toronto photography company Westside Studio

Fredrik Sjostrom, Keith Aulie also came to Toronto via Calgary trade

After attending his grandmother Roma's funeral in Prince Edward Island yesterday, Dion Phaneuf tonight faces his former teammates, the Calgary Flames. Though there are many rumours and much innuendo, Leafs GM Brian Burke claims they researched the situation fully before trading for Phaneuf.

In any case, the trade had seemed one sided from the beginning, so maybe watch for Freddie Sjostrom and Keith Aulie to steal a little thunder this evening, as the Flames must have given up on them also.

Should be fun!






Toronto Life cover shot by Matt Barnes of Westside Studio, top Toronto photographers



Cool new blogs:

21st Century Architecture green buildings blog

Harness Horses Info breeding racing blog

GJ581g Zarmina's World, Earth-like planet

Idol's Crystal Bowersox a survivor of child abuse

For those who endure significant smarminess to catch a glimpse or snippet of genius, watching American Idol pays off when someone like Crystal Bowersox arrives on the scene. The rootsy, hippie-like Crystal always seemed to embody a deeper pain, as if internalizing her blues and releasing them via that soulful serenading.

Well, it turns out she had an alcoholic mother who had anger issues (was this written the night before the finale??):


Farmer's Daughter, by Crystal Bowersox

Halfway to crazy, not far from sane
Fuckin' sick and tired of all your games
All I ever wanted was you to take care of me

Honor thy mother and father too
But I know there ain't no way in hell that God mentioned you
All I ever wanted was you to care for me

Now I'm stuck in this hotel room, your grandson and me
Tomorrow we're gonna find out our destiny
All I ever wanted was you to be there for me
All I ever needed was you to be here for me

This time is the last time you're gonna see us around
This was your last chance to prove you wouldn't let me down
So go on, get going and get away from here
All alone is how you're gonna spend the rest of your years
No farmer's daughter anymore, mommy dear.

Remember back in high school, my brothers and me
Willie put his head through the door to find clarity
You'd come home with bourbon breath, Jack in the air
And when you broke my bones I told the school I fell down the stairs
All I ever wanted was for you to be there for me
All I ever needed was for you to be here for me

This time is the last time you're gonna see us around
This was your last chance to prove you wouldn't let me down
So go on home, get going and get away from here
All alone is how you're gonna spend the rest of your years

No farmer's daughter anymore
I ain't no farmer's daughter anymore
No farmer's daughter anymore, mommy dear

Sexy Wikileaks scandal a harbinger of info to come

If you believe the recent Wikileaks brouhaha is a tempest in a teapot or much ado about nothing, wait a month or two until after you have learned about some of the human behavior at major Wall Street banks. This bonfire of the vanities expose is sure to illuminate the naked underbelly of the New York City whore houses, proving that Madoff was not a lone wolf, but rather a poster boy for the wider, larger corruption he was in the midst of, and ultimately symbolic of.

After trying for a week or so to access the www.Wikileaks.org website to research cables about Ethiopia, Canada, Ghana etc, I was finally able to get through to a mirror site today at this URL:

http://mirror.wikileaks.info/

Wikileaks temporary mirror website


All the links don't work, however it feels great to see them back up and distributing information!

Peace 2 All,

Joe

Leafs WIN, after i changed channel

Even though I had a hunch a few days ago that the Toronto Maple Leafs were about to go on a winning streak, last night when the score became 4-1 for Washington I gave up and switched channels, watching some horses race on 420.

To my surprise i grabbed the paper this morning, only to see the Toronto Star sports page headline Leafs rally to beat Capitals.

Clarke McArthur broke out of his goal scoring slump to net 2, while Grabovski had one goal and one assist plus the shootout winner. Tim Brent also scored, with Kaberle and Kulemin each contributing 2 assists.

Keep it goin, Buds!!!

Punk Anger Management in the 21st Century

Like many a punk from the Day, it is my belief that the best punk rock bands (Pistols, Clash, DOA, Ramones, Dead Boys, The Damned etc) lived their creed, whatever it may be. Sideshow bands that presented the worst of society as rock theatre (Viletones, Forgotten Rebels), made for good train-wreck viewing however they weren't and aren't the agents of social change that bands like The Clash, DOA and Green Day are.

I remember at one point about six or seven years ago (early 21st Century) there was an interview with Joni Mitchell and she was asked why she hadn't released an album in years, and her reply was something to the effect of "Sometimes things get so dark and evil that the most appropriate response is silence."

Even though that was both terrifying and profound, it's not the punk ethos. We'll protest injustice every day of our lives, loudly whenever possible, and things haven't exactly gotten more dignified for the common man in recent years.

Personally, I inherited some angriness from my dad and his dad, though my own father has calmed remarkably in his senior years, and I hope and pray that I can emulate my parents in this regard. I've decided to focus on just trying to be a good person, you know, keep up the good struggle however don't let it bring you down, it's only castles burning...


In my life it means learning to be more patient, accepting this wonderful life, however flawed, as a thing of beauty. I am happiest when listening carefully to others and responding to their concerns, yet that doesn't always come naturally to me, defensiveness seems to linger. My family rocks and the new job is going great, so even though I was maybe despairing a bit only months ago, keep in mind that the world turns quickly, and the first one now will later be last.

Peace 2 all,


Yuya Joe College

PS - Upon reflection, a couple of hours later, I would like to add that thirteen years ago I gave up drinking alcohol for the third and final time, and that one step is likely why I am alive today. In addition to desiring to emulate my parents, I also believe my sister is a wise, intelligent and loving soul, and I can benefit from being more like her.

ACTRESSES, check out Dexter; Deb and Lumen shine

Any and all aspiring female actors should watch this season's episodes of Dexter, as two female characters are really coming to life. The always superb Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter's sister) is being pushed to new heights by the writing that has her trapped in confusion between a boyfriend who is unconvincing and a brother who is, at minimum, incommunicative.

The new gal on the show, Julia Pierce, may at first seem an unlikely candidate for casting as a sexual assault victim, however, her nuanced face and intensity make her a truly great partner for Dex. It's so nice for him to have a sidekick that enjoys killing bad guys as much as Dexter does.

It makes one wonder if Dex may have Jordan Chase arrested and have Lumen testify against him, however that is not his usual mode of operation, so please stay tuned.

Young actresses, watch the technique of Jennifer Carpenter and Julia Stiles; these gals are headed for some big awards!

KGB Kids power Toronto Maple Leafs to 2nd straight win

After Mikail Grabovski scored the opener for the Leafs early in the 2nd period, Nazem Kadri created space with his skating and puck wizardry, with Kessel and Versteeg each getting open and converted Nazem's passes into crisp goals. Luke Schenn blocked 7 shots and Toronto ended up defeating New Jersey Devils in a 3-1 victory, the second consecutive win for the Buds.

Leaf scoring:

Grabovski from Kulemin and MacArthur

Kessel from Kadri and Komisarek

Kris Versteeg from Kadri and Kaberle


KGB Kids

K Kids:

Nazem Kadri
Phil Kessel
Nikolai Kulemin
Tomas Kaberle
Mike Komisarek
Kris Versteeg
Keith Aulie
Korbinian Holzer
LuKe Schenn
FredriK Sjostrom
ClarKe MacArthur

G Kids:

Mikail Grabovski
Jonas Gustaffson
Carl Gunnarson
J-S Giguere

B Kids:

Tyler Bozak
Francois Beauchemin
Tim Brent
Mike Brown
Brett Lebda


And please welcome also, the MOPZ Crew:

Mitchell
Orr
Phaneuf
Zigomanis


The KGB Kids and the MOPZ Crew; let's have some fun with this!

Peace 2 All,

Joe College

Toronto Maple Leafs strong in own end, looking for more scoring

Before everyone writes off the Leafs yet again, keep in mind that they are solid defensively and in the net. They have some decent scorers however only Kessel and MacArthur have been regular contributors so far. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Beauchemin or Komisarek type player be traded for a scorer, yet I also feel the existing lineup has a shot at making the playoffs, particularly if Kadri can improve enough to get called up AND contribute scoring.

Anyways, the boobirds have short memories if they can't even remember last season, and how much this club has improved from that travesty. Other than one Philly game, I think all of the losses have been close games, and a couple of wins will put them solidly above .500. Let's look at the Buds again at the 40-game mark, and see if my perception turns out to be my usual optimism, or if indeed the club is now respectably on the path to contention.


2011 Update: All of my Toronto Maple Leafs coverage and many posts relating to hockey stories are now on my Leafs hockey and horse racing blog Harness Horses and Leafs Info, which is mostly about standardbreds in the summer, and Leafs Nation hockey is a great way to keep Ontario (and PEI) sports fans tuned-in to our Maple Leafs draft news, Leafs trade possibilities and all things Toronto Maple Leafs during winter months.

Haiti and Nigeria each facing cholera outbreak

Over 1,500 people have died from cholera in Nigeria in 2010, while an estimated 200 plus have perished in Haiti from a cholera outbreak that has escalated these past few weeks. Canada and other countries have recently increased their efforts to help Haiti battle the outbreak, and the University of Miami School of Medicine's emergency response plan for the Haiti cholera outbreak includes ramping up supplies to its 2 medical facilities in the region.

In Nigeria the number of cholera cases so far in 2010 is nearly three times the total for 2009 and seven times that of 2008, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The Red Cross estimates that women and children account for 80 per cent of the 2010 total of over 40,000 (1,500+ fatalities) cases of cholera in Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organization web page about cholera prevention and control, clean water supplies are the number one preventive method, while appropriate treatment during outbreaks can reduce fatalities from 30-50% to under 1%.

George Clooney spurs effort to prevent war in Sudan

Sudan is a dysfunctional country with a north led primarily by Islamic fundamentalists and a south with a predominantly Christian population that believes its oil wealth is being siphoned off by the north. Although the north / south conflict is viewed as a potentially imminent civil war, due to the religious factors (and the oil...ugh) involved there is a possibility of regional countries becoming involved.

The U.S. Secretary of State has called the situation in Sudan a "ticking time bomb." The CIA has reported that "mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in Southern Sudan." President Obama believes "the stakes are enormous."

We NOW have a brief window of opportunity to achieve something that has rarely been done: prevent a war before it occurs. If the international community is too hesitant or too late in its efforts, however, as was the case in Darfur, then hundreds of thousands may perish. The most recent war between the North and South in Sudan was ended by a U.S.-led peace process, but not before two and a half million men, women, and children died in the travesty.

On January 9th, Southern Sudan will go to the polls for a vote for regarding independence. Sudan as a whole is currently led by an indicted war criminal, Omar al-Bashir. As the New Year approaches, both northern and southern Sudan are preparing for war, leaving civilians at grave risk of major human rights violations, and loss of life.

George Clooney and John Pendergrast are spearheading an effort to have regular people ask President Obama and the USA Government to lead a diplomatic effort to prevent bloodshed in Sudan, and this campaign deserves all our support. Canadians should also contact our government asking them to help prevent war in Sudan also.

George Clooney website against war in Sudan

New DOA Lineup a Joe Keithley Tour de Force

Doa circa 1980: Joe, Chuck, Randy, Dave


Having had the opportunity to see DOA at the Horseshoe Friday night (Oct 8th, 2010), and also having seen the version a couple years ago with Randy Rampage back in the band, it is clear that Joe "Shithead" Keithley is driving DOA into the future, and not living in the past.

DOA with Randy Rampage, circa 2007/2008

This was a brilliant show, with all the power and force of early DOA, a run-thru of the timeless punk anthems the Vancouver legends are known for. As someone who saw the original trio (Shithead, Rampage, Biscuits) several times in 1979 and opened for the fearless foursome (now including stellar guitarist Dave Gregg) six or seven times in 1980, this was powerful punk nostalgia for like the Strummer song claims "you know I was there too."

It was 20th Century punk rock at its finest!




DOA with Dan and Jesse

New DOA lineup with Dirty Dan Sedan and Jesse Pincher Pinner may not have the visual and vocal force of the Rampage version, yet this new band is musically powerful, forward-looking and ready to change the world. The Talk Minus Action Tour features most of the songs that made DOA into the icons they are and also showcases a range of material that illustrates how Joe and his band remain a vibrant political force in the 2nd decade of the 21st Century.



DOA has always been about Joe's music and lyrics, and the new lineup really showcases his guitar prowess and social progress initiatives; DOA remains a leader in the fight for biological diversity and human rights everywhere!


DOA Punk Rock links:

Sudden Death Records, DOA punk rock

Early DOA punk rock photos, Deep Wave Festival

Official Randy Rampage website

Joe Keithley supports and teams with David Suzuki Foundation

Original Joe College blog

DOA MySpace page

Neanderthal thug Carl Paladino attacks validity of homosexuals

While complaining that people who said he wanted to hurt gays were misquoting him, he still managed to lump homosexuals in with "pornographers and the perverts who seek to target our children and destroy their lives" and claim that getting married and raising a family would be a better option for them than being homosexual...

I don't know about you, but I never made a choice to be heterosexual, I just found myself longing for the female body in every way, and I'm sure it must be the same type of primal urges for gays. This guy is either stupid or evil, because unfortunately his remarks reinforce the lunkhead mentality that fuels bullying and worse.

American politics is degenerating into uncivil territory that I really don't wanna see in Canada, and I don't believe will happen. We are such a diverse cultural mix that any type of discrimination is suspect, and I do hope we remain vigilant. Though I'm generally a pacifist, I would be really tempted to punch this guy in the face if he were trying to gain a Canadian political office.

Here's a quote from a recent speech:

We must stop pandering to the pornographers and the perverts who seek to target our children and destroy their lives.

I didn't march in the gay parade this year, gay pride parade this year. My opponent did. And that's not the example that we should be showing our children. Certainly not in our schools.

And don't misquote me as wanting to hurt homosexual people in any way. That would be a dastardly lie. My approach is live and let live.

I just think my children and your children would be much better off and more successful getting married and raising a family. And I don't want them to be brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid or successful option.

One would have to think that being anti-Gay and anti-science (option?) in NYC would be a foolish, losing proposition, so let's hope that Andrew Cuomo wins big in November and Paladino slithers off into the darkness and fades away.

China calls Liu's Nobel Prize "obscene"

With the USA devolving into polarized paranoia and China still navel gazing and refusing to be a transparent, open society, it makes one hope that India can keep growing their economy to emerge as a 3rd, possibly less extreme global force. The wingnuts in China's politburo would have been wise to stay silent as democracy activist Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.

Like earlier democracy advocates such as Liang Qichao (February 23, 1873–January 19, 1929) and Liang Shuming (October 18, 1893—June 23, 1988) and other reformers through the decades, a forward-thinker like Liu Xiaobo can face tremendous persecution at home.


Liu Xiaobo arose as a strike leader during the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in 1989. He was sentenced to 11 years' jail in December 2009, for writing a manifesto calling for free speech and multi-party elections.

The Nobel Committee praised him for his "long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights" and reiterated its belief in a "close connection between human rights and peace".

China, which had warned against giving the prize to Liu, summoned Norway's ambassador to protest.

"This is an obscenity against the peace prize," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement.

"(Liu's) actions are diametrically opposed to the aims of the Nobel prize. Nobel's behest was that the Nobel Peace Prize be awarded to somebody who promoted peace between peoples, promoted international friendship and disarmament."

They really don't get it, yet...


Ecology in the news:

NASA scientist says Alberta oilsands threaten entire planet

Washington State to retrofit public buildings to reduce energy, pollution

Remembering John Winston Lennon

Like many rebel-minded musicians (including my friend Joe Keithley of DOA), my primary lyrical / social influences are Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Bob Marley. The punkified among us would add the likes of John Lydon, Joe Strummer and even Joey "Shithead" Keithley himself to that list, however Dylan, Lennon and Marley are the Holy Friggin Trinity of rock music.

John would have been 70 years old tomorrow, had his life not been cut short by a madman and a handgun 30 years ago. Google is running an inspired Jophn Lennon animation today and possibly for the weekend, and in case you missed it, check it out here:

YouTube video of Google's John Lennon birthday animation





Here are some more cool John Lennon links:

John Lennon page on wikipedia.org

Official John Lennon website, lyrics swag mp3

John Lennon Family photo album on MySpace

New Earth-like planet Zarmina's World, where fiction meets fact

GJ581 g, also know as Gliese 581 g and nicknamed Zarmina's World by discoverer Steve Vogt (after his wife Zarmina), clearly illustrates the potential of finding additional planets that are even more like our beautiful baby Gaia.





Even if there is no way we can get there from here without breaking known laws of physics, it will be pretty cool when we find spheres even closer in climate to ours. Gliese 581 g only gets up to about 10 degrees Farenheit, and as I already live in Canada, am hoping the next one can be a tad warmer.

Zarmina's World Gliese 581 g Info News Images Links

DOA poster from 2006 in Newmarket ON; w/Sudden Impact, Overdose++

Scott (former member of Overdose, Newmarket punk rock band) sent in this cool DOA poster from a few years back, and the poster mentions some other bangin' slammin' local bands such as Sudden Impact, Dirty Bird, The STDs etc and of course Scott's band at the time, Overdose.

DOA gives props to Green Day, +Ontario tour dates

In an interview with Francois Marchand of the Vancouver Sun on September 15th, Joey "Shithead" Keithley had this to say about the many bands who have turned punk rock into big dollars:

"The guys I do admire are the Green Day guys, because they managed to make it as an arena-sized band and they actually have something to say, unlike 99.9 per cent of the other stadium bands," he says. "But there's a bunch of others out there, not to name names, that are drawing pretty good and kinda look punk and kinda sound punk because they have a loud, aggressive guitar sound and the guy is screaming like Kurt Cobain, but it's vacuous. You can dress it up like punk rock and make it sound like punk rock, but when you lose that thing about fighting authority and thinking for yourself, it's not punk rock."


Vancouver Sun September 2010 article on punk rock legends DOA



2010 Ontario Tour Dates for DOA

D.O.A. Oct. 1st Vancouver, BC The Biltmore

D.O.A. Oct. 4th Windsor, ON The Loop

D.O.A. Oct. 5th London, ON Call the Office

D.O.A. Oct. 6th Waterloo, ON The Chainsaw

D.O.A. Oct. 7th Hamilton, ON The Casbah

D.O.A. Oct. 8th Toronto, ON The Horseshoe

D.O.A. Oct. 9th Ottawa, ON Maverick's

D.O.A. Oct. 10th Montreal, PQ Cafe Chaos

D.O.A. Oct. 11th Kingston, ON The Mansion

D.O.A. Oct. 12th Thunder Bay, ON Kilroy's

Tactile healing sensations of pen writing on paper...

Written last night:

It's 1:52 am, and to avoid the terrors I again take the pen in hand. Perhaps in a different life this would be a blog post, and it may itself be at least part of one someday, yet that's not what I mean.

The healing phenomena I refer to involves the tactile sensation of pressing pen to paper, and the wholly personal nature of the output. With blogging there can be poster's remorse, and anxiety over spelling, punctuation, accuracy, html code and more.

Writing on paper is beautiful. Keep some near your bed, and at least three pens.

To the Fifteen Billionth Human Soul

To the fifteen billionth:

If the Just Society is not fully evident, seek it and strive for it. If our machinery is not yet as green and as self-healing as the forested jungle, greenify and evolve it.

If you are female, see that the architecture reflects your adaptive fluidity. If you are male, see that nobility remains pursued, and that honour goes to the good and just.

Preserve biodiversity; feed, heal and educate. If Gaia is in the caterpillar stage, U B the butterfly.

Rock Band Names: Meaning of 10cc (I'm Not In Love)

Rock joke I made up:

Q: What is the meaning of "10cc" in the rock band's name?

A: It is the amount of Pearl Jam that comes out of Finger Eleven, on average.



Anybody have any more stories about origins of band names??

Joe College and The Rulers; Cabana Room, Toronto 1980

At first I wasn't sure if these 2 photos were from the Turning Point or the Cabana Room, yet by the looks of the small stage, I'd guess the latter. In either case it was a July 1980 show opening for DOA; anybody recognize the decor??

Left to Right: Menachem Begin (Russ Bethune), Mad Drummer (Ken Braun), Joe College, and Rob Dekay - Joe College and The Rulers, Toronto punk scene 1980

DOA at Deep Wave Festival, Summer of 1980

Many thanks to photographer / guitarist Dean Kelly for emailing over some killa pix of DOA at the Deep Wave Festival in Bingeman Park, Kitchener. Aaaaaahhhhh, the memories of that day...

Dave Gregg, Randy Rampage, Chuck Biscuits and Joey Shithead - DOA 1980

Fans of Toronto's Modern Rock radio station The Edge (CFNY-FM) may want to note the banner above (and fully displayed in the randy Rampage shot 2 pics below). CFNY was a powerful force for new music and their slogan The Spirit of Radio became the inspiration for the Rush song of the same name. I remember driving out to the CFNY yellow farmhouse headquarters in Brampton, bring Joe Keithley for an interview with Tim Keele (Jeanie Bekker also interviewed Joe that summer, for Much Music and CHUM-FM).

If you remember CFNY and all the great and inspiring bands of those days, check out the EDGE / CFNY history website SpiritOfRadio.ca!

A month and a half after the Teenage Head riot at Ontario Place on June 2, 1980, and two weeks before we (Joe College and The Rulers) opened for Teenage Head and DOA at Deep Wave, we played Nathan Philips Square (Toronto City Hall) on June 19, 1980, with DOA, The Viletones and the Forgotten Rebels. Here's a scene from the fountain pool that day (photo by Valerie, sent in by Steve):



Here's the button for the event, and if I remember correctly, it was created by my friend Peter Leuthard, promoter of the Deep Wave Festival (I believe we carried forth the motif from the original Vancouver RAR protest show):

Anybody else have any photos from RAR or Deep Wave they can share? If so, please email to yuyajoe at yahoo dot ca.

Peace 2 All,

Yuya Joe College

Rock Against Radiation button; Toronto punk show, Nathan Philips Square 1980

Thanks to reader Dean (formerly guitarist of Toronto punk band Body Bag) for sending in photos of the Rock Against Radiation button from the Summer of 1980, a time I remember as the Summer of DOA. The Toronto City Hall show on July 19th, 1980 featured The Viletones, DOA, Forgotten Rebels, and Joe College and The Rulers, with Mendelson Joe as a guest speaker. The Demics were on the poster but due to a mixup (read Joey's book I Shithead) regarding amps, they didn't play.

Here's the button:




Here's a link to DOA poster from Toronto 1980, plus Rock Against Radiation 1979 Vancouver poster

Examiner.com Urban Green Energy News

As the Examiner.com format focuses on local news stories and commentary, it is only natural that Examiner will stay at the forefront of reporting green energy developments in North America and around the world.

Here are some recent (mostly July and August 2010) clean power stories:

GM and Shanghai Automotive Ind. Corp. Of China (SAIC) agreement to develop engines and gearboxes

Applied Materials (AMAT) focuses on c-Si and LED solar technologies

Article on Department of Energy (DOE) Green Power Network, with links

Houston powers 26,000 homes with renewable energy purchases

Offashore windpower is untapped energy source in NA

Efficient Green Energy requires smart power grid





Alternative Energy Stocks links:

Geothermal Power Stocks Investing

Wind Energy Investments Companies

Solar Energy stocks to watch

Best Green Mutual Funds

How Matt missed the boat; Why Ragan should win!

How Matt Missed the Boat

When Matt discovered he was #4 in a 4-man brigade, he had a golden opportunity to flip the script, and he missed it! All he had to do was confide privately about his former alliance, and let Ragan, Britney and Brendon know they were all equals destined for the final four, where they would then compete for survival. Britney may have been a tough sell, yet she wouldn't have been higher than fourth otherwise, so what would she have to lose?

Why Ragan Should Win

In addition to being a well-spoken, genuine good guy, Ragan also makes great TV, as he wears his heart on his sleeve. A wondrously successful America's Player (now called Saboteur), Ragan has earned a shot at the title. Still, he's going to have to win some more competitions, and soon.

Early Punk Posters; DOA, Rock Against Radiation

Here's a 1980 DOA poster from shows we did with them in Toronto:




The Turning Point show on this poster is the concert where Chuck and Randy fought onstage and off, described in detail in Joey's book I Shithead, A Life in Punk. It was an incredibly intense evening, a real night to remember!

Here's the poster for the 1979 Rock Against Radiation concert in Vancouver, BC:




I was at that 1979 Rock Against Radiation event in Vancouver (Subhumans were great, DOA was awesome as usual; K-Tels was the original name of Art Bergman's Young Canadians band) and it was definitely the inspiration for the Rock Against Radiation protest concert we held in Toronto the next year. Speaking of which, NOW, if anybody has a copy of the multicoloured Rock Against Radiation poster for July 19, 1980 at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, please scan it and email me (yuyajoe at yahoo dot ca) a copy, or post it in my comments section. A prize will be awarded!!!


Official website of punk band DOA / Sudden Death Records

Buddhists in Punk Rock; +Seeing Clearly website

Buddhism and Punk Rock

Though most folks would associate punk rock with atheism (Joey of DOA is my favorite prominent atheist) and Rastafari (punk and Reggae shared many roots in rebellion and protest), Buddhism has permeated the punksphere and it makes perfect sense. The two main dances at early punk concerts were the Pogo and the Standing Still, and each of those has spiritual elements. The Pogo represents total abandon and it was dozens of Us doing this crazy thang that created the first mosh pits in the late 70s. The Standing Still represents total self control in the face of chaos and mayhem, the all-seeing eye in the heart of the storm.

Two books on this topic arose on a Google search:

Hardcore Zen; Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality, by Brad Warner

Sit Down and Shut Up; Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, by Brad Warner

When small groups of fun-loving, music-driven social rebels played punk in the late 70s and early 80s, there was tremendous camaraderie and in Vancouver especially (where I sang for The Reactors at Smilin Buddha and other venues), about half the crowd was often musicians from and friends of other bands on the scene. Ya had to be there, but Joe Keithley's book I Shithead, A Life in Punk will give you a great taste.

And Now, for Something Completely Different...

Secular Humanism and Buddhist Thought

My sister Debbie is a secular humanist who practices and teaches Buddhism, and her own site represents a profoundly delicate synthesis of Eastern spiritualty and Western manifestation. Her website is called Seeing Clearly, and it is a great read, clearly illustrating how POV or point of view distorts our perceptions of reality, as most of us assume our view is the truth. There are stories that demonstrate these concepts, and Debbie updates the site several times a year. Her background and foundation are Shambala, yet her teachings on the website are universal in application and personal in feel.

Here's an excerpt from the Intro to Debbie McCubbin's Seeing Clearly website:

There are many different spiritual paths, and for good reason – people are touched and opened in different ways. What I’m writing about here is one kind of journey. On one hand, the layers of learning and seeing are endless and always continue. On the other hand, it feels quite tangible that my mind has changed noticeably over the past ten years. It’s more present, less reactive, less prone to getting caught up in neurotic thoughts, less speedy, and much more comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity. It’s a mind that’s less in search of defense and perfection, and more comfortable with the full range of the brilliance and the pain of the human condition. Though I still have lots of foibles and flaws, I can feel the difference in my mind and in the quality of my life. I feel alive, not like I’m living a tentative and anxious life in my head.


Check it out!!!

Peace 2 All,

Yuya Joe College

Battlestar Galactica and Highway 61 Revisited; the Road to PEI

All Along the Watchtower is on the Battlestar Galactica Season 3 soundtrack, and that's cool, yet there appears to be a reference to the Dylan album Highway 61 Revisited in one of the episodes, not sure which season.

According to my son Aaron, a man is about to read a passage from a book when the woman with him says "turn to page 61."

He does, and finds a spliff neatly tucked there. They begin to smoke it and she claims "the doctor won't mind, it's medicinal."

This was great to hear as Highway 61 Revisited had only recently been the theme of our wondrous journey to PEI!

PEI trip with links blog post

Vinyl Records LPs for Sale in Markham Ontario

Okay, here's the idea. I usually sell between 500 and 1,500 vinyl records per month, primarily through craigslist.ca and kijiji.ca. The difficulty with selling record here is that by the time one would secure decent search engine rankings, those lots would be gone and entirely new LPs would be up for sale.

Still, this could be a decent vehicle if, rather than making a new post for each new set of stacks, I'll just update THIS exact post with the new material. Let's give it a shot!

Here are what's currently available (email yuyajoe at yahoo.ca to arrange pickup):

Why pay $1 to $10+ for records when you're just getting started and can buy in bulk for .25 to .30 per disc? We sell to top hip hop producers, Films (Scott Pilgrim vs), Plays (Rock'nRoll), beginning samplers and collectors.

3 Great Stacks of Bulk records for sale NOW:SOLD

Stack Guitar Rox AA1974 - Rock Pop Country Rock'NRoll Dance Folk +++ $70
Guess Who, Grand Funk, Eagles, Europe, Jean Luc Ponty, Petra, Edgar Winter, Joe Walsh, Eye Eye, Dream Academy, Charley Pride, Conway Twitty, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, Hollies, classical, Platters, hits collections, Streisand, Phil Collins, Gordon Lightfoot, Cheap Trick, Stevie Wonder, Eric Burdon and The Animals, Doobie Bros

3 boxes with 240+ records just $70 SOLD


Stack Samplers Delight AA2015 - Pop Rock Jazz Folk R&B World Instr +++ $70 SOLD

CHIC, Earth Wind & Fire, Atlantic Starr, Lionel Hampton, Earl Grant, Chery Riley, Motown, Tom Tom Club, Mambo, Escape Club, Gypsy, Hawaiian, Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight and The Pips++++

Est 260++ discs incl 75 sleeveless, ALL for just $70 SOLD


Stack Piece A Love AA1979 - Folk Pop Rock Instr R&B +++ $70 SOLD

Gordon Lightfoot, Eagles, Emmylou Harris, Paul Simon, Kid Creole, George Benson, Julian Lennon, Erasue, Jean-Luc Ponty, New Edition, Don McLean, Glen Campbell, Hollies, Bing Crosby, Chet Atkins, Commodores, The Jones Girls, Smother Bros, Chilliwack, The Cars, Bananarama, Murray McLachlan, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt+++

3 boxes 240+ records only $70

2 stacks for $130; buy all 3 for just $180 and get 9 boxes with over 750 records, < 0.25 each!!! SOLD



NEW STACKS AVAIL Sep 5 2010:

Stack EIGHT - Rock Pop Folk Country Mishmash - $40

2 large boxes and one smaller box of odds and sods, this and that, mixed condition but artists incl CCR, Grand Funk, Cat Stevens, Earth Wind and Fire, Edward Bear, The supremes, eagles, Dean Martin, Gordon Lightfoot.

Over 270 vinyl records just $40!



Stack NINE - Sampler's Starter Stack - Pop Rock Jazz Folk Foreign World R^B Country + $60

Al Green, Stan Kenton, Latin, Armada orchestra, Frank Sinatra +++

1 large box and 2 small boxes with 200+ records only $60



Stack ONE - Pop Rock Folk Vinyl Records +++ $90 SOLD

incl Dylan (Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid), Jeff Beck (Blow By Blow), Roxy Music, Dr. Hook, Janis Joplin, Moody Blues, Tom Jones, The Romantics, Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Nicks, Heart, Asia, Burton Cummings, Triumph, Rolling Stones, April Wine +++

3 boxes with 210+ vinyl records for only $90! SOLD


Stack TWO - All Styles 78s - $60

Unchecked 78s just came in as part of a trade, loads of 78s here now!!!

5 boxes of 78s est 400+ $60 takes all


Stack THREE - Samplers Delight Mixmash Vinyl Records - $90

Incl R&B, Pop, Jazz, Rock, Soul, Disco, Instrumental, World, Foreign, loads of great records for sampling groovy and unusual sounds.

Artists incl. Stan Kenton, Nils Lindberg, Sade, Teddy Pendergrass, Gladys Kinght and the Pips, Ramsey Lewis, Hiroshima, Soft Cell, Madonna, World Party, Sarah Vaughan, Diana Ross, Sophie B Hawkins, Godspell, Asha, Michael Urbaiak, Latin Wave, Neneh Cherry, Kool and The Gang, Duran Duran, Tina Turner, Duke Ellington, Chick Corea, +++

3 boxes est 210+ records for only $90!!!


Stack FOUR - 8 Track tapes Pop rock Country - $40

Mostly 60s 70s pop, rock and country, including jim croce, CCR, Roy Orbison, ELO, Max Webster, The Guess Who, Frampton etc

3 boxes filled with about 180+ 8 track tapes, 1960s to early 1970s music!

$40 takes all the 8-track tapes!!!


Stack FIVE - Pop Rock Country Folk +++ Vinyl Records $70

Incl Men Without Hats, Madonna, Peter Gabriel, 10cc, Gordon Lightfoot, Steely Dan, Cheech & Chong, Toronto, Pat Benatar, Level 42, David Bowie+++

4 boxes est 190+ records only $70


Stack SIX - 45rpm records Rock Pop Country +++ $80

550+ 45 rpm singles for just $80; barely checked, finds are possible!!!

GREAT for jukebox owner; one smaller box plus one giant box of singles only $80



Stack SEVEN - BULK 45rpm vinyl records Pop Rock Country ++ $90

est 750+ 45s, with about 400+ sleeveless, incl most unchecked, finds possible


Buy 2 or 3 stacks save $5 per stack; 4 or more stacks save $10 per.


Please email Joe (yuya Joe at yahoo dot ca) to arrange convenient pickup, at Bayview Ave / Romfield, north of John, south of 7!

DOA's Canadian Tour hits BC, AB, ON, PQ, SK, MB

DOA circa 1979 / 1980: Front cover of World War 3 B/W Whatcha Gonna Do? L to R, Randy Rampage, Chuck Biscuits, Joey Shithead Keithley. Guitarist Dave Gregg joined shortly after this single was released, in time for the 1980 "Dawn of a New Error" North American Tour.

DOA lineup in the 21st Century!

Here are the upcoming Canadian Tour Dates on the killa Talk Minus action Equals Zero Tour, courtesy of Joey Keithley's music label site www.SuddenDeath.com:

D.O.A.	Aug. 27th	Kamloops, BC	Pogue Mahone
D.O.A.	Sept. 15th	Innisfail, AB	The Zoo
D.O.A.	Sept. 16th	Calgary, AB	The Republik
D.O.A.	Sept. 17th	Edmonton, AB	New City
D.O.A.	Sept. 18th	Canmore, AB	Canmore Hotel
D.O.A.	Sept. 24th	Victoria, BC	Rehab Nightclub (Formerly Evolution Nightclub), Rifflandia Festival
D.O.A.	Oct. 1st	Vancouver, BC	The Biltmore
D.O.A.	Oct. 5th	London, ON	Call the Office
D.O.A.	Oct. 6th	Waterloo, ON	The Chainsaw
D.O.A.	Oct. 7th	Hamilton, ON	The Casbah
D.O.A.	Oct. 8th	Toronto, ON	The Horseshoe
D.O.A.	Oct. 9th	Ottawa, ON	Maverick's
D.O.A.	Oct. 10th	Montreal, PQ	Cafe Chaos
D.O.A.	Oct. 11th	Kingston, ON	The Mansion
D.O.A.	Oct. 13th	Saskatoon, SK	Amigo's
D.O.A.	Oct. 14th	Regina, SK	The Distrikt
D.O.A.	Oct. 15th	Winnipeg, MB	The Zoo
D.O.A.	Oct. 16th	Winnipeg, MB	The Zoo

For those who have yet to be blessed with the blunt force and vivid sonic arsenal of a live DOA show, get yer pelvic affiliate and put yer boots on and head down to the old corral; Gunsmoke shall be arising as the amps ready to fire.

"We're DOA!"

Joey performs with DOA at the Vancouver Peace March

Green Energy Investing News; HOT Clean Power Stocks

I got some good news today in that I am now writing for Examiner.com, as their Toronto Alternative Energy Examiner. It should be fun!!!

Here are some stories from recent days in the news, featuring alternative energy projects and clean power companies:

Nova Scotia goes GREEN; Maritimes alternative energy news

Balancing power loads and peak demands; Green Energy's biggest challenge

AT&T hires SunEdison to add 2MW of solar photovoltaics in California

NACF acquires China National Solar (NACF: Pink Sheets)

California Energy Commission endorses adding 2,100 MW Solar Photovoltaic Power

Renewable Power Investing links:

Best Green Stocks website

Green Power Mutual Fund Directory

Solar Photovoltaic Energy Stocks

Windpower Stocks Company List

PVintell Solar Energy Blog