Monday, September 28, 2009

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Bajofondo

"Electrotango" from Uruguay and Argentina. AO and I just saw them live. A deep and captivating musical experience.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Friday, September 25, 2009

Deftones

Doing a cover of The Cure's "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep."

Spanking is stupid

LA Times reports on a new study.

Being spanked as a child is linked to having a lower IQ, according to a study presented today at the International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma in San Diego.

Straus studied 806 children ages 2 to 4 and 704 ages 5 to 9. Both groups were retested four years later. How often parents spanked influenced IQ score. "The more spanking, the slower the development of the child's mental ability," Straus said in a news release. "But even small amounts of spanking made a difference."

Straus and his colleagues looked at corporal punishment practices in 32 countries by surveying 17,404 university students. The analysis found a lower average IQ in nations in which spanking was more prevalent. The strongest link between corporal punishment and IQ was for those whose parents continued to use corporal punishment even when they were teenagers.

How would spanking impact intelligence? Straus suggests that the chronic stress created by regular spanking creates post-traumatic stress symptoms in children. PTSD is linked to lower IQ. Economic status also underlies both spanking practices and IQ, Straus said, a leading researcher on corporal punishment.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Maggot Brain

"We are just a biological speculation."

Friday, September 18, 2009

Anti-socialist purity pledge

I, ________________________, do solemnly swear to uphold the principles of a socialism-free society and heretofore pledge my word that I shall strictly adhere to the following:

I will complain about the destruction of 1st Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 1st Amendment Rights.

I will complain about the destruction of my 2nd Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights by legally but brazenly brandishing unconcealed firearms in public.

I will foreswear the time-honored principles of fairness, decency, and respect by screaming unintelligible platitudes regarding tyranny, Nazi-ism, and socialism at public town halls. Also.

I pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life. I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:

Social Security
Medicare/Medicaid
State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)
Police, Fire, and Emergency Services
US Postal Service
Roads and Highways
Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)
The US Railway System
Public Subways and Metro Systems
Public Bus and Lightrail Systems
Rest Areas on Highways
Sidewalks
All Government-Funded Local/State Projects (e.g., see Iowa 2009 federal senate appropriations)
Public Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)
Public and State Universities and Colleges
Public Primary and Secondary Schools
Sesame Street
Publicly Funded Anti-Drug Use Education for Children
Public Museums
Libraries
Public Parks and Beaches
State and National Parks
Public Zoos
Unemployment Insurance
Municipal Garbage and Recycling Services
Treatment at Any Hospital or Clinic That Ever Received Funding From Local, State or Federal Government (pretty much all of them)
Medical Services and Medications That Were Created or Derived From Any Government Grant or Research Funding (again, pretty much all of them)
Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)
Use of the Internets, email, and networked computers, as the DoD's ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking
Foodstuffs, Meats, Produce and Crops That Were Grown With, Fed With, Raised With or That Contain Inputs From Crops Grown With Government Subsidies
Clothing Made from Crops (e.g. cotton) That Were Grown With or That Contain Inputs From Government Subsidies
If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forego my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care

I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of socialist locations, including but not limited to:

Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History
The socialist Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Monuments
The government-operated Statue of Liberty
The Grand Canyon
The socialist World War II and Vietnam Veterans Memorials
The government-run socialist-propaganda location known as Arlington National Cemetery
All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC
I will urge my Member of Congress and Senators to forego their government salary and government-provided healthcare.

I will oppose and condemn the government-funded and therefore socialist military of the United States of America.

I will boycott the products of socialist defense contractors such as GE, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Humana, FedEx, General Motors, Honeywell, and hundreds of others that are paid by our socialist government to produce goods for our socialist army.

I will protest socialist security departments such as the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Department of Justice and their socialist employees.

Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.

Upon reaching age 65, I will forego Medicare and pay for my own private health insurance until I die.

SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF __________ IN THE YEAR ___.

_____________ _________________________

Signed Printed Name/Town and State


Link

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Danger Doom

Collaboration between Danger Mouse and MF Doom.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

For the boys

Toy tattoo gun.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Road - I'm Trying

"I'm trying . . . to forget the past." In that kind of mood. Dissertation is finally coming to end - if I work hard enough this week.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

"You Lie"

This is Joe Wilson from South Carolina. Not a common occurrence when the President is addressing a joint session of Congress, but a sign of the times. The crazy is coming to seem normal. I think we should let the South secede this time.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Mmmm . . . laptops in space

Zero gravity and computing power. Thumbs up, for sure.

Aboard the Shuttle, which is just over the eastern tip of North America as I post this.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Disillusionment

Is it time to pull the Obama sticker off the car? Caving on health care, out-maneuvered by lunatics who are now gaining in tracking polls, and doubling down in Afghanistan. I knew there would be compromises, but it's even worse when the new administration and democrats continue to be so flat-footed and mealy-mouthed. People around here have been going door-to-door for "Organizing for America" in support of the public option. I get emails from OFA telling me to get "active" in support of change. And yet elected democrats are allowing a handful of LaRouchers and Birchers to dominate the debate. Fucking man up, Mr. President.

Zappa - bootleg tape - El Paso

"Apostrophe." A real jam.

Little Louis Band

John Lee Hooker song.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Hüsker Dü

It should come as no surprise that some of the earliest (1979) and speediest punk was created by a couple of gay dudes. Bob Mould's flying V guitar completes the picture.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Paul Westerberg (The Replacements)

Played this song to death, back in the day.