The Oppenheimer Report: November 2019

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Oppenheimer Report 11/25/19

I woke up the other day, and as I often do, the first thing I did was to consult my cell phone for messages. Lately, it seems as if the phone, the computer, and the television are taking up a larger and larger chunk of my free time. I regret this. When I picked up my phone, and sleepily swiped the touch screen, the first thing I saw was some “news” feed about the new moon in November. The gist of the message was that, astrologically speaking, we’re all screwed for the next 30 days. The stars are aligned for a chaotic month. Great.

A friend from Florida sent me an interesting link the other day, of comedian Sacha Baron Cohen addressing an audience at the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) Leadership Awards. Normally, I don’t have the patience to watch such speeches, because I have the attention span of a three-year-old, but because it was Sacha Baron Cohen, I was intrigued. Best known for his over-the-top comedic characters, like Ali G and Borat, Cohen’s comedy is risqué. I’ve always suspected he was intelligent, and in much the same way that I appreciated the guerrilla comedy of Andy Kaufman, I think Cohen’s outrageous characters are hilarious. Ostensibly puerile and offensive, much of Cohen’s comedy ridicules hatred and bigotry. Like so many of the great comics I have admired, including Rickles, Pryor, and Kinison, he exposes the secret prejudices that many of us unwittingly embrace.

Cohen’s eloquent speech really moved me, because it gave me some insight into my recent anxiousness, and that which I feel all around me. He spoke about the irresponsibility and unaccountability of various social media platforms, who routinely allow the dissemination of misinformation and propaganda. He was particularly indignant about multi-billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who argues that any attempt to censor misinformation is somehow an impingement upon free speech. When that free speech negatively impacts a race or ethnicity, is it still our “right”? Cohen asks us to imagine what would have happened if Hitler could have used the internet to spread his toxic messages. Social media is a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it facilitates almost instant communication between family and friends, but at the same time, it allows corrosive, nefarious manipulators to spread hateful lies with the same immediacy. It is very likely the reason an oaf like Rump was elected President of the United States. Cohen suggests that social media platforms should be held accountable and liable for all the disinformation that it allows to spread unpoliced. In most of the civilized world there are laws in place to punish people who commit hate crimes, be they physical, libelous, or slanderous. Why then are these social media platforms virtually unregulated? Where do we draw the line on this issue of free speech? I’m not sure, but I think things are getting out of control. Maybe it’s the new moon.

This Thursday marks the American Thanksgiving, and I usually celebrate by re-connecting with some of my family. Going back to my earliest childhood, our Thanksgivings in Buffalo were always my favorite holiday of the year. Mom and Dad, or one of my other relatives, hosted a big dinner, and the underlying spirit at those gatherings was one of acceptance, goodwill, inclusiveness, and kindness. I miss those genuine celebrations of thankfulness, and as the years pass, I have become more and more thankful.

So, as we approach this coming month of “new moon” chaos and uncertainty, it might be a good time for me to take a Facebook holiday. I’m already well aware of my unhealthy dependence on cell phones, computers, and televisions. As much as my intention is to limit their influence on me, clearly this is easier said than done. So far, I’ve only reduced my exposure by about fifteen minutes per day. More music, less video; that’s the plan. I am beginning to realize that much of my anxiousness is attributable to the sense that there is less and less justice or accountability for bad behavior. Exactly the things that have oppressed minorities for centuries are now beginning to oppress the rest of the world as well. Many of us don’t even know it’s happening to us; we simply feel things are getting worse. I can’t fix the world’s problems; I wouldn’t know where to begin, but I’m no longer naïve enough to think it is somebody else’s problem. I know that pulling away from the barrage of spin, disinformation, bad news, and negativity is a start. As this Thursday approaches, I will be thinking of my late mom and dad, and all the good lessons they taught me. I will always be thankful for them. I’m going to try and to stay off Facebook for the day, or even for part of the day. Baby steps. I would say I won’t watch television, but I can’t miss the Macy’s Day Parade.

Jamie Oppenheimer, Songwriter, Author, Blogger, Radio Producer, & Host has been writing THE OPPENHEIMER REPORT every MONDAY since 1992 and has published the articles on his blog since 2006. We are including Jamie's weekly reports, as a feature of #HuntersBayRadio, The Bay 88.7FM.

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The Oppenheimer Report 11/18/19

Last week, there was a big hullabaloo over the news that Don Cherry, former co-host of CBC’s “Coach’s Corner”, was fired for his incendiary remarks while broadcasting on “Hockey Night In Canada”. Cherry was ranting about the fact that some Canadian immigrants, to whom he referred as “you people”, did not wear poppies to commemorate Remembrance Day. He felt that it was unpatriotic and disrespectful to the men and women who fought (and fight) to preserve Canada’s freedom. Co host Ron MacLean sided with the CBC who abruptly fired Cherry. Just judging from the reaction on the Hunters Bay Radio Facebook page, this is a sore subject, and it unleashed a flurry of angry, indignant, sometimes disrespectful comments. I’m not interested in weighing in on this issue, because I’m not in a position to judge Don Cherry; I really know nothing about the man other than the character who hosted “Coach’s Corner”. I very much doubt that is a clear picture of who Don Cherry really is. Also, there seems to be plenty of blame to go around for this mess. For decades, CBC certainly capitalized on Cherry’s outspoken personality. I was saddened to read some of the personal attacks and the nastiness that this controversy unleashed. We seem to have reached a boiling point.

As I began writing this report on Friday afternoon, the U.S. Presidential impeachment hearings were airing on CNN, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch was stoically enduring the verbal attacks of some bullying Republican lapdog of the Commander-In-Tweet. The partisan vitriol spewed during that hearing was incredible. As I watch seemingly credible career diplomats and other decent individuals fall into the Trump grist mill, I am appalled by the partisan circus presently spinning out of control. How did we get to this point? I’m certainly no historian. Political science was never my strong suit, but if one watches the news or consults social media, one hears a steady stream of divisive, disrespectful, sometimes hateful rhetoric.

An old classmate of mine, Bob O’ Connor, wrote a self-help book several years ago entitled “Gumptionade”. The book is full of tools and exercises we can use to be more productive and effective in our daily lives. The overall message is that we should strive to do more good than harm. While this is a simple message, how many of us can say we practice this behavior? The other day, I had yet another perplexing computer problem wherein I lost some project on which I was working, I am not sleeping properly because I worry about the constellation of little problems I cannot solve, and because some SOB claiming to be a Microsoft technician keeps calling me up in the wee hours of the morning to try to scam us (from an untraceable number), the news is all bad, and on and on and on. I don’t know wherefrom my anxiousness originates. I only know that it is growing worse. If I don’t repair me, I can’t help or love anyone else. My goal is to become more mindful of my purpose in life, and to learn how to do things that make me feel empowered and help me to heal and repair. These are not unattainable goals. I’m slowly learning that the only thing that truly gives me peace is making someone else’s life better. Every time I speak negatively, every time I gossip, every time I show anger and impatience, I am the one who suffers the most. My so-called altruism is really just a selfish desire to feel better.

I spoke a few months ago about meditation, and that I am consciously making time to concentrate on my breathing for five or ten minutes, twice per day. You might laugh, because it sounds foolish to simply concentrate on breathing. We all do that right? I don’t! I shallow breathe, especially when I am anxious, and simply taking the time to focus on my breathing for a few moments a day has been therapeutic for me. I’m also forcing myself to listen, even when my instincts are to talk. It seems like the less talking I do the better I feel. Do less harm. I don’t know who’s right and who’s wrong anymore. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and everyone seems to be clawing for the moral high ground. I’ve done a lot of things wrong in my life so far, and I own those wrongdoings. I simply want to do better now. Maybe that involves making a friend laugh, or stopping to listen to the problems of a relative stranger. Maybe it means not calling someone an idiot because they don’t agree with my opinion of Don Cherry’s dismissal, or Donald Trump’s impeachment hearings.

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Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Oppenheimer Report 11/11/19

Lest we forget the invisible wounds, there are always reminders to be thankful for the sacrifices of our veterans and those presently serving in the armed forces. Everyone knows a veteran; every family has been in some way impacted by war. Sadly, loss is our common experience as humans. I have become very interested in the songs that commemorate our veterans. Many that I find moving, deal with the stress of war. As well, some great poems have been written about the experience of war. In his album, “Ours and The Shepherds”, our friend, the wonderful songwriter Jon Brooks, put to music two Canadian poems about war. One of the poems, “In Flanders Fields”, was written by the WWI Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD from Guelph, Ontario. It is arguably one of the most recognized poems in the world about the sacrifices of war. I’d never heard of Manitoba-born poet Frank P. Dixon before Jon put Dixon’s poem “Cigarettes” to music. What a brilliant song that is, made more powerful by Jon’s composition and delivery. While other soldiers wrote letters to their loved ones back home, from inside the trenches, Dixon wrote poems to his mom. “Cigarettes” was written shortly before Dixon was killed in combat in 1918, at the age of 20. I, like so many other civilians, owe my freedom to others who fought to achieve it. I acknowledge the profound sacrifices of those men and women who gave their lives, or their well-being, for my liberty. After I finish this report, I will head over to our local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion to make our annual contribution; a token of our gratitude.

Yes, winter has arrived. Quit moaning and deal with it, right? The other day, I took my little folding Porta-Bote out on the lake to run the gas out of the motor for the season and I got caught in a genuine snow squall. I suppose I left the dock and the little boat in the lake a little longer this year, as we were having water pump problems that needed to be addressed. Great timing! Luckily, that problem has been fixed, just in time for the lake to freeze. Ever the opportunist, I shot plenty of pictures of my snow squall cruise, and even posted a few with the caption “Where IS Everybody?”. The comments I received in response to these pictures were varied. Some people agreed with me, suggesting that boating season is not over until the lake freezes over. Others thought I was nuts. As a former Buffalonian, I adopt the “might-as-well-make-the-best-of-it” attitude towards winter. Just around this time of year, back in 2014, Lancaster, N.Y., an eastern suburb of Buffalo, experienced a freak snowstorm that dumped six feet of snow on that town in a very short period of time. Hopefully, we won’t get a six-foot lake effect dumping like that up here.

Many of us who are used to harsh winters pride ourselves on our heartiness. There are polar bear clubs all across North America filled with people who think nothing of plunging into icy water in the middle of the winter, wearing nothing more than their bathing suits. Along those lines, I attended a charity event last Saturday in nearby Kearney, Ontario that exemplifies the “winter-doesn’t-bother-me!” attitude. On hand to entertain a large crowd of chilly onlookers with a very unusual waterski show was a group of high-spirited young athletes who represent Canada’s Water Ski Show Team, and who will also represent Canada in the 2020 World Ski Show Championships to be held in Australia. It was highly entertaining. I recorded the whole thing with my cell phone. So far, that video has been viewed about 2900 times and is available to be seen in the video section here on the Hunters Bay Radio Facebook page.

Thank you again, to all the veterans and acting servicemen and women who are responsible for protecting our freedom and our way of life. They deserve to be commemorated more often than one day per year.

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Monday, November 04, 2019

The Oppenheimer Report 11/4/19

On his website, there is the following quote from singer songwriter Jon Brooks: "I write songs to calm those who have looked into, and seen, what is in their hearts. I also write songs to terrify those who have not."

Roughly 5 years ago, my wife Shauna and I first saw singer/songwriter Jon Brooks perform at a little restaurant in Sundridge, Ontario. At the time, his song Gun Dealer was receiving a lot of airplay at Hunters Bay Radio The Bay 88.7 FM. It was also doing quite well stateside. We love that song. Shauna and I knew little about Jon, other than the one or two songs we’d heard on the radio. We then listened to a very interesting interview Jon gave to our dear friend, the late James Carroll, then Program Director at Hunters Bay Radio. We were taken in by Jon’s obvious intelligence, communicated through his songs and banter and wanted to see him perform live and in person. When we heard our very talented friend Gina Horswood was to be Jon’s opening act, we were even more motivated to attend his show. We did, and the experience was transformative.

With no expectations we were blindsided by the power of Jon’s songs, and by his playful interaction with his audience. All music lovers experience this upon occasion, wherein the musical performance is so powerful that audience members look around to see if others are as amazed as they are. We had the distinct impression that we were in the company of greatness. Jon’s excellent word-crafting, his ability to paint clear pictures in our minds, his rich, gravelly voice, and his unique, percussive style of the guitar playing, were all captivating. Near the end of his set, he played “The Only Good Thing Is An Old Dog”, an unsettling and strangely tongue in cheek song about a mass murderer who slaughters 60+ people in the workplace. Somehow, he made that grizzly, over-the-top tale, spellbinding. What a remarkable storyteller Jon is.

It is our hope that one day everyone will know what we know about the brilliant mind of Jon Brooks. He takes risks with his subject matter, unabashedly disregarding the laws of marketability. Perhaps this scares some people away, but it doesn’t bother me. Among his 7 albums released to date ,in his Ours And The Shepherds album, Jon tells war stories. His album The Smiling and Beautiful Countryside is a collection of murder ballads. He has a respectable following throughout the world, and is clearly appreciated in songwriting circles, but he has, in my opinion, never achieved the appropriate recognition due a songwriter of his caliber. While this baffles me, so does much of what passes for good songwriting these days. While Jon’s themes are sometimes off-putting, his musicality, his delivery, and the overall quality of his songwriting is so good that it simply demands our attention. Clearly, he strives not to appear didactic or judgmental, and he remains deceptively neutral in the stories he tells. Still, he begs us to examine our moral compass; our humanity. Listen to songs like “When We Go”, or What’s Within Us from the newly released Moth Nor Rust II, or Mimico from Ours And The Shepherds, and I think you’ll agree that these are amazing songs wrapped in mesmerizing melodies.

Last Friday night, we had the good fortune to see Jon perform up in South River with the very able accompaniment of Vivienne Wilder on double bass and backup vocals. It was my 6th Jon Brooks concert, Shauna’s 4th, and we were both as impressed as we had been the first time we saw him perform. I realize how self-righteous it is of me to say “Listen to this guy, he’s great.”, but listen to this guy. I think you’ll agree, he IS great.

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The Oppenheimer Report