Your Prime Minister

There lived a certain man in Russia long ago
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people looked at him with terror and with fear
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear
He could preach the bible like a preacher
Full of ecstacy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire

RA RA RASPUTIN
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
RA RA RASPUTIN
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on

He ruled the Russian land and never mind the Czar
But the kasachok he danced really wunderbar
In all affairs of state he was the man to please
But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze
For the queen he was no wheeler dealer
Though she'd heard the things he'd done
She believed he was a holy healer
Who would heal her son

RA RA RASPUTIN
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
RA RA RASPUTIN
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on

(Spoken:)
But when his drinking and lusting and his hunger
for power became known to more and more people,
the demands to do something about this outrageous
man became louder and louder.

"This man's just got to go!" declared his enemies
But the ladies begged "Don't you try to do it, please"
No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms
Though he was a brute they just fell into his arms
Then one night some men of higher standing
Set a trap, they're not to blame
"Come to visit us" they kept demanding
And he really came

RA RA RASPUTIN
Lover of the Russian queen
They put some poison into his wine
RA RA RASPUTIN
Russia's greatest love machine
He drank it all and he said "I feel fine"

RA RA RASPUTIN
Lover of the Russian queen
They didn't quit, they wanted his head
RA RA RASPUTIN
Russia's greatest love machine
And so they shot him till he was dead

-Boney M

*****

Who was the real Rasputin? According to Wikipedia: "Contemporary opinions variously saw Rasputin as a saintly mystic, visionary, healer, and prophet, or as a debauched religious charlatan. Historians can find both to be true, but there is much uncertainty: accounts of his life have often been based on dubious memoirs, hearsay, and legend." Though there's not really much agreement on who he was, it is commonly believed that Rasputin influenced the latter days of Czarist Russia through his prophecies and religious declarations.



Now Prime Minister Stephen Harper has his own Rasputin behind the scenes (and you're footing the bill for this sage). The video above also talks about Harper's personal stylist (who's also on your payroll). I think the most telling thing is that the Conservative House Leader is laughing and cracking jokes either because he finds it funny that Harper wears more make-up than an emo band or because he'd rather not try to justify his leader's excentric decadence.

Magic Carpet Ride

I was thinking more about RS's Songs with a Secret. I think they missed Steppenwolf's Magic Carpet Ride. Everyone knows it's about a drug trip, but I've read that it describes a certain fraternity's initiation ritual quite well. While the fraternity officially denies it, they don't address the fact that the song closely describes their ritual. The song is also listed among other frat songs. Even the frat's official website has a picture of Aladdin's lamp on the home page (the song references Aladdin's lamp). I've read that the Steppenwolf members who were in the fraternity were kicked out and their names erased from membership databases for exposing the secret ritual. Alternatively, I've read that the song was ghost-written by a member of the frat. Whether the song is about the ritual, or just a drug trip, it certainly has a secret and should therefore have been on the list.

If any of my reader (singular, I think I only have one) is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha (aka LXA), you can anonymously tell me if the song really does describe the ritual.

Here are some quotes from members:
"I remember in about 1970-1971, Steppenwolf came to Chattanooga, Tn. and two other brothers besides myself went backstage to talk to them before the concert. When introduced to them, they gave us the “handshake test” and asked us to stay for the final song (of course-Magic Carpet Ride!) It is hard for me to believe there is not a link here."

"I have an old vinyl album (Steppenwolf, Gold: Their Great Hits) as part of a collection of vinyls that my mother gave me. On the reverse side of the album cover are three pictures. Amazingly they are purple, green and gold!" (the frat's official colours are purple, green and gold)

"I remember discussing the similarities with the song and LXA during chapter meetings. There has to be a connection somewhere. The similarities are too great!"

*****
In other news:
This list is just another reason why Rolling Stone magazine is a must-read for all rock-music junkies. According to Rolling Stone, these are the 40 songs that changed the world. Very cool.

In Memory, In Honour, In Support

By now we've all heard of the tragedy at Virginia Tech on Monday when 33 people were killed by a 23 year old student. Among the dead are a Canadian professor and a holocaust survivor who died heroically trying to save his students. In sad news, one blogger decided things would have been different if other students had been armed. The moron apparently doesn't get that lax gun control helped facilitate this massacre. The Washington Post summarizes this and other blogs. Finally, the Toronto Star (via the Canadian Press) has this interesting (and interactive) history of violence in schools.

That's the news, now time for my take.

For some reason, the Dawson College tragedy on September 13, 2006 didn't really hit me. One person was killed and 20 were wounded that day. I think it really should have struck me since it happened in Canada (Montreal) at a college not unlike the one I currently attend. But it didn't seem to connect like the Virginia Tech rampage has.

I recall that while attending Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo I always felt perfectly safe. I remember feeling a sense of community there. I was always surrounded by other young people who were there because they wanted to be. There was stress and there was even violence, but I felt safe. There was this sense that everyone around me had the same goals and ambitions. I imagine students at Virginia Tech felt very much the same way. I can't imagine their grief. I was in class when I read the news online. A friend from WLU IM'ed me about the news. He said it was mental. I was still, I think, in disbelief. I said I don't think I could have gone back had it happened at Laurier while we were there.

I was watching a special report on CBC when I was inspired to have my input. They were interviewing students from VT about the incident. One group talked about hearing gun shots in the adjacent classroom and leaping through windows to escape. One student reported that he was the last to make it out of the room alive - the two people behind him were shot and killed. One professor (as mentioned above) died trying to save his students. I cannot imagine having that kind of bravery and composure in such a chaotic situation.

I don't want to turn this into an argument about gun control laws in the United States (though I may already have done that). This is about those who were tragically killed. This about the families and friends who suffered unimaginable loss. This is about those who have to go back to class. This is about a tragedy that will be overcome.

We're with you.