The White Stripes – Effect and Cause

This song is by the American Duo “The White Stripes” I was amazed to find out that the two members Jack White (vocals, guitar, and keyboards) and Meg White (drums and occasional vocals), were actually a married couple that got divorced in the year 2000. Apparently they still can make some great music together, though it is not exactly music I would consider beautiful, it has some amazing truth to it.

They are definitely a group worth listening to.

I was going to go into instances where this particular song rang true for me, but I have been witness to its backwards logic so many times in my life, I wonder even if the massive size of storage at my Internet server could hold it all.

The lyrics are at the bottom, give it a listen and read through the lyrics if you wish.

Effect And Cause – The White Stripes

I guess you have to have a problem
If you want to invent a contraption
first you cause a train wreck
And then you put me in traction
well first came an action
And then a reaction
But you can’t switch around
For your own satisfaction
Well you burnt my house down
Then got mad at my reaction

Well in every complicated situation
There’s a human relation
Making sense of it all
Take a whole lot of concentration
Well you can blame the baby
For her pregnant ma
And if there’s one of these unavoidable laws

It’s just that you can’t just take the effect and make it the cause

[Chorus:]
Well you can’t take the effect
And make it the cause
I didn’t rob a bank
because you made up the law
Blame me for robbing peter
Don’t you blame Paul
Can’t take the effect
And make it the cause

I ain’t the reason that you gave me
No reason to return your call
You built a house of cards
And got shocked when you saw them fall
Well I ain’t saying I’m innocent
In fact the reverse
But if your heading to the grave
you Don’t blame the hearse
You’re like a little girl yelling at her brother
Cause you lost his ball

You keep blaming me for what you did
And that ain’t all
The way you clean up the wreck
Is enough to give one pause
You seem to forget just how this song started
I’m reacting to you
because you left me broken hearted

See you just can’t just take the effect and make it the cause

[Chorus]

What Happened To Disco ?

If you are from North America, you would likely answer the question “What Happened to Disco?” with the statement “It Died”, but for people from everywhere else in the world the story might be something a bit different.

I am posting this story here not because I have some need to wear white bell-bottom rune stone encrusted pants, and point simultaneously at the floor and the sky as I think I look incredibly awesome in the middle of a multicolored dance floor, but because I think it is an interesting bit of history that is worth reading about, and also that the music at the bottom should be listened to at least once by everyone.

I, as a Canadian born in the 70s, was raised by my fellow Rock and Roll countrymen to hate Disco, it was the definition of uncool, and other than owning a Village People albums when I was about six, I have pretty much avoided the music for most of my life.

First a little bit of history here about what happened to Disco in North America, where it did indeed die a very fast and painful death. For a while Disco was very popular, peaking with movies such as Saturday Night Fever, everyone just could not seem to get enough of music that seemed destined with its rhythm to make you get up and dance.

Unfortunately, for Disco, it became too popular too fast, many radio stations started switching from Rock to Disco to try and cash in on the popularity, and that created a backlash against the music.

The beginning of disco’s end in North America can be traced back to a series of events that happened in 1979 in  Chicago, USA. A popular DJ in named Steve Dahl was fired from local rock radio station WDAI for refusing to play disco music, he then got a job at rival album-rock station WLUP and began his anti Disco campaign.  Dahl created a mock organization called “The Insane Coho Lips Anti-Disco Army” to oppose disco.  Dahl with his broadcast partner Garry Meier continually mocked and scorned disco records on air.

On Thursday, July 12, 1979 Dahl, Meier, and Mike Veeck (son of then-White Sox owner Bill Veeck), Jeff Schwartz, WLUP Sales Manager, and Dave Logan, WLUP Promotion Director, devised a promotional event dubbed Disco Demolition Night. People were allowed to bring unwanted disco music records to the White Sox game in exchange for the admission fee of 98¢ (representing the station’s location on the FM dial, 97.9). The records would be collected, placed in a large crate in center field, and blown up by Dahl.

The turnout for this promotion far exceeded expectations. White Sox management had hoped for around  12,000 people, but an estimated 90,000 turned up at the 52,000-seat stadium. Thousands of people climbed walls and fences attempting to enter Comiskey Park, while others were denied admission.

The crate on the field was soon filled with records, and once the staff stopped collecting any more from the crowd, the spectators who realized records were shaped like frisbees, began to throw records from the stands during the game, often striking other fans. Some people also threw beer and firecrackers from the stands.

After the first game of the double header Dahl, dressed as a soldier, entered the field with bodyguards. He led the stadium in a chant of “Disco Sucks” and then after a countdown, detonated the crate of disco LPs, the explosives tore a hole in the outfield grass surface and a small fire began burning. Dahl, Shark, and the bodyguards hopped into a jeep which circled the field once and then exited. Thousands of fans then rushed onto the field. Some started small scale riots, and lit more fires. The batting cage was pulled down and wrecked, the bases were stolen, and the field was destroyed. The scoreboard flashed, “PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR SEATS.”, eventually the chaos was ended by Police in Riot gear, six people had minor injuries and thirty-six people were arrested.

Soon after the event, speaking the word Disco was almost treated as a  swear, and eventually North American disco died.

However, in the rest of the world Disco continued, and has over the last three decades changed considerably, the lyrics are mostly gone, and it has mutated into what is often called Trance  music, it has even made its way back to North America and is often played again in Night Clubs, and at Raves.

Since most people will never hear this on the radio stations back home I decided to put a few examples of this music here, fellow North Americans, I have posted nothing but Rock on this website, and will probably continue to do so after this post, but this is some music that you best have a listen to. I was introduced to this music by Europeans in 1994, and do enjoy it. However I enjoy lyrics with music, so rock is still my favorite.

I hated Disco for the girly voices coming out of men, the outfits, the glitter, and the posing. Thankfully all of that has gone away over the years. Love it or hate it it’s no skin off my back, this is what will great you in most clubs in Europe as you open the door, so crank it up and imagine you are walking through those doors when you hear it.

It’s None Of Your Business What Other People Think Of You

Almost two decades ago, while I was traveling around Vietnam,   I came across this phrase in a book I was reading,  “It’s none of your business what anybody thinks of you”. After contemplating the phrase for quite some time, I ended up adopted it into my life, and through it I have made quite a few very positive changes. On occasion I have advised others of its wisdom, and  usually have been met with arguments rather than acceptance. I am told with great certainty that I must care about what others think of me, but how can I explain to the majority that this is untrue? This is just the way most people think, but definitely not the best way to live your life.

Now don’t go and read this wrong or something and think that I don’t care about others, this is not true at all, I care deeply about many people,  and even mankind in general, I just don’t care what their opinions of me are.  In the immortal words of Popeye, “I am what I am”

Popeye, He Is What He Is

He Is What He Is, And That’s All That He Is

When I was younger I was always looking to others for the definition of cool, I wanted to wear the same types of jeans, shoes, and sunglasses as them, I only wore the clothing with the “cool” brand names, used to get my hair cut by the  same people who cut all the other cool kids hair, exaggerated a story now and then, smoked a couple of cigarettes, and even used to do incredibly stupid things such as carry my brand name backpack only on my right shoulder and not two shoulders every day, just because that was the “cool” way to do it.

The most damaging part of this “quest for cool” comes when we turn into adults however, and start using credit cards. So many people seem to go into debt these days, just to try and seem like a winner, many of these people buy nothing but overpriced clothing, the latest phones, and often buy a very expensive car or house they can not afford. Some people end up going so deep into debt, that they become stressed out wrecks, which is felt by all those around them, they often become bitter individuals people try and avoid. In fact, they eventualy become the very definition of “not cool”.

Some people try to use lies to try and impress others, the history they give you is a sham, they are nothing but regular people pretending to be better than they are, and striving to appear better than you. The fiction these competitors of life tell the world, if they are believed, raises the apparent bar of success for everyone around them, assuming those people also subscribe to the belief that they need to impress others.

Some of the real jerks will try and pull other people a step or two down on their imagined competitive ladder, to place themselves on top, where they feel they need to be. In their minds they are the winner, but no so much in the minds of those around, who usually choose not to speak up, afraid they themselves might end up on the verbal chopping block.

The most insecure of all may use all of these methods to try and “Win”.

I know this may be surprising to some, but how cool you are is actually about how relaxed and in control you are of the various situations in your life, not the logo on your shirt, or the lies you weave.

The easiest way to be cool is just to save your money, don’t tell stories you think people want to hear, don’t be bad to others, and express your opinions. Even if your opinions are not popular ones, people tend to prefer being with interesting people that have actual beliefs rather the common, stressed out walking billboard type of competitive “Yes Men” that are trying so hard to fit in.

Bling Boys

We Cool, Cuz We Got The Logos and the Bling

I do agree there actually are some pretty good reasons to occasionally care about what some others think about you, for instance, forgetting your manners might cause some people to try and punch you in the nose. Also its very hard to get a promotion at work, or a new life partner if you are not willing to put on a nice outfit and comb your hair, but most of the time, why would  you care about what others think?

Some people even care about the opinions of strangers, you must admit its a little nuts to care about people who don’t even know your name, right? I mean you probably will never see them again anyhow, so what is the point in impressing them?

Although your true friends will always be your friends regardless of your apparent stature, you should not become too strange, your friends will likely still care what others think, and if you start wearing shirts made from newspapers, and pants made from garbage bags, they might be a bit shy to be seen with you in public. This is not an idea to take to the extreme, but thinking this way to a large degree can be very beneficial to your life.

It’s None Of Your Business What Other People Think Of You

The Universe, God and Everything Else

There are many different theories on the creation of the universe, all religions throughout time have their own opinions on the subject. True believers are often willing to argue about it and sometimes even get furious enough to fight wars in the name of it.

Personally I subscribe to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster or Pastafarianism as shown here:

Flying Spaghetti Monster

Master of Creation

Most people grow up believing the same things their parents did, especially if the opinions are shared by others that live around them, and taught to them as fact.

However Stephen Hawkins has an idea based on what we can supposedly “observe in the universe” that it all came from some kind of “Big Bang”. Why don’t you have a short listen to what Mr Hawkins and Carl Sagan have to say, and see if you think it is possible.

The video is only 10 minutes long and definitely should be watched.

I found personally his works have now become so main stream, I almost bought into his theories…but no, I will not to betray Mr Spaghetti Monster. How can you ignore the facts,  we have photographic proof that he is the one pushing the planets around.

Spaghetti Monster Sunrise

Actual Photograph of the Creator Moving Our Universe

Ladies First

I was out getting some products for the website the other day, and at one point was standing for quite a while waiting for a busy elevator to take me down a few floors. Ahead of me, among a dozen or so other hopeful waiters, were two Arabian looking  gentlemen speaking quietly to each other in their traditional white robes with the traditional white cotton sheet and band on their heads.

After a while a lady came up from behind us, and proceeded to push in front of the fifteen or so other people waiting for the elevator, all the way to the front of the line. After she got right up to the door, she turned back towards the two Arab gentlemen and said “Ladies first”.

WTF Ladies first? What about all the other women waiting before her? Are they not considered ladies or something? Beyond the fact she was not the only lady there, why should she go before the polite guys that were waiting in line, such as myself? Is she really that special? And then to top it off she speaks rudely to the  two Arabs, WTF is that about, did she think that all Arabs repress their women, so she had to  teach the two quiet guys a lesson in manners or something ?

How can someone so rude, ignorant, sexist, and obviously racist teach manners to anyone?

The elevator came, and we all fit in, so the budging did not seem to help her in any way.

As we were standing in the elevator, this “lady” then proceeded to flash a friendly smile at me, we were two white skinned people in Asia after all, and that would normally make us comrades, she was a nice looking blond, in her early 20’s, but I  turned my head away and did not give her a smile back, a person that acts so rude while pretending to teach people manners, is not someone I need to get to know any further.

Speaking of rude ladies that think they should go first, check out this video of a lady at a turnstile that pushes a man out of the way, and gets taught a lesson from the guy she pushed.

The guy is not my hero. I don’t like him any more than the rude lady. Just goes to show though what happens when two uncaring rude jerks run into one another.

Go to top
Translate »