Uninhabited Spaces

" Q", the world's finest music magazine, was recently granted an exclusive preview of U2's upcoming album No Line on the Horizon . Described as a bolder, more testing collection more in keeping with Achtung Baby (1991), Brian Eno and The Edge say this could be U2's greatest album. Q previews many of the new songs as follows: "Magnificent" Classic U2-isms, echoes The Unforgettable Fire (1984) opening track "A Sort Of Homecoming" in its atmospheric sweep.  "Crazy Tonight" Straight-up pop. "Stand Up" Swaggering, wherein U2 get in touch with their, hitherto unheard, funky selves - albeit propelled by some coruscating Edge guitar work, a signature feature of a number of the tracks.   "Get Your Boots On" Instantly striking, a heaving electro-rocker that may mark the destination point the band had been seeking on Pop (1997) "Winter" Featuring a fine Bono lyric about a soldier in an unspecified war zone, surr...

We hosted our annual holidays party last night. This year's theme was "Fa La La La La" and we had a wonderful turn out of friends and colleagues that made for new frendships and great conversations. Here are some photos...

U2 announced today that their forthcoming 12th album will be called "No Line on the Horizon" and it will be released on March 2, 2009.  Finally! It's been 5 long years since the Dublin lads released an album and I have been going slightly mad...The fans are expecting an imminent release of the first single from the album, rumoured to be called "Get on your Boots". In the meantime enjoy U2's just-released cover of "I Believe in Father Christmas" .

I'm now on holidays and have been enjoying mindless hours justrelaxing and hanging out at home. I've been flipping through MuchMusic more often than I really should reveal, and I have noticed the considerable drop in quality of rap & hip hop music.  Makes me yearn for the days when the music video was born and a new identity and politic was created by blacks through the following essential "old school" tracks: "Fight the Power" (Public Enemy) Not only one of the best but one of the most important rap songs ever written. Simply outstanding. "Push It" (Salt N Pepa) Noticeable first for being a female duo in a notoriously male-dominated genre, Salt N Pepa delivered this gem and launched a thousand girls' dreams of rap stardom. "It Takes Two" (Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock) Surely one of the few rap songs that will last the ages. This one will be included in the box set for the best of 20th century music. "Mama Said Knock You Out...

A new report from a Wharton professor entilted " The American Dream? The Private and External Benefits of Homeownership" dismantles the prevailing myth of the happy home owner. The author writes, "I find little evidence that homeowners are happier [than renters] by any of the following definitions: life satisfaction, overall mood, overall feeling, general moment-to-moment emotions (i.e., affect) and affect at home… They are also more likely to be 12 pounds heavier, report a lower health status and poorer sleep quality. They tend to spend less time on active leisure or with friends. The average homeowner reports less joy from love and relationships… Contrary to popular belief, I do not find significant differences in family-related time use patterns, family-related affect, number of normal work hours, indicators of stress or measures of self-esteem and perceived control of life by homeownership … Homeowners are happier on average only on an unadjusted basis. Once househo...

I am shaking my head at the realization it was 24 years ago that a bunch of socially-conscious pop stars got together to record "Do They Know Its Christmas?" . Bono's contribution was the accusatory line "Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you". I thought he delivered it so very well. He would contribute the same vocal again when a new generation gathered to re-record the song on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. The song-for-a-cause movement was born and U2 made a few more Christmas songs. In 1987 U2 contributed a song to the charity album "A Very Special Christmas". I remember rushing out to by my copy of the cassette tape (yes, you read that correctly). It's been a favourite of mine for all that time, and the Christmas season always makes me want to hear it again for all reasons nostaglic. Thanks to the gift that is YouTube you can enjoy the playful video U2 made for the song "It's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)...

The results of a study led by the Monieson Centre at Queen's School of Business entitled "Creative Economy Challenges: Retention of Queen’s Graduates in the Greater Kingston Area" were released yesterday. Among the findings: • Employment prospects are critical to retaining students locally. • Students are more likely to stay in Kingston for summer jobs and post graduate employment if they feel they are part of the community. • Students and alumni both indicated that employment prospects were the most important factor in deciding where to live post graduation. • Students and alumni both expressed strong dissatisfaction with Kingston’s employment opportunities. • Students and alumni both indicated “sales & service” was their least desired type of employment and they perceived sales & service to be the largest type of employment in Kingston. As for possible solutions, the report recommended that Kingston should implement policies that generate new economic opportunit...

Here's what I awoke to on CBC news this morning: Country 1 The country's top court has dissolved the government. The decision, which effectively dissolves the Prime Minister's government, follows months of opposition protests that have driven government officials from their offices. The Consitutional Court also banned at least one of the ruling coalition partners, effectively dismantling the government over allegations of vote-rigging. Adeputy prime minister from one of the remaining coalition parties will take over until the parliament could approve a new government. Country 2 The head of state is cutting short a state visit to Europe and returning to the country in the face of a political crisis that could bring down the government next week. The head of state will be called upon to decide who should govern if the minority government falls in a confidence vote. Opposition leader announced Monday that he had informed the head of state of a formal entente between the opposi...

Hilary Clinton has been named as America's next Secretary of State, the most powerful cabinet position in Obama's administration and fourth in line to the Presidency according to the Succession Act. In many ways, this will be a much better use of Mrs Clinton's talents than would have been the case had she been selected as the Vice President. Assuming she can corral her erratic husband she should be an indomitable force for diplomacy.

The Times of India is reporting that at least 80 people have been killed and 900 injured in terrorist attacks in Mumbai, including an attack on the famed Taj Hotel (1903). This story has special resonance for me as I stayed at the Taj in 2004 during my memorable trip to India. I fell in love with Mumbai and this historic hotel made such an indelible impression on me. I feel so sad for this great city and for the people who are suffering the senseless and incomprehensible slaughter of innocents. My heart goes out to all of those affected. 

L aunching December 1, (RED)WIRE  is a digital music magazine with one very important difference. It not only changes the way music is discovered, it provides medicine for people who need it in Africa.    Every Wednesday, receive your new exclusive music via the (RED)WIRE player – which also places each song automatically in your iTunes.  Half of your $5 monthly membership fee goes directly to The Global Fund to help buy and administer medicine to people in Africa living with HIV. It costs just $12 per month to provide someone the two pills a day they need to stay alive. So every five (RED)WIRE members generate enough money, every month, to help keep one person living with HIV in Africa alive. Simple. Powerful. Learn more here .  

Apparently the music and fashions of the 1980s are making a serious comeback. How fitting, since we are living in round two of the Me generation. Sadly, Time put "You." on the cover of its 2006 Person of the Year edition. This was well-received by the narcissistic self-entitled masses, their egos pumped with hourly visits to their Facebook and MySpace pages, stacked with their global "friends". This is a generation obsessed with rights and the blithe assumption that all opinons are valid and that everyone is entitled to share their opinions (Might as well throw me on the pile, if you are actually reading this blog). But this is a bastardization of democracy, for democracy is not solely about rights but also about responsibilities. Yes, you have a right to free speech but you have the responsibility to make sure it is informed free speech. Witness the endless cascade of comments at the end of nearly every article on the web. It matters little whether there is an ounc...

In the looming shadow of California's Proposition 8, hope emerges from the east coast, where a Connecticut judge has just opened the door to marriage for same-sex couples. See the breaking news at CNN .

With the passing of Proposition 8 in California, banning marriage for same-sex couples, the timing could not be more sadly ironic for the upcoming biopic on Harvey Milk. Played by Sean Penn the movie "Milk" tells the story of the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. Elected in 1977 as a city supervisor for San Francisco Milk was a passionate advocate for civil rights for gay people. Tragically, he was assassinated by a fellow city supervisor two years later. View the trailer here .

  If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference. It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the  United States of America . It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearfu...

I just returned from seeing Daniel Lanois live in Ottawa. It was a relatively intimate setting at Ottawa's Centrepointe Theatre. Lanois, known for his incredible production of U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris (and others), has a legion of fans in his own right based on his great solo albums. He offered his magnificent sound scapes and sonic architecture from his debut album "Acadie" (1989), to"For the Beauty of Wynona" (1993),  "Shine" (2003) and his most recent release "Here is What Is" (2008). It was a marvellous concert, and I was thrilled to finally see a man whose personal music I have enjoyed for years and who is largely responsible for the most important albums in my life--the best albums of U2.

Amidst the cacophany of the global economic turmoil Canadians can look ahead with some extra confidence as The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 has ranked Canada as first in the world for the soundness its banking system. As a result, the Washington Post reports , the world financial crisis has largely bypassed Canada.

This image, from the final presidential debate on Wednesday, seems to say everything we need to know. McCain looks like Gollum trailing behind Frodo on the long journey to Mount Doom. One is half-crazed, yearning for his precious power, while the other is serene, accepting of his role in a great destiny...

A new journal is being launched by Queen's University graduate students entitled Shift: Queen’s Graduate Journal of Visual and Material Culture . The journal "welcomes submissions dealing with visual and material culture from any discipline in the humanities. Papers may address a full range of topics and historical periods. Topics may include, but are not limited to, art and propaganda, patronage, gender and identity, spirituality and art, nationalisms and regionalisms, modernism and modernity, performance art, photography and film, perspectives in theory, methodology, and historiography, collection and representation, art and technology". The fascinating inaugural issue is now available on their website here .

What is the most effective way of presenting yourself to future employers? Improve your networking capabilities and watch your future grow! WHAT: Backpack to Briefcase – Networking Essentials WHEN: Thursday, October 16, 2008 TIME: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm WHERE: Goodes Hall, Room 301 COST: Free DRESS: Smart Casual Back by popular demand, Stacy Kelly, Artsci ’93, Office of the Vice Principal (Advancement), will provide anyone entering the job market with tips and advice about appearance and etiquette. From shaking hands to business cards, this lecture will provide valuable information that will smooth the transition from student to professional – brought to you by the Queen’s Student Alumni Association (QSAA). Click here to register.

The BBC is now offering 2 wonderful short clips of The Edge sharing some of his guitar magic. Check out Clip 1 and Clip 2 . Sweet!

My dear friend Mara works at Queen's but, like so many of us, holds her enduring passion for something way outside of her office space. In her case it's handmade stained glass jewelry. In her spare time she works away in her home-based studio to create one-of-a-kind pieces that are simply delightful and sweet (just like Mara). Please check out her creations at her online store .

Finally, the reunion I've been waiting 11 years to see...My two favourite actors are appearing in Revolutionary Road this December. Based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Richard Yates (and the inspiration for the TV show "Mad Men") this film, directed by Sam Mendes, promises to be memorable and poignant. I think it will prove to be an excellent counterpart to Mendes' "American Beauty" (1999). In a 2000 re-review of the novel, the New York Times reviewer writes, "Mostly 'Revolutionary Road' is just so smart and keen and shockingly inventive about everything it turns its imagination to: about being young and blissfully rudderless in New York City before the responsibilities of marriage and family cloud the sky; about entertaining the awful neighbors; about long, long business lunches; about being 30 and feeling middle-aged; about fearing change when you know change is likely to save you; even about the pink light seen through a poor man...

I came home tonight to learn that a paper I authored this past August on higher education philanthropy has been accepted for publication in the forthcoming issue of the Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education . I was pretty blown away by this news and I look forward to working with the Journal to create the final version for an expected February 2009 publication.

I am so sad to announce that my uncle Robert (Bobby) Kelly passed away yesterday at home. He was surrounded by his wife of 36 years, Margaret, and his two wonderful sons, Chad and Liam. My dad and my other uncle, Glenn, were there a great deal in the last few days. I joined the Kelly family in 1978 when my Mom and I moved in with my Dad (he later adopted me). Uncle Bobby welcomed me warmly and instantly and both he and my aunt Margaret were so very supportive of me and my drama productions during and after high school. I used to babysit their boys when they all still lived in Aylmer back in the old homestead. I have a rush of nostalgic and bittersweet memories. He was a lovely and good man, and I will miss him dearly.

It seems my recent caution to Democrats not to underestimate Sarah Palin was very well-founded. A CBS poll released today shows that "when asked directly what helped them to choose a candidate, 28 percent of these previously uncommitted voters volunteered Sarah Palin". She is also polling very high with uncommitted voters, well over Biden. All-in-all this points to the fact that more uncommitted have moved to the Republicans than Democrats since the end of the conventions. And they mourn, and weep, and fast till the evening (2 Samuel 1:12).

On Saturday night Mark and I attended a gala screening of Jonathan Demme's "Rachel Getting Married", starring Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Debra Winger. The screening was preceded by a cocktail reception hosted by Queen's University for alumni and friends. As this was the North American premiere the director and stars were in attendance. As we were about seven rows back from the stage I was rather star struck! Ms. Hathaway is tall and stunning, and she seemed so very sweet. It was a treat to see Debra Winger. I have been a fan of hers for years. We were addressed by Mr. Demme, which had me pinching myself as he is a legend in his own right. The film was uneven but the performances were stellar. Ms. Hathaway was superlative as the recovering drug addict Kym returning to the family homestead for her sister Rachel's wedding. There is no doubt she should receive an Oscar nomination. It's pretty clear that Kym is not especially welcome, and a dark part of t...

As I watch Governor Sarah Palin address the Republican National Convention I can't help but think of Senator Hilary Clinton. Surely she is also watching, and she must be pinching herself. She must be finding the scene on the television incredulous. I wonder if she is harbouring a bitterness as she contemplates the past year and the decades of her public service and where it has led her--to watching instead of being in front of the camera setting the agenda. Tonight's messages from Rudy Giuliani and Governor Palin have been barbed and vicious. Both have come out on full attack mode with their gloves off. For example: "This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word "victory" except when he's talking about his own campaign". Ouch! They are slicing and dicing Senator Obama for his lack of executive experience and they are positioning him as being all about style and little substance. The word "expe...

I am amazed at the influence of Harvard and Yale alumni who have made such an indelible impact on American politics at the highest level. These two schools have made a disproportional impact on the United States (and by extension, the world): Yale President William H. Taft. Yale 1878 President Gerald Ford, Yale 1941 President George H.W. Bush, Yale 1948 President George W. Bush, Yale 1968 President William J. Clinton Yale 1973 Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton, Yale 1973 Harvard President John Adams, Harvard 1755 President John Quincy Adams, Harvard 1787 President Rutherford Hayes, Harvard 1845 President Theodore Roosevelt, Harvard 1880 President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harvard 1904 President John F.Kennedy, Harvard 1940 President George W. Bush, Harvard 1975 Senator Barack Obama, Harvard 1991

The things we do for love...have a look at the best animated film of 2007, Oktapodi

The Canadian Council of Learning has ranked Kingston 7th overall out of 4,700 cities in their ranking of Canada's smartest cities. The ranking is based on 25 indicators that are grouped into UNESCO "pillars" of learning. They include, "Learning to Know", "Learning to Do", Learning to Live Together", and Learning to Be". Kingston shares the number 7 ranking with London and Oshawa. Ottawa and Victoria tied for the top spot. In the indicators ranking, Kingston came in as the 2nd most caring city in Canada, and the 19th most cultured city.

Queen's has unveiled its new visual identity for all things athletic, and is the first Canadian university to partner with adidas for its team apparel line. Soon all varsity players will be sporting the new uniforms and the campus bookstore will be stocked with sportwear featuring the new look. Queen's interuniversity competition dates back to 1873 and there have been many incarnations of the "old Queen's sweater". But through all the years a few things have remained: the signature tricolour and the symbolic "Q" have been refreshed and will launch another era of Queen's athletic spirit.

The Democrats are wrong to write-off Alaska's governor, Sarah Palin. I am likely a voice in the wilderness and just might be the only liberal who thinks that John McCain may have made a smart decision in choosing his running mate. Everything being equal the overarching priority is on winning the election, and a general election is about winning the votes that count in the so-called swing states. Indeed, general elections are not about what the Beltway pundits and east-coast intelligentsia want or expect. Of course they predicted Romney or even Lieberman but the electorate doesn't need or want either one of those names on the McCain ticket. Palin is the perfect choice of gender, politic, age, and profile to put in front of those who are still smarting over Hilary's defeat and those who like their politicians on the right-hand side of the issues. The United States has an enormous and well-mobilized evangelical movement and Governor Palin might just be the ticket for their asp...

Here is my list of the top-10 U2 songs you've likely never heard. Here are 10 essential U2 songs that you would have never heard unless I pointed them out. In no particular order they are: Mercy (2004) Bono referred to this as "a six-and-a-half-minute outpouring of U2 at its most uninhibitedly U2-ish" in an interview with Blender magazine. A beauty, with some of Bono's finest lyrics. The Ground Beneath Her Feet (2000) A wicked collaboration. Lyrics by Salman Rushdie and music by U2. This song haunts me. My, oh my... Electrical Storm (2002) A song for a hot summer night. Love and hate collide in an electrical storm. A little gem. Lady with the Spinning Head (1991) From the "Achtung Baby" outtakes, no one can quite fugure how this didn't make final cut. From 4:36 onward I just want to fly forever. Scarlet (1981) This song reaches deep inside your heart and makes you want to believe again. Original of the Species (2004) A song for their daught...

Finally, U2's iconic 1983 performance at Red Rocks, Colorado is being released on DVD in September. This is a must-have for fans, and is a nostalgic look back to the era of political preening and one of the best mullets to grace the stage...You can enjoy a preview of this classic concert here .

I stumbled across a hilarious video of a bunch of geeks....er...folks that re-enact a pivotal scene from "Star Wars: A New Hope" at their office. I just love this video because, dear readers, I spent most of my childhood acting out various "Star Wars" scenes, sometimes alone and other time with friends. Now I haven't pretended to be Han Solo since I was about 14 (no, really) so watching this video made me think that perhaps I've been missing out on alot of fun...Check out these wonderful geeks here .

[from the Queen's University NewsWire] New research by a Queen's University musicologist examines why Canadians are so attached to their music video station, MuchMusic, and why Canada is the only country in the world that has withstood the American MTV invasion. In a new book, Coming to You Wherever you are: MuchMusic, MTV, and Youth Identities , music expert Kip Pegley compares content on MuchMusic and MTV, where she looks at the national, gendered, and racial constructs of the two stations. “When scholars – especially American scholars – talk about music television, the assumption is that they mean MTV,” says Dr. Pegley. “But after watching endless hours of MTV and MuchMusic, I realized that they were quite different and wanted to explore why MuchMusic was unique.” Dr. Pegley documents evidence to support why the MuchMusic audience feels more connected to their station than their MTV-watching counterparts: MuchMusic viewers feel like they’re taken in as a collective, rather t...

This is an actual store sign in Salem, MA. We drove by and did a double-take and we just had to go back and take a picture. We laughed for a good half hour. The average age inside car dropped to 11. I nearly crashed the car. Ah, good times...

Great, great poster. Rock on Canadian filmmakers!

I've recently discovered MGMT , a New York duo that produces sonic magic. Here's music to live by; to cry, dream, hope, and fall into oblivion with. Climb into the tub, shut yourself in your room, or get in the car and never stop driving...

For those Queen's University friends who live far away you might enjoy taking a peek at campus as it continues to undergo a massive multi-million dollar revitalization. University Avenue: peek here (gone is the double boulevard) Tindall Field: peek here (swapping the original Tindall behind Vic Hall with a parking lot and replacing the Mac-Corry parking lot with an artificial field) Queen's Centre: peek here (Jock Harty Arena is gone)and here (this used to be a whole block of houses just behind JDUC)