Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Found Object(s) #3: Regina’s Twin (soon to be Triplet) Towers.

             
Towers are often representative of the phallic, and if I ventured to guess, I would have to say the Regina Twin Towers are no exception.

Consider this: Archaeology has shown that in the past, tall upright structures were frequently constructed and used in religious rites as an effort to appease the fertility gods. The hope was that the gods would respond by blessing the cultivated land and ensure a bountiful harvest. Interestingly, Regina was built on some of the richest soil in the world (at one time the region was considered “the breadbasket of the world), and historically, the city has always been surrounded and supported by a strong agricultural community. It should not be too far-fetched then to speculate that the Twin Towers, located in the very heart of downtown Regina, are in fact a symbol stemming from our past representing our desire to retain a vibrant and fertile agrarian landscape. It could also be said that since the Towers are associated more with the city’s commerce, their status as phallic symbols may be even more representative of the growth and development of the city’s increasingly important business sector. After all, every city desires a fertile economy, no? I also don’t think it’s mere coincidence that with the recent surge in city development Regina is now building a third “phallus”, or Tower, with the hopes of receiving future blessings from the gods of commercial fertility.

Sociologically speaking, the location of the Towers in the city is also interesting. Ancient cultures used to place their most sacred temples in the centre of their communities, or in what we would call today their “downtown”. These religious structures, often tall and imposing in nature, marked the centre of a city’s activities. While I admit the Towers in Regina aren’t religious, and don’t really centralize and galvanize the city’s community at the moment, recent construction and development in the downtown area certainly aim to bolster the traffic in and around those twin (and soon to be triplet) buildings. Time will only tell if a third Tower will be enough to stimulate the Regina downtown, impregnate it with greater activity, and bring to birth a renewed sense of community and business in the city.

Another point to consider is this: Ever hear someone say that a man driving a big truck “is obviously trying to compensate for something” (suggesting he’s perhaps deficiently endowed)? Well consider Regina as that man, and the Twin towers as our city’s ‘Truck’ – something we’ve acquired as a means of compensating for something we seem to lack: Possibly more national scale attention? A cultural identity? Respect from other, better endowed cities? Being known for more than just the city that rhymes with “fun”, or the city with the “worst neighbourhood”? Maybe to prove we’re more than just another hick-town in the middle of nowhere? Whatever the case may be, Regina seems to feel it lacks distinctiveness, and I believe the Towers can be viewed, in both a symbolic and physical sense, as a pathetic attempt to somehow make-up for that shortcoming – the Towers, after all, are touted in nearly all our civic advertising and marketing campaigns, and generally identified as the city's most recognizable landmarks. Therefore, since for the most part it is men who are in charge of running the Queen City, could it be that Regina, named after a strong female monarch, is reaching for some old-fashioned masculine branding to compensate for its patriarchal insecurities?  As if one weren't enough, we had to build two, and soon to be three such erections that stretch far above our city's horizon.   And if the rumours are true, even a fourth tower is could be on its way.  Now doesn't that seem at least a bit excessive?   

It really bothers me that despite having so much potential and promise, Regina continues to ‘compensate’ for its inadequacies rather than embrace all of its strengths. I’m just not convinced that adding another giant glass and concrete penis to our city skyline screams to the rest of the world that we have “arrived”. I’ve been to cities all over the world, and I’ve found it’s not the size of their buildings that necessarily matter, but instead it’s the people that live there and all those little things one really has to hunt for that gives it a true character and identity: the local businesses and restaurants, the underground music venues, the non-commercial art galleries, the publicly-run festivals, and so on and so forth. Of course, I’m not against building another Tower downtown – it will undoubtedly yield countless advantages to the city. All I am imploring is that we let it not define us.   Regina has a wealth of talent in the arts, and I think developing and promoting this would go so much farther in providing us with a more defined identity.


Next blog post: Regina’s Twin Towers as yonic symbols...I kid, I kid! (Despite the overwhelming evidence to suggest this is the case, I won’t bore you with my counter argument to the post above. All you need to do is look at the subtle “V” shape that the buildings create on the city’s pre-“Infinite Horizons” logo, remember that Regina will always be the city that rhymes with “fun”, and know that Regina has very feminine roots as Canada’s “Queen City”.


Monday, November 29, 2010

My Daily Horoscope: The Art of the Future


I am a Pisces.   Though I've never really understood what that meant, I've always thought we are all somehow connected to the vast universe, and that to at least some extent, maybe even subject to its workings.  I've taken 10 horoscopes from 10 random websites that predict my day tomorrow (November 30, 2010) Lets see just how accurate these predictions will be.  

In no particular order:


1.  Get clarity on financial matters. Promised funds may not come through just now. Review your budget and adjust accordingly. Outer circumstances are favorable and should be easy for you to push forward in projects and in all areas of your life. Things may seem almost miraculous in the way they work out in your favor. This is a great time to organize and get things accomplished. A relentless getting down to essentials makes your sense of management and practical vision very deep. You have a sense of mass psychology, how to organize and manipulate sensitive areas of the public mind. A very simple gathering of several friends this evening reveals you as successful. Congratulations, you have had a very full and successful day.

http://www.dailyhoroscopes.com/component/option,com_events/task,view_detail/agid,390/year,2010/month,11/day,30/Itemid,4/

It would have been better if they hadn't told me these "Promised Funds" existed...now money I didn't even know I had, is no longer "coming to me".  *sigh*



2.  Relax and let things go a little today -- you need to make sure that you're not feeling tied down! Your energy is about right for big-picture issues that might still morph quite a bit before coming to fruition.

http://www.astrology.com/horoscopes/pisces/daily-horoscope/tomorrow
 
Any future that involves the word "Morph" is alright by me.
 
 

3.  Venus is now in your adventure and learning sector, and will journey through that sector for the next six weeks. This brings wonderfully optimistic energy to your love life. It's also a decent time for money dealings. You have a taste for the exotic, and you may find yourself attracted to people, objects, and situations that are notably different than your usual "flavor". Sharing personal philosophies with others appeals greatly during this cycle.

http://www.cafeastrology.com/piscesdailyhoroscopetom.html

I need to know more about the un-'usual' flavors I'll be enjoying before I can get on board with this one...



4.  You could have an awkward moment today by realizing that a previous goal has become less important. It's not that your opinions have changed; it's just that your perspective is growing broader, enabling you to understand an opposing viewpoint. Nevertheless, don't be too accommodating. It's better to dig in your heels and hold your position, instead of wasting energy trying to regain control later on.

http://www.tarot.com/astrology/daily-horoscope/pisces-horoscope/?scopeDay=20101130

Awkard moments define my life, this is nothing new.



5.  Relax and let things go a little today -- you need to make sure that you're not feeling tied down! Your energy is about right for big-picture issues that might still morph quite a bit before coming to fruition.


http://shine.yahoo.com/astrology/pisces/daily-overview/20101130/

I wonder if Yahoo! knows #2 totally 'copy' and 'pasted' this for their own website? (or vise-versa, I suppose)
 


6.  You may be pointing the finger in the wrong direction if you think you have made an enemy. You are probably your own worst enemy just now not anyone else. Re-examine the pace and intensity of your words and you will understand what I am talking about.


http://www.astrology.com.au/daily/pisces.asp
 
I might be pointing my finger in the wrong direction regardles...I sprained it falling on the ice this past weekend.
 


7.  While your day at work ought to begin with a whirlwind of creative ideas and suggestions from your side, you will run out of juice by mid-day, says Ganesha. Perhaps, it is time to take a short break over the weekend from work to recharge your batteries.


http://www.ganeshaspeaks.com/daily_pisces_horoscope.jsp

Looking forward to the creative whirlwind, not so much the juice-less mid-day.  



8.  You will loose your own wave if you get involved in other people`s problems today. Don`t be too shy to cut those who have disappointed you. Avoid sharing your opinion whit the others.

http://www.gotohoroscope.com/pisces-daily-tomorrow.html

Yes.  share my opinion whit others...


 
9.  Mars officially makes its connection to Jupiter today (even though they've been interacting for a little while now). This is a tougher aspect to deal with because its going to really suppress your drive to succeed and be productive. If you can put something off, that's by far the easiest choice to make. It's also going to be a lot harder to find the point of doing what needs to be done.


Heading into the work week, it's important that you keep this energy in mind as you go about your day. If things are going to get done, it has to come from within (others aren't going to pick up the slack for you). So as much as there might be temptation to mull around doing little, or bypassing your responsibilities altogether, you're not condemned to sitting idly. You just have to find ways to make the tougher choice of working hard rather than constantly settling for the fun activity. It's a bit of a turkey day hangover in many respects, but some will find their way to rise above it and make the most of their opportunities. You've got the power, but the choice to use it is yours. Best of luck.

Maintaining the status quo will probably be sufficient enough for you for now. It's going to be hard to get amped up to do more than the minimum to get by. Still, if you can look for reasons to do more than you have to, you can make a really big impression in the eyes of others. It might not be exactly what you want right now, but later on when you do seek a little more attention and appreciation, you will have your deeds from today to fall back on. You'll have to really step it up in order to make the most of this energy, but there can be some long-term benefits to cash in on if you do.

http://weeklyhoroscope.com/ViewSignDailyPisces.php

Status and quo are my two favorite words when placed together... 
 



10.  Right now you feel a need for sweetness - perhaps in the form of emotional and physical affection, or even of food. You are apt to be pleasantly self-indulgent.

http://www.homepagers.com/daily/pisces.html

I'm getting an early jump on this one today.   Nothing wrong with eating a whole tub of ice cream in one sitting, is there?