Thursday 7 November 2024

IN THE GRACE OF GILEAD



For some people, becoming larger than life becomes paramount. 
Sociopathic narcissism has no nationality; no boundaries.

 Insecure? Na. Just confident.






music video remixes below/bottom
DYSTOPIAN 2125
DEAD END



The Massive Sceptre


It's all about the show. You know that kid in school … class clown. Trickster, grandstander. 

Maybe the schoolyard bully who ended up playing lead guitar in the local metal band before becoming Mayor. No wait. The good looking quiet one in the back of the class who becomes a multi-millionaire real estate mogul at 26, marries a trophy wife/high school sweetheart (Playboy bunny), has 3 kids and divorces her at 40, dumping her for someone younger, prettier, hotter - packin’ a massive sceptre and a proper pre-nup. Dude. Always out to prove something. Broad strokes on an empty canvas aching for retribution. Art of the deal. 

Boner. I mean bonus.


Thelma & Louise

Donald Trump is in good company as he embarks on his second term as President of the United States. I guess America would rather vote for a felon poser misogynist than a black woman. I mean … come the fuck on! Let’s get REAL! Freedom for ME, no freedom for you.

So what we have here is Trump 2.0. You know, the new and improved version. The one where capitalism becomes unhinged and looks a whole lot more like Russia’s oligarchy than a democracy. The one where humility becomes weakness and everyone is vulnerable. All part of Putin’s plan when he juxtaposed himself into America’s election the first time around. 

Now? 2024? Bullseye. In this new world order, there are winners and there are losers.
You decide. Oh wait, that decision is no longer yours to make. Oh well. Maybe next time.
Oh wait, maybe there won't BE a next time. America's electorate (fuelled by a Russian President and multiple billionaire infused super PACS) has collectively driven us off a cliff and into grave uncertainty and it is a Canadian author saying 'I told you so', 40 years later. 






 


In or Out


Look, this dichotomy is insane, surreal ... heartbreaking. Comatose camaraderie with a side order of inbred inebriation. Trailer park TV, late morning.  She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake. Realizing she's almost out of smokes with a call to have them added to her beer delivery. Boyfriend having left for another 12 hour shift at the plant and a rain-soaked TRUMP - TAKE AMERICA BACK sign now partially tipped over on their non existent lawn a week after the election. Texting a girlfriend to see if she wants to party tonight. It's a mood thing ...

I’m in the final chapter of my life - so it seems fitting, that I just unload (not a whole lot to lose at this point). I am so grateful to have been born in 1956 in Canada! The '60s, '70s, '80s & '90s were spectacular decades to be alive. By 2000 the party was winding down and it started expiring heavily. 9/11 officially knocked the wind out of my sails. By 2016 it becomes downright tragic - so ya let’s spill. What’s unfolding/at stake here is a long list - so WARNING: If you don’t really want to get bummed out right now? Don’t read any further. Distract yourself accordingly. It’s a synopsis based on perception. No holds barred. A now or never kind of deal. You’re either in or out.


Ah, you’re in. So let’s do this …


1. MIGRATION/DEPORTATION - ICE on steroids - militarized, as Trump’s new GESTAPO. Official police of the nation (remember Germany 1943? Ok you’ve seen the movies). Feds over-riding state, county and urban jurisdictions. An ALL -IN kind of deal. Local cop? Go home. Families separated, parents sent away whatever. Refugees, legal immigrants? Doesn’t matter. Mass deportations. Incarceration camps. An invigorated crematorium industry silently sewn. End of birth right citizenship. Ban Muslims from entering the country and those here now? 

Get the hell out or face the consequences.

 

2. ECONOMY - It is said that inflation in an out of control economy was the backbone of Trump's campaign and that moderate middle class Americans caved to an 'anti-system' sentiment out of fear and mistrust of the current system. I mean what do we really have to lose by tearing it all down and building it back again right? How can it get any worse and what exactly will he DO? Doesn't matter. Worth a try and Trump is our man. Hints? Oh ya ... dark clouds on the horizon? The term 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' comes to mind.

Ok, let's start with tariffs. Let’s PUNISH Americans first (by making it all WAY more expensive), then China, Mexico and Canada for intruding on us. Trade? Don't make me laugh. Newsflash: Globalism is yesterday's news. Nationalism is today's. Protecting U.S. interests (translation: billionaire campaign donors heavily invested in a MAGA U.S.) coming first obviously! 

Lower & middle classes will just have to deal with it - you get out what you put IN. Oh BTW, thanks for your vote - now FUCK OFF! Using public, taxpayer money for private religious & ideologically aligned vocational schools. Additional tax breaks for corporations and the top 5%. Trillions syphoned at the expense of those who voted for this crime of the century con and all out in the open, mid-day (smiling & waving). Elimination of unions and worker protections. 

Raising the price of medications so as to benefit big pharmaceutical donors. Taxes up for those lower in the food chain, taxes down for those higher up.










 

3. ENVIRONMENT/REGULATIONS - Abandoning all initiatives. EPA, FDA, NOAAA designed to protect the public from crony capitalism’s extreme exploitation. The Paris Climate Accord and global climate incentives in 2017 abandoned by America then, now again. Let's put the final nail in that coffin shall we? It's a short term GAIN long term PAIN manifesto, racing down a dusty back road towards the Grand Canyon in a green 1966 Ford Thunderbird convertible.
We’ll deal w/it as it comes. Just adapt. Future generations? Whatever. Objections? Bring it.

Canada’s earnest carbon tax was a good idea, then. Now? Irrelevant. Big business and big oil will prosper. Green energy initiatives all on the chopping block. Canada, now ruled by Pierre Poilievre will fall into line and our resources will be up for grabs in a new willingness to comply and be rewarded as such. Ontario's Premier Doug Ford will be re-elected and his original plan to sell off the Green Belt will now become a reality with wealthy Americans benefitting the most from the new deal, Canada's affluent real estate players a distant second. A minority of Ontarians upset, a majority complacent. Indifferent. Numb.

 

4. FOREIGN RELATIONS - Turbulence/uncertainty. Arms escalation - more fingers on the LAUNCH codes. A military industrial complex working overtime. Ukraine, Palestine, Middle East becoming a more unstable powder-keg with a shorter fuse. Russia, China, North Korea aligning. WW3 becoming a very real possibility. Especially now. Restraint? None to be had. Ukraine eventually folding into Russia, NATO deteriorating and Israel becoming emboldened with increased support by the U.S., Britain and Europe collectively shaking their heads in wonder of what will happen to them. Hair trigger defence mechanisms proliferate.

Prediction: Trump will hand Ukraine over to Putin like a burnt burger on a plastic platter.


5. DOMESTICS - Here it comes. A national abortion ban? Not quite yet but watch out. Give it a year or two. Trump has stated he will continue to let states decide BUT rogue blue states not complying to a MAGA ideology will be hung out to dry on such issues including transfers, FEMA and grants. The hundreds of billions of federal aid dollars shared amongst states now every year will become more selective, favouring Republican states; excluding/punishing others.

Blue states will hang on for a year or two before caving to demands. More Republicans installed replacing Democrat judges nationally state by state before abortion rights become non existent everywhere. Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ, Muslims and minority groups going dark in fear. Civil rights, DEI protections, existing regulations and no fault divorce will end and women will automatically be blamed with no rights or compensation. Existing lunch programs in schools will be eliminated. Domestic violence, hunger and child poverty skyrocketing.





 


6. SOCIAL SECURITY - The existing social safety net will slowly disintegrate. Medicare will eventually be phased out. Healthcare will radically change with more exclusions and those who qualify will only get access if they have money or are insured. A new wave of privatization sweeping across America and Canada after a Conservative majority government is elected north of the border. The Retirement age will be raised and old age pensions reduced. 

Canadian healthcare will go from a single payer model (used in Scandinavian countries) to a 2 tier model with insurance/user pay covering half (incidental surgeries and tests).


7. LAW ENFORCEMENT - Federal and state run police will usurp local authorities. Supreme Court Justices now entirely appointed by the President for the sole purpose of serving him and his agenda. Trump's felonies once initiated by the Department of Justice will be expunged permanently and proponents of such initiatives will be fired, then jailed. Law and government will be joined at the federal level first, then the state second. Municipal policing will triple in size out of necessity. Confined to domestic disputes, increased crime and local order.

Capital punishment will be reintroduced nationally and America’s booming prison industry will expand ten-fold. Military confrontations with protestors will become commonplace with draconian measures being implemented to ensure 'safety' for America's citizens.


8. MEDIA - Fox News will become the official propaganda network for the country with others following or being shut down. Rogue podcasts, blogs, YouTube channels and what’s left of television or on-line alternatives will be weeded out and heavily censored or removed by a new Department of Communication controlled entirely by the office of the President. 

FBI and Homeland Security will be defunded and a new Department of Corrections will be introduced. Dissidents and protestors will be targeted/profiled, rooted out and either deported, imprisoned or quietly executed.










Epilogue: The Pendulum


Is there any coming back from this? Honestly, I'm thinking this blog may last 6 months to a year before it is taken down with a large percentage of my content purged/removed from my YouTube channel and Blogger. Free speech will be supported for those who comply, restricted for those who don't. Freedom and free speech will become selective, favouring those continuing subscribers to the MAGA doctrine, even in Canada. Those resisting will be silenced.

Now, all that said, it is quite conceivable that the next 4 years will pass and in 2028 there will be another election that changes everything yet again. It's a serious stretch but hey, anything is possible. I would like to leave this on a positive note. Humanity has prevailed before and can prevail again. It is said that there's this pendulum swinging left, then right - then back again, over decades driven by inertia; reversing course by our intrinsic need for change. It's really now a question if we will be allowed to initiate that change. Maybe. Maybe not.

This could be a final stretch for the swing right and it could be a final conclusion for democracy, universal critical thinking in life & liberty. Optimism is usually a good thing. 


We thought it could never happen again after the last one, especially here ...
and here we are.









power is in tearing human minds to pieces 
and putting them together again 
in new shapes of your own choosing


George Orwell




IN THE GRACE OF GILEAD






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dictators generally, don't get along


























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Wednesday 30 October 2024

LOYALTY - do or die




loyalty is earned
when it is demanded 
it becomes fatal



L O Y A L T Y
D O  O R  D I E
U S A  -  C A N A D A

volume up . 1080p


















my science is the REAL science
my religion is the REAL religion
my news is the REAL news






optimized for night vision



a jim lamarche remix
from the album TEMPLE REDUX
assembled in photoshop, logic audio & final cut

featuring the Roland System 8




source music w/brett janzen https://brettjanzen.ca/ the Lincoln Project: https://lincolnproject.us/




















see the ONE LIFE album/page here >>>
http://www.jimlamarche.ca/onelife/


see the new TWO LIVES album/page here >>>
see the new THREE LIVES album/page here >>>



see the TEMPLE REDUX album/page here >>>


















read more of Jim's blog posts here 


a raglan manor production
NOV '24



special thanks to GRADO LABS in Brooklyn NY
for understanding how headphones
should be made



















O Y A L T Y
D O  O R  D I E
U S A  -  C A N A D A


volume up . 1080p



















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Thursday 24 October 2024

DIWALI 24





D I W A L I  2 4
a celebration of India & the world
it's all about relevance


 most indians live vicariously
through one of their 
bollywood idols











feels like an invitation
there's an innocence and an audience
a new dance

In everything & everyone living here.
The Diwali is our Halloween & Christmas
rolled into one 3 day celebration in India
 now synchronized - this year, both Oct 31 - Nov 02.

2024 is an eclipse
an oddity








D I W A L I  2 4
a celebration of India & the world


volume up - 1080p
lights out/candles
recommended






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Arriving late in Mohali Punjab on Saturday Oct. 25, 2008;
waking up on the eve of Diwali in black/red sheets, Majestic Hotel
after sleeping for 2 days - extra strength jetlag.
late afternoon - only a few more hours
of daylight

Shah Rukh Khan on the TV post shower.
My first realization about India
Idols are everything

Still wet, drying my hair w/a towel.
I'm thinking ... holy shit, Bollywood rocks.
Lanterns, fireworks, firecrackers outside
downstairs, coffee at 5pm - almost dark.

Stepping out, warm (feels like late august) - humid;
orange lights, smells like curry & smoke - dogs everywhere ...


Non stop - 3 days;
incredible


Yes sir, black, gold seal














optimized for night vision




remixes by jim lamarche
assembled in photoshop, logic audio & final cut

featuring the Roland System 8


 read more of Jim's blog posts here 

SCROLL DOWN




source music w/Edgaras Zakevicius



Bahram Pourmand



Karunesh





visual/dance

Garba Fusion | Dholida X Jhume Re Gori X Chogada
Choreography - Sushil Patil
Music Mix & Edit by - Jim Lamarche
Costumes - Khushboo Gupta
Video by - Harikesh Kori
















see the ONE LIFE album/page here >>>
http://www.jimlamarche.ca/onelife/


see the new TWO LIVES album/page here >>>
see the new THREE LIVES album/page here >>>



see the TEMPLE REDUX album/page here >>>



see the SPEARMINT LAKE album/page here >>>
http://www.jimlamarche.ca/spearmintlake/













D I W A L I  2 4
a celebration of India & the world













Saturday 19 October 2024

BABY SHARK




in a world full of fish
be a shark




B A B Y  S H A R K

volume up . 1080p

















optimized for night vision



a jim lamarche remix
from the album TWO LIVES
assembled in photoshop, logic audio & final cut

featuring the Roland System 8


source music w/johannes hedberg & daniel vadestrid



source visual: baby shark dance
dreams house dance academy - albania



















see the ONE LIFE album/page here >>>
http://www.jimlamarche.ca/onelife/


see the new TWO LIVES album/page here >>>
see the new THREE LIVES album/page here >>>



see the TEMPLE REDUX album/page here >>>



see the SPEARMINT LAKE album/page here >>>
http://www.jimlamarche.ca/spearmintlake/

















read more of Jim's blog posts here 




A B Y  S H A R K

volume up . 1080p






special thanks to GRADO LABS in Brooklyn NY
for understanding how headphones
should be made



























.

Tuesday 15 October 2024

WINDOW MEMORIAL



Till Death Do Us Part - an end of life predicament

in a remembrance of that which should have been done differently











Situation on the Ground


Life is difficult - now this? A recent trip to the doctor after tests where he tells you have cancer and it’s terminal. How long? Months, maybe a year. You’ve been tired for a long time, realizing something wasn’t right, thus the tests. Approaching 70 and it’s been a good run. Thinking, maybe it’s time to check out soon. Curing it doesn’t even enter the mind in a numbing sense of aloneness never felt before. 


Returning 3 days later for the obligatory ‘follow up’.


Of course your doctor has a ‘plan’ - you know, this agenda that doctors have … earnestly suggesting that with the right ’treatment’ there’s a chance that your life can be saved. Yay! With a couple of rounds of chemo and maybe some radiation, the cancer (now stage 4) might, just might go into remission. He is 'highly recommending' it quietly knowing there's a very slim chance of success but the script was already prepared (arrangements made) so. Worst case scenario is that you’ll get another 4-6 months of additional torture, I mean LIFE; the treatment slowing down the spread. Wow! Sounds great; I mean … that’s good news right?


A reason to feel just that little bit better. Smile.


All we ever wanted was to be relevant. Wanting our lives to mean something - sharing it with someone who loves us - having children … good job, nice home/car - a comfortable life. Ok scoring pretty good on most counts and getting that it would be nice to go out quietly; with dignity without pain. I mean, if death is inevitable and I’m old, it only makes sense that it should be as easy as possible right? 


Wrong. 











Loved ones are torn. “You’ve got to FIGHT this” is the common response. Like fighting it is going to fix it. All very entertaining and all very predictable. The world has a plan - that you’ll live regardless of what happens (and you really don’t have a say). The stress, the expectations and all the knee-jerk reactions just make it way worse. Suddenly this is not about my life but more about everyone else's.



The Rear View


The end of life is a mishmash of religious dogma suggesting that our lives ultimately belong to some higher power, medical chivalry with endless codes and procedures; strict rules & prescriptions on how our prognosis should be dealt with. What is probably the most disturbing, is the ongoing desperation that we humans ruthlessly maintain - to squeeze just one more day out of life regardless of how difficult it is. You OWE yourself that! What? Really?? It’s a universal narrative made up by those in charge; most of whom have never really had any experience with death themselves but since they know better, we just need to comply. Doctors, lawyers, clergymen/priests and esp. family really need you to stretch this out as long as humanly possible (even if it kills you). Why? Because that’s what we do!


Ok, when do I start the chemo? Well, scheduling delays and a backlog. We’ll ’try’ to get you started the first round in 3 weeks. Right. I have stage 4 cancer with months to live and they’re going to start my chemo in 3 weeks? That should be the first hint that this is all a very bad idea BUT it’s the ONLY chance of survival and EVERYBODY is insisting I try so … ok. ‘If you say so’.



For Thine is the Kingdom


Ten weeks later, results of the first round of chemotherapy come in and it’s not good news. Hair has fallen out and this stupid oxygen tube in my face 24/7. Too weak to even think about going out and lugging the tank around behind me. Can’t eat, sleep or shower/bath, having lost 30 pounds BUT maybe, just maybe we’ll get it on the second round of chemo and some radiation therapy for dessert. You CAN do this!  


Developments in Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) have come a long way in the last 10 years. Imagine drinking 2 small cups of liquid, laying back and falling asleep, deeper & deeper & deeper until your heart stops 10 minutes later. Jesus. That actually sounds pretty damn favourable right about now. Thinking it’s time to investigate that. Well no. Your Doctor telling you that a formal application can’t be submitted until all treatments are over and with chemo round 2 starting tomorrow, a MAID app is NOT an option for at least 10 more weeks now. Then there’s a 4 week exploratory period followed by a 6-8 week waiting period. 


The incremental agony - all there to support a system that has no idea what's really going on and all because 'hanging on for dear life' is how we roll. How it's always been done. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever ... amen.














Epilogue


It should be noted that many cancers are caught early enough that modern medical treatments work, eradicating the metastasis and even bringing about full remission, leaving those originally diagnosed free to live long, productive lives after. That said, being diagnosed w/stage 4 cancer at 70 is a time to think independently, knowing it’s only going to prolong the pain and suffering by seeking treatment for something that is too late to treat. Saying no thank you is always an option. An easier earlier departure is often best (even though it is never suggested or recommended).


Despite the clamouring for control, the kicking, screaming, clutching and resistance from all those who think they know what’s best for you, everyone facing elimination should have the right (and support) to shut it all down in minutes (no waiting, delays or excuses). Like shutting a light switch off. 


Over and out.






for Pansy Edith Batho (Pat Miller)

April 16, 1932 - July 29, 2004













https://www.ontario.ca/page/medical-assistance-dying-and-end-life-decisions


















jimlamarche.ca




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