Learning to Fly

Lauren has an impressive post on growing up, becoming a feminist, and being determined enough to succeed. DJW at Lawyers Guns and Money follows up with a family remembrance on how feminism shaped his life, and the negative implications of patriarchy for men also. Both very worthwhile reads; in fact, you're better off going there than sitting through this blather. So go.


So, why am I a feminist?

As both of those writers point out, the roots can go pretty deep. My family was lower middle class. I don't remember a time that my mother didn't work, and crappy restaurant/waitress jobs too with lousy hours and shitty pay. Health insurance? ha. You should see my teeth. Barely managed basic dentistry appointments, let alone something esoteric like orthodontia. Us kids were what came to be known later as latchkey kids, and were on our own for a lot of the time. Basic cooking skills and such came pretty naturally.

My father had an opportunity to go to college, but my hometown had always had a strong anti-educational streak inferiority complex developed by being right next to UW- Madison. So he passed, and I always got the feeling that he deeply regretted it. Although he insisted that all three of us siblings get some kind of secondary education, I'm the only one that went through traditional college.

So when I went to college, it was on a wing and a prayer. Couldn't get into UW-Madison because I didn't take the right classes, so I 'lit out for the territories' as it were, scraping together tuition costs through summer jobs, part time jobs, some student loans and a couple of meager grants. And during reagan's happy years, the student loans were reduced every fuckin year; my refusal to acknowledge the man as some kind of Sainted Statesman is through painful personal knowledge of the effects of his happy-go-lucky batshit insane economic policies.

So I managed to get through, and learned to make hard choices because of it. At one point, I had to sell my guitar to make tuition (because student aid was fucked up and wouldn't be in time to make the deadline); one of my friends never really managed to forgive me for that. One summer I lived in Milwaukee upon the kindliness of friends; I didn't have a place to live and couldn't afford one if i did.

The people who tell you that you can work your way through college are idiots, fools, or likely both. I worked every month I was in college, sometimes at two jobs, and never - not once- made enough for tuition, let alone living expenses. This months cut of student aid by Congress is unreasonable and ridiculous, to give tax cuts to people who for the most part have never had to work a day in their lives as hard as I worked through college. It is a cold, callous move to further prevent people form working class backgrounds from improving their lot. And to reiterate what I said above, the members of Congress who voted for that cut know that, or are idiots.

But what does all this have to do with feminism? well, after working through the service sector, seeing the difficulties of women throughout the working world, as well as watching my mother (who eventually got a bookkeeping job) It always just made sense to me that men and women both in the service world deserved a little respect and sympathy for the work they do. And from that, it was just so obvious that men received that respect much more often than women did.

And at home, my parents shared the work as they had to. My father was mostly responsible for the laundry, and had to make dinner a fair amount of the time. Both of them worked together reupholstering furniture. At one point, every piece of furniture in our living room was picked out of the trash, and they re-did it; I lugged a couch around from dorm to college apartment that never cost more than a couple of bucks in fabric. Eventually all of it's legs broke off and I left it in an apartment with bricks holding up the legs.

But then, in college. I wasn't part of a particular social scene, I wasn't in sports, I wasn't in the frats. What were my hopes for dating? hardly any. so as I said, in blatant self interest, it always seemed to me that the more women who decided to ignore traditional mores, and who believed in birth control, the better chances I had. And in a college town like Platteville, with it's dearth of women, that's an important consideration.

After I graduated from college and got my first professional job, I took the opportunity to treat my parents to dinner and tell them that it was their example that gave me the work ethic and determination to get through college, get a Master's degree and thanked them for the things they taught me. I wasn't going to wait until too late, like so many do.

As the stereotypical white guy, I am all too aware of the advantages I did have. I am aware of it because of the difficulties I see others work through. If I had been of a different race, or a woman, I probably wouldn't have managed to persevere through college, that additional obstacle would have been too much.


Interestingly, Amanda at Pandagon responded to these posts here. In the course of her post, she talks about the recent holidays and the male/female divisions of the family. Reflected in it, I can see my parents influences in our family today. Although my parents are gone, at our holiday get togethers, my brothers generally take it upon themselves to do most of the food.

So i guess I've pretty much always been a feminist because it never occurred to me that there was any other reasonable choice. It's kind of as Kurt Vonnegut says when asked why he is a humanist, "Because of the Sermon on The Mount, sir."

The reality is that true gender equality is in the best interests of both sexes and that regardless of the choking and spitting of the patriarchy, and the knee jerk reactionary fits of the Dobsons and the Falwells, history and time are on the side of equality and will eventually win out.

Puke and Cry

If the previous links don't have you hiding under your bed yet,

Here's a goodie. This oughta just make you sick.

The General links to photos of the results of 'creative interrogation' rendered to victims of rendering in Uzbekistan, as well as linking to the documents demonstrating the involvement of British and US agencies.

So remember, this is what we're doing to save America.

Just what is it we're saving again, other than out own sorry, pathetic, hypocritical asses? Where is that 'moral clarity' that was promised?

So,there we go. Let's go charging off into the New Year with Fear and Loathing, puking our guts out. It'll certainly be representative of our time under Lord Bush.

Something To Be Scared Of

Darksyde has a chilling prediction over at Kos. I'm sure it will be met by a chorus of 'no no no' and 'ANWR' and so on from the reality challenged oil-based conservatives, but there's nothing in there that's really in debate. All of his info has been noted for decades.

It's really a short version of Kunstlers Long Emergency, which goes more in depth into the likely sociological ramifications of 1000 dollar a barrel oil. Yes, I said Thousand. As oil production peaks and ramps down, while China and INdia increase their consumption to rapidly catch up to the big pig of the world America, how do you think economics works? Remember the supply vs demand chart, Bunky? We're are going to be able to watch that puppy slide right up the scale into the sky. Get a Bike, as Crazy TV Lenny used to say.

Go read it. It's frightening as fuck.

And don't give me that ANWR bullshit. Darksyde reveals the reality there too. Even if it was able to produce to the maximum of its ability, the yield will only be enough to power the country for maybe a year. Added to the current imports, it won't change the price of gas. At all.

Maybe we can add a law restricting oil men from running for office, before they run us completely into the wall. At full, oil-fueled funny car speed.

So hey, with that happy smiley end-of-year thought, here's the happy smiley Happy New Year Friday Random Ten. Enjoy, fellow grinning chimpanzees, and get your head out of that oven. As Molly Ivins says, Nothin But GOOD Times Ahead!


1. She's Hot from the album “Out My Way (Reissue)” by Meat Puppets
2. 2112 from the album “Different Stages 2” by Rush Stop your snickering. You've got a copy somewhere, admit it. I almost took a mulligan on this one, but hey! WTF, right?

3. Idol from the album “Ghost Stories” by Amanda Ghost Holy shit, where did this come from? I have no idea. Don't really care for it. Kinda Jewel-y. Kinda of a whiplash after the preceding. Kinda hurts, actually

4. The Modern World from the album “Compact Snap!” by The Jam. Yes it is.

5. Never Go Back from the album “Camper Vantiquities” by Camper Van Beethoven

6. The Big Heat from the album “The Big Heat” by Stan Ridgway

7. Bombs Away from the album “Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings (Disc 2)” by The Police

8. Do It Clean (Live, 1983) from the album “Crystal Days (1979-1999) (4)” by Echo & The Bunnymen

9. John from the album “In The Mud” by Split Lip Rayfield

10. The Glory of Man from the album “Double Nickels on the Dime” by Minutemen finishing up with a hideously appropriate one.



And just because I'm so cheery today, here's one of the later quotes from Hunter S., who we desperately need today.

“We have become a Nazi monster in the eyes of the whole world -- a nation of bullies and bastards who would rather kill than live peacefully. We are not just Whores for power and oil, but killer whores with hate and fear in our hearts. We are human scum, and that is how history will judge us. No redeeming social value. Just whores. Get out of our way, or we'll kill you.

”Well, shit on that dumbness, George W. Bush does not speak for me or my son or my mother or my friends or the people I respect in this world. We didn't vote for these cheap, greedy little killers who speak for America today -- and we will not vote for them again in 2002. Or 2004. Or ever. 

“Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads? Who among us can be happy and proud of having all this innocent blood on our hands? Who are these swine? These flag-sucking half-wits who get fleeced and fooled by stupid rich kids like George Bush? 

”They are the same ones who wanted to have Muhammad Ali locked up for refusing to kill gooks. They speak for all that is cruel and stupid and vicious in the American character. They are the racists and hate mongers among us -- they are the Ku Klux Klan. I piss down the throats of these Nazis. 

“And I am too old to worry about whether they like it or not. Fuck them.”

The Meaning

In the new year, I resolve to try, on at least an intermittent basis, to understand the goals and aspirations of the people I disagree with.

In a pre-emptive effort, here is a link to a Dictionary of Republicanisms.

So that explains quite a bit. It's not that we're necessarily opposed to the other's positions... hey wait. It is too.


Here are some choice morsels:

alternative energy sources n. New locations to drill for gas and oil

compassionate conservatism n. Poignant concern for the very wealthy

democracy n. A product so extensively exported that the domestic supply is depleted

faith n. The stubborn belief that God approves of Republican moral values despite the preponderance of textual evidence to the contrary

habeas corpus n. Archaic. (Lat.) Legal term no longer in use (See Patriot Act

Miller, Zell n. The man who shot and killed Alexander Hamilton after a particularly tough interview on Hardball

woman n. 1. Person who can be trusted to bear a child but can't be trusted to decide whether or not she wishes to have the child. 2. Person who must have all decisions regarding her reproductive functions made by men with whom she wouldn't want to have sex in the first place


Go enjoy.

Tiny Music...Songs from The Vatican Gift Shop

From an unlikely source, Mark Steyn, I get certification of my contention that conservatives are required, perforce and validation of their Right tendencies, to abandon rock music.

The Rolling Stones and Violent Femmes are evidence of cultural dissolution; Conservatives, discard those rock records and groove to Perry Como!

It's not just bad taste, It's the (snerk) .... Right...thing to do! (hee).

Man Of Our Times

The stalwart TBogg has weathered the temporary loss of the females in his family, mainly by taking the piss out of Our Man In The wilderness, Lileks.

easy target, maybe, but done in deathless prose.

INto the Drink

in response to RumbleLizard, here is a link to the Milwaukee faction of Drinking Liberally.

Next meeting is 12/28 at Club Garibaldi, 7 PM. early enough for K--- and in his hood. Close to M--- too, come to think of it.

I think I'll make this one.

Wherein we'll solve the problems of the world and remain lifelong friends.


EDIT. I missed it. Hope no one went looking for me.

Kiss Me I'm shitfaced

Friday Random Ten, of course!

Holdiay Round Up:

Will Durst concedes in teh War! On! Christmas!

DarkSyde gives us an old fashioned romantic story. I mean old.

Couch Flambeau is still rocking

Last Minute gift for that girl that loves music.

My Hero PZ Myers reports on the Scientific breakthrough of the year.

Happy Birthday to you, you woodworking Jew (mojo Nixon) Frankenstein's Incense. Ha.

And the Manly Lance Mannion has an apologeia for Republicans.



1. Pop Song 89. REM sold out? or not? I know it's not IMS worthy, but I still like it. Maybe someday America will be as civilized as Britain, and Michael Stipe will be allowed to marry his partner like Elton John married his.

2. Whoah from the album “Diesel And Dust” by Midnight Oil. what a great album. saw them at the PAC; Peter Garrett is a large, intense man.

3. Fascination Street from the album “Disintegration” by The Cure It's oldies day! another fantastic album from the goth dinosaurs. Fuck you, I still like it and I'm only wearing a little mascara today.

4. 18 September from the album “Mr. Hollywood Jr., 1947” by Michael Penn My wife and I are going to see him and Aimee Mann on New Year's Eve at the Pabst Theater. Aren't you jealous? Well, dammit you should be.

5. My Land Your Land from the album “Eye of the Hurricane (Remastered)” by The Alarm More oldies, but the anthemic stuff sounds so appropriate right now. where's our punk resurgence? Is it just that the economy is only stuttering, not in a full fledged free fall?

6. The Lyre of Orpheus from the album “Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus” by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Dark. Darker. Not quite the Darkest Nick Cave, that's reserved for Murder Ballads, but definitely not holiday music.

7. Be My Baby from the album “The Greatest Punk Album Of All Time (Disc B)” by The Drones By the numbers punk from an obscure 6 disc comp I picked up somewhere.

8. Everyday I Write The Book from the album “Punch The Clock” by Elvis Costello Saw the angry young man on this tour with the attractions. Have seen him a total of four times now; last time he played straight for nearly three hours. He doesn't tour much; go see him if you get any opportunity. He plays because he wants to, not because his label told him to.

9. Britisher Cowboy from the album “One Day In Chicago” by Kevin Coyne Good friend of Langford. DIY folkish rock. Worth checking out.

10. Suppertime from the album “Americana Gothic” by The Letterpress Opry This band finally made it to mIlwaukee at the Points east Pub a few weeks back, and totally smoked, even though the singer was a bit horse. I'm lovin them some bit, and can't wait for them to come back through town. Hear that, K----?


That's it, because it's Christmas and you have all been very bad. Go home and get your big old lump of black coal.

Too Personal

Roy Edroso is playing a little game he found on some whakjob's website....

Maybe it's the holidays, maybe it's outrage burnout, but I wanna play too!

Here we go...


Four jobs you've had in your life: Cartoonist, Librarian, Dishwasher, caddy.

Four movies you could watch over and over: Repo Man; The Holy Grail; Brazil; MST3K (okay it's not a movie, but a whole bunch of 'em. Sue me.)

Four places you've lived: Middleton, Wisconsin; Platteville; Milwaukee; and Janesville.

Four TV shows you love to watch: Dirty Jobs; Mythbusters; The Daily Show; Red Green. Ha! Take that, corporate mainstream television!

Four places you've been on vacation: Puerto Vallarta, Fort Myers Beach, Hawaii, San Diego.

Four websites you visit daily: AMERICABlog, TBogg; Driftglass, Firedoglake.

Four of your favorite foods: Pizza, four cheese linguini, thai, Meskin.

Four places you'd rather be: in a Bar, watching the Mekons; at Summerfest; Barcelona; Canada.

Music So Nice

The Insufferable Music Snob returns over at Pandagon. Much good information on the borderline of cool and uncool, hip and not. Might be helpful in the whole Self-Coolness Audit thing, Zelmo.

It has generated one of my new mottoes: “anyone who defends Hootie should be shot.” I am proud to claim that I've never seen the attraction, from the first time I ever heard them. IMS, indeed.

And how about this: “Bowie may think he's a fucking torch singer now, but at least he didn't do ”The Lion King“. Pure gold, I tell ya.

Makes me look like a piker. The only thing in my collection that comes close to measuring up is the Mekons, and that's more of an obsession.

Maybe I'll stop ranting about politics and our King for a while and just do music.

Although some friends can vouch for the fact that I get just as riled up about music, if not more.

sigh. Guess I just have to face it, I'm a borderline personality. Thank the gods of the internet for blogging- what a relief valve.

King Of America

Updates on the lost war for America's soul. If you think I'm engaging in hyperbole, or overreacting, please go read these items and then we can talk.


Washington Times: Bush presents a clear and present danger to the Rule of Law.


Some “conservatives” are in favor of monarchical rule.

Conservative federal judge has no problems with breaking laws if you need to address a 'statutory gap' . well then dammit, I'm going to go steal from a bank, because the law doesn't allow me to just take the money I want; that's just a small 'statutory gap' in the laws.

Bush believes that he should have no restrictions on anything he wants to do, and has acted in that belief for five years. The end result? Totalitarian state.

Bush is a LIAR. Big news, right? Proof.

We have always been at war with Eurasia.




Well, right, what do we do?

Well, first, call your Senators, call your Reps, tell them to support the damn investigations. Tell them Bush has gone too far.

Write letters to the newspapers. Even the fishwrap that is the Urinal-Sentinel.


Because this time, it may be too late. With the legacy of corruption, disregard for citizens, powermad clutching at political leverage that is the hallmark of this administration, can you honestly say that it is beyond them to engineer a strike on American soil to establish martial law and make the whole argument moot? Dammit, the Pentagon has already organized the plans.

UPDATE: Sadly, Peter Daou nails it. I'll put a twenty on his prediction for the outcome of this.

Bushfire

The right wing screamers have, amusingly enough, been raging about the criminality of leaking the information that the President has directly violated the Constitution and the Law; of course, leaking information to destroy one of the country's intelligence assets should get a pass. Shit stained, sniveling, mindless authoritarian weasels.

Just days after the revelation that Bush considers the Constitution 'just a piece of paper' we discover he's been wiping his ass with it. And he fully intends to keep on doing it and 'whatcha gonna do, huh?'

Josh Marshall and Kevin Drum are of the mind that the reason Bush did this without even the minimal approvals needed under FISA is because the wiretaps involved mass filtering for keywords or phone numbers. This is what is known as a 'fishing expedition' and would involve the surveillance of massive numbers of phone calls and e-mails, far beyond a normal warrant.

In other words, this would have failed the test of evidence for a normal warrant, and they knew it. Senator Rockefeller hints at this in his letter, and filed a sealed copy to cover his ass. You know the ship is sinking when the rats are starting to bail.

Amanda at Pandagon has written that working to impeach Bush is a no-win situation for the Dems, and maybe she's right. On a political basis, I can see the potential dangers she identifies. But taking no action in this case is a no-win situation for the idea that was America; it allows this greedy, authoritarian, administration to maintain, even to consolidate, their grip on power and their boot on our faces. If Bush and company sidestep the repercussions from this, they will never be wrested from power. Three years to finalize permanent control; whether it's through fake elections or simply declaring martial law and never allowing elections again, it amounts to the same thing.

Through what other means than impeachment can we administer justice in this case? impeachment is the first step before indictment; which then comes to trial. If the President is not subject to our laws, and hence to a trial when he breaks those laws, what good are those laws? They are no more than 'pieces of paper'.

For years now, some of us have been warning of the dangers of unchecked Executive, and too much concentrated power in Republican hands. And been ridiculed, called traitors, and threatened. Now, the reality has turned out even worse than predicted: war, destruction, massive incompetence, nepotism and cronyism, endemic corruption, expansion of poverty and extensive enactment of a totalitarian state.

Bush broke the law. Our law. The Constitution. Willfully, in full knowledge that he was breaking it, multiple times; he expresses no regret and has, in fact, stated that he will continue doing it. Not only is it time for America to hold him accountable; history, American History, demands it.


Impeach
.

Someone's Looking At You

Feeling Safer yet?

The Pentagon and the FBI have both been conducting surveillance of US citizens for several years. secretly and illegally. Just because they could; no real reasons. Nothing came of it.


The worst part is that the New York Times caved in to pressure from the White House to not publish this information prior to the last election. They've known for over a year. Liberal media my hairy white ass.

Even worse, the White House, knowing this was illegal, leaned on the Times because they knew it was wrong, knew it was illegal; knew that most of America would look upon it with disfavor; and ordered it done anyway.

Bush, Cheney, and Rove believe that elected officials can do anything they want and that no one should be able to know, let alone hold them accountable. And they will lie, and continue to break the laws, until someone does. Too bad the Republican congressman are too cowed and subservient to actually ask questions of their Masters.

Remember the days when our President had sex? doesn't seem so awful now, does it?

Natural Science

One of the new writers at the Daily Kos, Darksyde, has put up a first post: A Cosmic Season's Greetings

In the spirit of Sagan and Asimov. Go read. it's worth it.


Magnificent. Beautiful.

“What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving, how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals!

Light Music For Dying People

Bonus coolness points for anyone able to identify the reference for this post's title without Google: I'll buy a beer for anyone who can reference it because they have the disc.

I have realized I am not quite doing the Random Ten Self Audit properly. The Norbizness definition says to 'evaluate your worth as a human being' through auditing your music. ewww.- if I end up evaluating my worth as a human being, my rates are going to be a lot lower than the 6 -7 that will usually come up (based on the Milwaukee Effect of Random Ten Normalization).

Therefore, I'm just going to slap a number on the Random as a whole, looking at the overall effect of the songs all together, and how they relate to the day in general, and my worth as a human being for listening to them. Or something like that.


1. Tiger In My Tank from the album “Daisies Of The Galaxy” by Eels
2. 1000 Memories from the album “The New America” by Bad Religion. overwrought, maybe, but they are original punks and keeping the flame alive.

3. Caped Crusader from the album “Never Breathe What You Can't See” by Jello Biafra & Melvins Aaah. an original punk teaming up with Seatlle sludge rockers. This is better than it has any right to be; Jello's caustic spiels are musically reflected in the dark metal soup the Melviins lay underneath.

4. When I Get My Rewards from the album “Electric Waco Chair” by Waco Brothers. mekons side project, of course; but also features members of KMFDM, wreck, and Jesus Jones (remember them?) Honky-tonk Country, one of the best drunken live bands I've seen. saw them play in a little tent in the backyard of some dive down in the 5th ward for something called MaxFest, during a cold, sleety night for a sparse crowd - well, basically me and a buddy. Didn't slow them down though.

5. Walking In Your Footsteps from the album “Live! (Disc 2)” by The Police. Hey, didn't these guys used to be cool? I remember when everybody hated Roxanne.

6. Mind In My Pocket from the album “Sex, Age & Death” by Bob Geldof Loudmouth's latest album. A bit of ill-considered dabbling in electronica, but this song is pretty good.

7. Take Me Down to the Hospital from the album “Hootenanny” by The Replacements Here's a bit of sloppy drunken punks. The Mats know what winter here is like. That's why they drink (among other things).

8. Stuck in Wonderamaland from the album “Stuck in Wonderamaland” by Dramarama. Great overlooked band from the early nineties. Saw them at Shank once.

9. Poxy Lips from the album “So Good It Hurts” by Mekons wacos and the Mekons; that doesn't suck at all.
10. Kingdom Of Love from the album “Gotta Let This Hen Out!” by Robyn Hitchcock Hitchcock is a better segue from the Mekons than you'd think. And this song, of course, is from the Soft Boys masterwork, Underwater Moonlight.

11. You Keep Me Hanging On from the album “The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1” by Madness New Madness? Brilliant! too bad this album is only a so-so pastiche of covers. It works pretty well after the Hitchcock though.

12. Oblivious from the album “Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 12” by Aztec Camera Well, that's an upbeat ending.







Not much of a theme for that set; really just a Frank. Doubled up on the Mekes references, that's a bonus; nice representation of some older punks doing newer stuff. Winds up being a nice post punk sampler. Give it an 8, Clayton. Push the button.



My worth as a human being: 2.1; because I sent out Christmas Festivus Cards today. Extra O'Reilly points because not only do the cards not mention Christmas (Holiday Season), they also mention Peace and have a dove on the front. That'll piss Bill off!

Hard To Be Human

I am aghast at the constant drumbeat and movement to incorporate torture into the American political realm; the relentless efforts to allow for the abuse of prisoners at several levels. In expectation of changing laws, the Pentagon has changed the description of allowed techniques in detaining prisoners. Although classified, it seems that the rewrite is designed to allow for interrogators to include many of the techniques we've been hearing about, without violating the exact specifics of our laws. Very mush usual behavior for our Bush Administration.

If America does not deny this effort soon, and without doubt, we will become an international pariah; like the guy on the block who is known to beat his wife and dog; any moral authority or criticism leveled by America will be laughed off as hypocrisy, and deservedly so.




Torture debases the torturer. Through our representative government, torture debases us. The fact that we are even having a debate as to the propriety of torture is ghastly, and has appalled most of the civilized world. Except, of course, the countries that use torture. Who we outsource our torture to. Invisible hand, indeed.

It seems to come as a surprise to the pro-torture crowd, but 24 and Tom Clancy novels are fiction. This means, that although they may bear some resemblance to reality, they do not substitute for it; sometimes torture may be used as a plot device, to advance the story in some way.

The Soviet Union used torture, not to obtain valid information, but to coerce confessions that were then used as propaganda and to implicate other people; as such, the truthfulness of these confessions were moot. It simply enabled them to publicise the confession and expand the detention and torture of undesirable characters.

The nature of torture is to encourage the victim to attempt to stop the torture as soon as possible, by saying or doing whatever the torturer wants. As has been noted about waterboarding, the bodily imperative overrides any desire by reason to mislead or to withhold. John McCain has verified that while under duress he made the confessions his captors wanted. When it is said that they were successful, this is what they were successful at: making McCain sign whatever bogus statements they wanted him to. Did he give them tactical information? doubtful- he doesn't really remember. Did they make any use of his statements? Does anybody know?

And America has, by and large, adopted the same techniques. How does anybody expect a different outcome? The information thus obtained

The only purpose torture serves is to intimidate and manipulate a general population.

In a similar way, executions debase the executioner, and as our representatives, executions debase the country.

No valid connection has been made to establish a deterrent effect from the death penalty. In fact, there is a possible connection between the death penalty and increased levels of crime.

Contrary to the gore-crows of the media, and the obsession with missing white girls on TV, there is no overwhelming wave of crime and violence sweeping the country; by most measures, violent crime has been generally trending downward over the past 50 years. Local conditions, vary of course, but it seems to me these are better addressed through local policing than a 'kill 'em all' policy.

No one contests the notion that our justice system is not perfect. As it's not perfect, it logically follows that innocent people get wrongly convicted from time to time; this actually has been proven, in some cases years after the fact. The system has some safeguards to minimize erroneous results, and when discovered, reparations are made, to some extent.

The difficulty, of course, is that it's hard to make reparations to a dead guy.

I make no excuses for Tookie Williams. He was a thug; his condition now does not, can not, alter his past actions.

But to borrow a bit from Tolkien, Gandalf said to Frodo, when Frodo expressed regret that Bilbo did not kill Gollum:

Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends.

Execution of miscreants serves one purpose; to sate bloodlust. Revenge. I find that a weak argument; revenge is a hollow goal. The lizard-brain cries for revenge when one feels fear; A base emotion that would be well regarded with caution, if not loathing.

It becomes a supreme irony, when professed, indeed ardent Christians, insist on the death penalty; the irony, of course, being their religion's emphasis on forgiveness, not to mention the wrongful execution of their Savior figure.

Contrary to Dobson and the AFA, it isn't sex on TV, or the desire for gays yo have equal rights that debases this country. It is the eagerness and willingness to harm or kill others. And that eagerness is increasing. Hard to be human, indeed.

1984

Finally,, a seemly time to use this nihilistic title.

First up: Kevin Drum has discovered that America, does, in fact, have secret laws; as citizens, we are responsible for not breaking these laws; but we are not allowed to know what they are. Ignorance is not a defense. You're probably breaking one of them right now, Craig.


Next: Portions of the set-to-be-renewed Patriot Act include provisions making it a felony crime to protest the President and Vice President. This includes just holding a sign or wearing a t-shirt.

Finally, martial law: The Pentagon is putting together, for the first time ever, a plan for authorizing military actions within the US through martial law. No specific threats are cited, although several what-if scenarios are mentioned. The thing about martial law is that if it's enacted, no one can question the process because, well... they're under martial law. This is why the military has always been restricted from actions within the country.


That's it. Checkmate, game over. Martial law within the next three years and Bush-Cheney-Rove will never be removed from power. That, my friends, is a textbook coup. Never mind all the poor approval ratings, scandals, elections.Shit, they can even hold elections, but with government sanctioned Diebold machines everywhere, do you want to wager on the outcome?


Someone once said that when fascism comes, it will come wrapped in the stars and stripes. Can anyone now look at these coincidences and doubt that the long term ideal of the leaders of the Republican Party have more to do with Orwell than Jefferson?

Does it need to be pointed out how dangerous and ripe for abuse these provisions are? Is it particularly frightening to anyone else that you may be thrown in jail for something you didn't know was a crime.

This is how much damage has been done in 5 years. How much more in the next three, and will there be any incentive for the next administration to undo these first steps?

That's Not Really Funny

On a lighter note, August has an entertaining read about pandas over at his place.

He's been entranced by the cuteness of pandas since the birth at the National Zoo, but an Animal Planet special eroded his romanticism, and the results are funny.

Animal Planet: destroying animal mystique for over five years


Go read.

I'd Rather Be Your Enemy

I hate to keep going on about this. It's only appropriate response is total snark; regardless of what Nick says about engaging the opposition in debate, in this case (as in so many others) the whackjobs don't want any real debate; they want soundbites, they want to push emotional buttons.

However, A transcript of Sam Seder talking about Fox's War! On ! Christmas! was, I thought, rather telling.While Seder was sarcastically talking about the links between Santa and Saddam, and torturing elves, Bob Knight of the Culture And Family Institute was having none of it:

KNIGHT: These businesses are taking millions and millions of dollars in from Christians, in particular, and others who celebrate Christmas, giving gifts in the name of the Christmas season, and yet they're so worried about offending people like my opponent here that they don't want to mention the word Christmas. People are sick and tired.

SEDER: Bob, it's the holiday time, I'm not your opponent.

KNIGHT: Yes, you are. Yes, you are.

SEDER: I do agree with Bob. I think what should happen is companies should calculate how much money they're getting from people who are celebrating Christmas and provide exactly that much amount of Merry Christmas, because that is exactly how I would want any type of religious holiday to be celebrated.

While Seder treats the issue mainly sarcastically, and gives it the attention it deserves, note that comment from Knight up there: he insists that Sam Seder is his opponent, regardless of what Sam says. Or maybe the only way that he would relent on that statement is with total capitulation and agreement.

Regardless of the subject, this is endemic of so much of what gets pushed into the public discourse, mainly through fringe talk shows like Rush Limbaugh and Charlie Sykes or media spigots like Drudge: simplistic, us vs. them emotional tangles where the enemy must be defeated. I won't say that non of this comes from the Left, but I would be hard pressed to be able to identify media sources fostering this kind of black/white debate from the left.

Disregarding the political value of fostering this kind of debate and its ability to distract (look! Something Shiny!), I see a personality that has been taught to fear, to need fear, to need the 'other' - an Enemy- through the years of the Cold War. All those years of hating and fearing the Commies, whistled away in the wind when Russia fell apart, leaving no one to fill the void. And this whole cottage industry based on creating and demonizing someone -anyone- has sprung up to fill the void. Invisible hand of the marketplace, indeed.

Gays, Blacks, Liberals, Democrats, Feminists, Muslims, and now...what? Anti-Christmastonians? Santa-holics?

None of this argument has much of anything to do with the idea of keeping religion, and Religion™ separated from Government; nearly completely separate argument.

As Michael Moore pointed out in Bowling For Columbine, it has much more to do with the culture of fear that has developed in America. Barry Glassner has also written about this. Perhaps gestated during the Cold War, it has been fed and strengthened by the crisis oriented news programming, making Americans feel that our country is much more dangerous than ever before; this fear seeks an outlet creating enemies for this fear is what I see going on here.

Basically, there is a subset of people around, (and I doubt that it's limited to America, but I would say they are most well nurtured here) that need an enemy, that have a desperate desire to have someone they can hate.

Of course, being a liberal, I have compassion for someone so empty, so lost, that their life is incomplete without someone to hate. But the real irony, the jagged contrast that brings it all into stark relief, is that this virulent War On Christmas bile is being thrust into the limelight during what is ostensibly the season of love and forgiveness; further, that it is being savagely argued by self-identified Christians, a religion whose highest ideals are love, tolerance, forgiveness, and peace.

The Lunatics (have taken over the asylum)

A newspaper called Capitol Hill Blue (a scandal rag, to be sure) is reporting the rumor, and claiming to have verified with three sources, that when opposed on ramming through the vile Patriot Act, President Bush started screaming; when it was pointed out that many provisions of the Act are likely to violate the Constitution, he yelled back: “ Stop throwing the Constitution in my face. It's just a goddamned piece of paper!”


Let's just stop a minute, and look at those words, shall we?


It's just a goddamned piece of paper!


Just.
A.
Goddamned.
Piece.
Of
Paper.


This is the man that blind, hypocritical Republican drones have elevated to the highest office in our land, all but anointing him King; I have seen him called brilliant, a genius, (no evidence actually supporting it). And while the rank and file dutifully march in step, pledging fealty above all else while attacking dissenters like the pod people from Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, this man and his hangers on have been partitioning off and selling the country, and all of our futures, to the highest bidder.

And ultimately, this is what they think of the defining document of our government. That it's just a bureaucratic annoyance to be ignored when it conflicts with their grandiose, autocratic dreams. And then, as Christians, they use their own god's name to defame it.

I know, that at this point there is little hope that most Americans, especially the Proud Republicans will finally be able to see clearly what craven, grasping souls have been running the country with unfettered self interest in the last few years. Most of them, I suspect have far too much self-image and ego involved in the decisions to support the Bush Dynasty to admit an malfeasance, let alone a personal misjudgment; heaven forfend, a mistake!

I don't even care that Bush's shallow, egocentric and abusive traits were plain to see for all that would look; his history has always been one of sneering privilege, looking down everybody else, and plain dislike for any without the foresight to be born into power and wealth.

Bush is such an extravagant greedhead that Hunter S. Thompson couldn't vent the bile quickly enough to live through his administration. And Unfortunately for the rest of us, we won't know just how much damage has been wrought behind closed doors, but in our name, until years after Bush and Co. leave. And we, all of us, will be laboring to repair the damage for long after that.

Goddamned piece of paper, indeed. How can self professed patriots hear this kind of talk without throwing the bastards out of office is beyond me.

But I'm sure Fox News will find a way to pin it on Howard Dean.

Music For The Masses

Huh. I've used that Talking Heads title twice. Why won't one of you warn me about these things!

This is too fuckin funny. A conservo-blogger who's looking for a little validation, tried to come up with a list of conservative approved rock songs. Apparently he's had his sense of irony surgically removed; not only are several of the songs diametrically opposed to conservative thought, he cites 'Might Makes Right' off the new Camper album; the entire album is centered around opposition to the Republicans and the War in Iraq. He dismisses this as one line. It's like the line item veto; if you take the liberty of selectively editing the lyrics, any song can mean just about anything you want.

It is totally in the tradition of the Reagan bunch trying to lay claim to Springsteen's Born In The USA. A song completely about how the USA has failed a vet. Springsteen has recast this song in performance to a solo guitar, so he can emphasize the lyrics; decoupled from the driving rock anthem effects of the E Street Band, the song is stark and painful.

Our friendly Rightie Rocker has taken offense at one commenter at Tbogg's place that told him to go back to Kenny G and Yanni. But I think with a few exceptions like Nugent and the Eagles (whose bank accounts certainly qualify them for Republican status; their drug use and sexual escapades certainly qualify them) rock music is not, largely, about maintaining the status quo and behaving yourself, listening to your elders, and all those great conservative values.

It is much more about questioning authority, living for yourself, getting out from under, fighting against authority (and, of course, for your right to party)




hey, Friday Random Ten here, for a change I'm doing it offa my iPod.

46.18 gigs of music, 11199 songs.


1. The High Party from the album “Hearts of Oak” by Ted Leo/Pharmacists. good start. punky power pop with dense Joe Jackson-y lyrics.

“and what does it take to not hear the cynics at your door saying
”it's time the turn the lights out, and you'll want to keep it down!“
so i'm lifting up that poison cup to drink a draught of propaganda,
or i'm giving up that other stuff in hopes that it will make me madder.
but either way, if you're gonna call it art,
then there's a cup in front of you and right away,
if you're gonna play your part,
you must drink it down.
and what do you make of nights
when you thought you'd make much more
than being too tired to turn the lights out
and too drunk to drink more?”

2. Ghost Town from the album “This Are Two Tone” by The Specials. 2nd gen ska from England. Deepish dub.
3. The Electric Co. from the album “Boy” by U2 . From the Mekons-list:

“So why aren't Mekons bigger than U2? They have some things in common -
haunting vocalist, wiry good-looker, genius post-punk, melancholy, and
political records. Should Jon give up drinking and drawing? If they throw out
the country influences and stop being frantic, rancorous and sarcastic will
more lives be changed? Is it because the masses can't deal with messy and
inspirational at the same time? Or is it just the Curse?”

Good song from a bunch of kids, for a bunch of kids, though.

4. I've Been Tired from the album “Surfer Rosa & Come On Pilgrim” by Pixies. I've seen the Pixies twice now. They weren't as loud the second time.

5. The Marshall Plan from the album “Cultosaurus Erectus” by Blue Öyster Cult. Ok. you can say it. More cowbell, I know.

6. The Only Unforgivable Thing from the album “Marbles (Disc 1)” by Marillion I dragged one of my music buds down to Chicago to see Marillion on this tour. They are working outside the music industry now, so they personally financed the tour; great show.

7. Love from the album “Love” by The Cult Proto-grunge. these guys devolved into mundane metal, but this album was fine. Great music to trash a house by.

8. Away from the album “Up On The Sun (Reissue)” by Meat Puppets. Again, fortunate to see these sons of the desert at Shank Hall, a small crowd of 300. Live, they could run a song from three chord punk into jam-band noodling, then bend it into the realm of near-prog; bringing it back to a three chord slam bang ending. I can only imagine what it would have been like seeing these guys outdoors in Arizona, with a bit of peyote.

9. The Ineffable Me from the album “A Thousand Leaves” by Sonic Youth. I love me the Sonics. They love the Die Kreuzen. Local Mandolin-wizard John Kruth said that while playing an open stage in NY a while back, a young man named Thurston with a very loud guitar got up next to him to play. I would have paid cash money and Bill O'Reilly's testicles to see that.

10. I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night from the album “Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era” by The Electric Prunes. Proto-punk. If you want to start a band, just listen to this disk, lift the blueprint that's most appropriate, and off you go. Great songs, three chords, what more do you want?

11. Pretty Little Poison from the album “Let's Kill Saturday Night” by Robbie Fulks My man Robbie comes up two weeks in a row. More country drinkin music.


No conservative anthems there. 0 for 11.



And for chuckles, a random five Mekons:

1. Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough from the album “ME” by Mekons . From their filthiest album. sex drugs and hedonism. Actually, through satire subtlety, the album points out the ultimate emptiness of narcissistic pursuits. All the while defending your personal rights to pursue whatever the hell you want to.

2. Dancing In The Head from the album “Oooh!” by Mekons one of the latest. On the last couple of albums, the Mekes have been evolving into kind of an alterna-vernacular death folk band, using mostly folkish instruments, violin, mandolins, something called the bouzouk, cumbus, accordion, and grouped vocals into cohesive stew that hearkens back to something primal.

3. blue arse from the album “The Curse of the Mekons/F.U.N. '90” by Mekons this album was the followup to their major label debut, 'rock 'n' Roll; The record label refused it. The mekes were confused, they thought they were doing what the label wanted. Ultimately, it's one of their best.

4. Chop That Child In Half from the album “Original Sin” by Mekons Old school. Obviously a reference to Solomonic legend. Mekons are one of the most literate bands you'll hear.

5. Circle City (Mekons vs. Peace Love Hooligans) from the album “I Have Been to Heaven and Back” by Mekons and to lighten things up, a song about football. With plenty of effects and dub.



Well, that wouldn't have helped our misguided conservative friend. the Mekons are socialists anyway.

I think all the culture warrior righties have to face the facts. They often like to say that turning right politically is a result of getting older 'growing up', learning how the world really works; moving to the suburbs and having kids.

Face it; this also entails abandoning rock music. It's not your anymore; admit that you find the idealism annoying; that the lifestyle is certainly beyond your aging body; that you'll never spike your hair or wear earrings again.

It's not even close; rock music is the province of the progressive, the lefty; Every time you listen to the Rolling Stones or U2, you face the hazard of indoctrinating yourself with leftist tendencies. You can go ahead and just have Bill O'Reilly say that almost all rock bands are simply and demonstrably Democratic Propagandists and therefore, traitors. I'm sure he needs something to blather on about since his War on Christmas is going nowhere.

You conservo-rockers don't necessarily have to listen to Yanni and Kenny G; but you really need to abandon those REM and Bruce Springsteen albums and stock up on Lee Greenwood and Charlie Daniels.

Your Party requires it of you.

Don't Worry About The Government

Denny.

Denny Hastert.

Know the man? Corpulent weasel. Stepped in when Tom Delay had to scurry back to Texas to deal with his, you know, criminal charges. As in Jail time criminal charges. That's SugarLand all over.

Oh, but that's just politicizing, right? Playing for partisan gain? Something the Republicans, those stalwart paragons of virtue and light, would never do.

Except...Denny will. He's going to delay the reopening of the House for two weeks or so after the Holiday season (bite me Billy!). But not for any partisan or petty reason, right?

Not so much.

Just so that DeLay, epitome of the Washington sleaze merchants, with a penchant for threatening other members of Congress, has the potential to address his indictments prior to other members of the House asking for a new leader. Yep, that would be actually delaying the business of the country to avoid throwing an ethically challenged scumsucker out. Not political at all.

But it gets better. Hastert has also suggested an 'ethics refresher' for the House.

So, just to be straight on this: Republican leadership will postpone the ability to even work on America's business, just to allow an ethically bankrupt member a bit more time to weasel out of the charges and preserve his leadership, while encouraging ethics classes for the members. Ethics refresher? or a tactical manual on how to perform ethical sleight of hand, violating the spirit and idea of ethical behavior while skirting the barest edge of the written rules.

Will Tom Delay have to go? Would it have any impact if he did?

Mainly, though, it's a transparent ploy to catapult the Republican talking points a bit further; to imply that the rampant ethical lapses oozing throughout Washington are bipartisan, rather than almost completely residing on the Right side of the chambers.

They are transparent, shameless, good-for-nothing political power junkies, for whom no act is too craven, no betrayal too reprehensible, as long as they can maintain power. They don't give a shit about you, they don't give a shit about me, they don't really give a shit about this country, except in the ways it can be looted and otherwise converted to the advancement and enrichment of themselves and their cronies.

Them Hippies Was Right

I've been contemplating a post about this lunatic 'Assault on Christmas' or whatever that the peabrains at Fox have been pushing down the gullets of their hordes like so much gruel force fed to so many veal calves; eventually, of course, destined for the dinner table of one of their overfed, slobbering corporate masters.

ooo, that simile went a bit farther than I intended. Too far though? don't try and tell me that while O'reilly or even worse, Brit Hume are on the screen.

Anyways.

So, I was hoping to summon enough bile and ridicule for the subject; but meanwhile, they had a post over at Sadly, No! that started by talking about the 'War on Santa' and sequed into a discussion about the creeping idiocy in America. At which point, I humbly submitted a comment, complete with a gratuitous poker analogy.

And a couple of commenters agreed with me! Holy Schnikeys! Not only that, the said I was right.

I WAS RIGHT!!

Alert the media, wake the neighbors, tell my wife...

I was right!


Yeah, I know, I'm astonished too.

I probably should have gone for more snark.


UPDATE:

Apparently, there is a War on Christmas after all. I'm Always the Last to know.

UPDATE 2:
Fox News Joins the War on Christmas: Employees forced to participate in Holiday Party, no Christ to be seen. Do as I say, not as I do, eh Murdoch?

UPDATE 3:

The White House Hates Christmas, joins 'Holiday' Forces; also kicks puppies.



Alright, I was kidding about the puppies.

Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers

oooo.

met kyle last night to catch the Ghettobillies; he had to leave after the opening band, the Cocksmiths. But before that, we had beers.

and after that I had more beers.


I'm not feeling so good today.
But the GBs rocked, seemed like they didn't hardly play at all.
So here's a very quiet Friday Random Ten. But I'm not Auditing, because my brain can't do all that cipherin today,



1. Mary from the album “Farewell- Live (Disc 1)” by Oingo Boingo
2. Abernant 1984-85 from the album “Original Sin” by Mekons A little Friday Mekes. The word is that they've got a new album mostly done, just ned a little woodshedding to finish it up. Jon Langford is pretty fuckin hard working for an ex-art school punk alt-rocker.

3. (Don't Fear) The Reaper from the album “Extraterrestrial Live” by Blue Öyster Cult The first person to mention cowbells gets slapped. Seriously. Almost as omnipresent on Classic Rot Radio as Stairway, at least this song has aged much better.

4. I Was Just Leaving from the album “South Mouth” by Robbie Fulks Robbie is a great country musician, (on Bloodshot Records), in the vein of George Jones or Hank williams, with a bit of the hellraiser in him. If the Country music industry wasn't as broken and dysfunctional as the rock music industry, he'd be famous. This one's a weeper.

5. Bad Little Actress from the album “Utopia (Re-release Of Original From 1982)” by Utopia Todd Rundgren's pop-prog band, at their poppiest. I wish they would re-release Swing To The Right.

6. One Way Or Another from the album “Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits Of The '80s Vol. 1” by Blondie.

7. Circles Erratica from the album “Going Somewhere (Extended Version)” by Colin Hay Former member of Men At Work; saw him play solo at Summerfest last year. He was pretty good, and somewhat amused at the brush with superstardom.

8. Wicked Little Critta from the album “Mink Car” by They Might Be Giants.

9. One Plus One from the album “I'll Show You Mine EP” by Ultrasound I tracked this band down based on a review from The war Against Silence. Regrettably, the band only produced one double album, and a slew of EPs. It's an astounding mix of prog, punk, indie rock, and just general noise. Amazing, just amazing.

10. Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) from the album “Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits Of The '80s, Vol. 7” by Haircut 100 Dancey new wave from the Wayback machine.

11. Daughter from the album “Live at Benaroya Hall - Oct. 22, 2003” by Pearl Jam Interesting semi-acoustic live set. I'm not a huge PJ fan, but this I like.

Oh well, that's enough.