This Week's Playlist (10/16/04)

1. Air - Highschool Lover (Theme from The Virgin Suicides) (2:43)
2. Ambulance Ltd - Anecdote (3:16)
3. Weezer - el scorcho (4:03)
4. The Shins - New Slang (3:50)
5. The Olivia Tremor Control - Holiday Surprise, 1, 2, 3 (6:11)
6. PS - sense of humor (3:38)
7. The Postal Service - We Will Become Silhouettes (5:00)
8. Sufjan Stevens - Romulus (4:41)
9. The Books - Tokyo (3:43)
10. Wilco - Poor Places (5:15)
11. Explosions in the Sky - First Breath After Coma (9:33)
12. Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime (5:34)
13. David Bowie - Moonage Daydream (4:38)
14. Broken Social Scene - looks just like the sun (4:23)
15. Elefant - Tonight Let's Dance (3:07)
16. Grandaddy - The Go In The Go For It (3:40)
17. Big Star - In the Street (2:55)
18. The Microphones - The Moon (5:17)
19. Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945 (3:12)
20. Junior Boys - When I'm Not Around (5:22)
21. Architecture in Helsinki - Where've You Been Hiding (2:41)
22. John Vanderslice - They Won't Let Me Run (3:52)

21st Century Book-Burning

So, Lynne Cheney has nothing better to do these days than enforce her own narrow-minded view of American history with such laudable tactics as destruction of free speech materials. Yesterday, my friend Dan suggested that Laura Bush makes a better first lady than Teresa Heinz-Kerry could, which I may or may not disagree with. However, the idea of giving Lynne Cheney any more control, or a popular mandate for her insanity, sends shivers down my spine. And not the good kind, definitely the kind that warn of impending doom.

At her urging, the Education Department destroyed more than 300,000 copies of a booklet designed to help parents and children learn more about America's past.

Cheney objected to the booklet's reference to the National Standards for History, guidelines for teaching history in secondary schools that were developed at UCLA in the 1990s and that suggest that American history should be taught with an eye not only to America's successes but to its struggles and dark moments as well.

...

What was so horrible about the National Standards for History that any reference to them would merit the mass destruction of several hundred thousand volumes of knowledge? According to Cheney, the standards failed to recognize the achievements of America's traditional heroes and focused instead on the accomplishments of women, minorities and radicals such as Harriet Tubman, the former slave who helped found the Underground Railroad. As Cheney wrote in 1994, "We are a better people than the national standards indicate, and our children deserve to know it."

What she's really afraid of, here, is the dissociation of heroism from social status... If I remember correctly, this has been known in the past as social darwinism, i.e. those who come out on top (a la Dick Cheney, George Bush, etc) belong on top and those who don't are in fact not worth learning about for the very reason that if they were so valuable to society, they would have made a lot more money. That theory is not only the foundation for classism (and racism) around the world, it is standard practice for dictators -- and others who control massive amounts of financial and political capital -- to embrace this idea (see the Aryan race, eugenics, etc).

It's simply unimaginable that the wife of the vice president is stooping to such lows as what the article refers to as "21st Century Book-Burning." Not only does this support the Re-Defeat Bush platform, but I think it really (and rightly) lays a lot of social blame on Cheney for her resistance to the multilateral ideal of history that should come along with our movement in to the future and towards a greater acceptance of everyone.

FLY GUY

Go for an adventure in a pixel world with no gravity and a most unusual atmosphere.

(via Screenhead)

UltraHD: Pusher

Beautiful, beautiful video. Apparently, an advert for something or other, it really doesn't matter. The graphics are incredible and the subject matter is some kind of neo-futurism, and god is the future gorgeous (at least for rich people).

(via Screenhead)

Edit: Decided it must be for a digital graphics platform. I mean, it would be a really good avertisement for that kind of thing, plus it makes a whole bunch of sense, unless my world view is totally warped.

Mmm, graphic novels

Ironically Gibson-esque, this is a "short" novel (or long strip) about the future of our pop culture driven world and economy. What happens when you buck the trend? Identify the meme?

You get dumped, that's what.

The Last Debate

Now I've only read a little bit of what's around to read, but I did watch the debate last night, and let me tell you what.

First of all, Bush did not fucking answer the question about Roe V. Wade. He is such a little bitch, afraid of taking a stance or alienating any supporters that he can't bring his views out in the open. Even as recently as last week he made it very clear which side of the issue he supports idelogically, with that ridiculous Dred Scott reference (as if it's really important that he objects to slavery... i mean, if he didn't, that'd be one thing...). And, he didn't even skirt the question skillfully! He was just like, "Uh, you're actually asking me a different question..." and that was it. No, you stupid pussbag, he wants to know if you would support overturning Roe V. Wade! That's why he asked the question in such clear language that even you should've understood it.

Second of all, now that I've gotten that out of my system, I thought Bush did a lot better last night than in either of the other debates. Except for interrupting the moderator a few times to repeat himself, he didn't commit and huge social gaffes, and he pretty much kept up with Kerry as far as conversation is concerned. This doesn't mean that Kerry didn't kick his ass as far as rhetoric/fact and likeability are concerned. It is clear to me (and from the polls) that the voting public feels the same way as I do.

Third of all, Bush's stance on the massive job loss that has taken place in our country during his "at bat" is this: we will educate the children of this country through underfunded initiatives that take money away from where it is needed the most so that their parents can ... uh... have educated children. And no jobs. I think it's very telling that Kerry fact-checked Bush's higher education claims on the spot, and Bush retaliated, "Nu-uh!" What is true is that more students are getting Pell grants. What is not true is that more money is being spent on Pell grants, and according to several mainstream news sources (which you probably shouldn't trust, says Bushie)

Fact:
The Administration has frozen the maximum Pell Grant available to students at $4,050, despite the President's campaign pledge in 2000 to increase the award to $5,100. The program freeze comes at the same time "state colleges and universities in every region of the country are preparing to impose this fall their steepest tuition and fee increases in a decade." Because of the Administration's budget, "most students won't get any more help than they receive now" – at the same time the White House has proposed a rule change that would cut off 84,000 students from receiving college aid. - Wall Street Journal, 2/3/04; Washington Post, 7/22/03; Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/10/03

You're like -1 for 3 here, buddy.

Bush also, when asked about abortion, brought up my least favorite sex ed. topic ever, abstinence. I literally screamed "Fuck You" in the middle of the debate. The one table of Republicans watching in the Spa definitely hates me. Bush is a big proponent of the ABC method of sexual education, which basically means "Don't have sex. Don't have sex with more than one person. And, if you're having sex with a prostitute or drug user, you should use a condom. Don't even think about other forms of birth control, cause we're not gonna talk about them." That is outright fucking ridiculous. Young people should have the ability to make their own choices. They should also be forced to face the consequences. However, not talking about safe sex at all means that, if Bush has his way, a whole generation of children and teenagers will grow up both sexually repressed and in the dark about what their choices are when the time finally comes.

Once again, I think Bush did a better job than he has in the other debates, but Kerry still kicked his ass. I'm not entirely comfortable with all of Kerry's money spending, but I believe a hell of a lot more in his ability to run a country, period, than I do in Bush's.

The Gadflyer: Mobilizing Iraqi Women to Go Backward?

The current administration has given $10 million in grants to programs around the country to promote the independence of Iraqi women. One of the groups they granted money to, however, is an organization called the Independent Women's Forum. This group has a history of bias against women and fighting programs (both governmental and private) that would, in most people's opinions, increase equality and "even the playing field." What the hell are they gonna teach Iraqi women about democracy if they don't even support equal education?

The Independent Women's Forum supports weakening Title IX, which protects equal education opportunities, charging that insistence on women's athletic opportunities "wreaks havoc on men's sports teams." They argue against more opportunities for women in the military, and even opposed the integration of Virginia Military Institute.

So just what does the Independent Women's Forum plan to teach Iraqi women? Media training in how to disparage quaint concepts like equal pay, or calling on government to ignore complaints about violence against women? Or, perhaps they'll sponsor a seminar in "How to Raise Money from Anti-Women Sources to Attack Every Current Initiative to Benefit Women."

As of two weeks ago (yeah right, like's it's only been that recently), the Bush administration has clearly gone fucking insane.

My New Job

So I've started working for Flip (my stats teacher). My job is essentially to scan and "capture" (OCR) documents, which means I am getting paid to stare at a computer screen for hours. And, while capturing, I have ages of downtime.
So...
My blog is gonna start looking a lot more professional. I'm actually gonna read the articles I link to (not that I don't now, but I mean, everybody has seen me link to other blogs' summaries), and I'm gonna take a stance, and I'm gonna write my own shit. There will actually be original content here. This will still probably be the last place on the internet to get up to date news, but it will be one of the best amalgamation blogs around. Hopefully.

Republicans vs. Democrats in Congress

Kevin Drum summarizes an article comparing corruption and laziness in the Republican-owned Congress to the corruption and laziness in the Congress when it was last owned by Democrats. See for yourself.

Paperwight's Fair Shot: Dred Scott = Roe v. Wade

WTF?! That's both ridiculous, oblique, and risky all at the same time. The relevance of Dred Scott to abortion really is beyond me right now. If anyone wants to explain it to me, I'm willing and interested, but I'm not going to waste my precious time learning the language of the fucking anti-choice movement.

Guardian Unlimited | US elections 2004 | The madness of George

Kos (from Daily Kos) writes a weekly article for the Guardian in the UK... This week: "Furious George"

My Radio Show 10/8

With Amy guest (ghost) hosting...

1. Modest Mouse - Gravity Rides Everything (4:21)
2. Neutral Milk Hotel - The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One (2:00)
3. Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio (6:21)
4. M. Ward - Vincent O'Brien (2:38)
5. Saturday Looks Good To Me - Meet Me By The Water (2:58)
6. Stellastarr* - My Coco (5:05)
7. William Shatner - Common People (4:41)
8. Essex Green - The Playground (3:07)
9. Ratatat - Everest (4:10)
10. Dressy Bessy - I Found Out (2:35)
11. IMA Robot - Black Jettas (3:34)
12. Lambchop - Steve McQueen (4:32)
13. Menomena - The Late Great Libido (4:59)
14. Pedro the Lion - Suspect Fled the Scene (3:56)
15. The Sea and Cake - Afternoon Speaker (4:18)
16. Starlight Mints - Buena Vista (1:32)
17. The Wrens - Every Year You Wasted (5:12)
18. Midwest Product - Still Love in the Midwest (5:18)
19. Lovage - Strangers on a Train (4:36)
20. Manitoba - I've Lived On A Dirt Road All My Life (5:35)
21. Worm Is Green - The Robot Has Got the Blues (3:15)
22. Aphex Twin - Nannou (4:13)
23. The Rapture - Olio (5:20)
24. Junior Boys - Track 4 (6:36)
25. Boards of Canada - Kid for Today (6:20)
26. dudley - fall song (4:12)
27. Mr. Natural - That Green Jesus (4:31)
28. A.C. Newman - Miracle Drug (2:19)
29. Belle and Sebastian - Step Into My Office, Baby (4:14)
30. Franz Ferdinand - Jacqueline (3:49)
31. Muse - Time is Running Out (3:56)
32. The Walkmen - What's in It for Me (2:54)
33. The Magnetic Fields - You love to fail (2:30)
34. Pavement - Gold Soundz (2:39)
35. Girls Are Short - Perfect Sound Always (3:52)
36. Badly Drawn Boy - Fall In A River (2:17)
37. Carly Simon - You're So Vain (4:19)

i love you.

Facebook Me!

So I've joined the infamous college network of cool people.
Word to your mother.
If anyone reads this, and is not a part of the facebook, get on it! Otherwise, you're just wasting your time.