Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
HARK! AND REJOICE!
A full Year has passed since the Flaming fist of Weatherbox squashed the Reign of the terror Boomsnake! A new Weatherholiday to celebrate! Let us all remember their Tails quickly retreating between their legs! Let us remember the Sounds of Trumpets blaring as they scurried Back to their Cave in Brooklyn! Hark! Boomsnake No More! Rejoice! A Thousand year reign for Weatherpeople!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
More On Egypt
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Friday, January 28, 2011
IT'S CURTAINS
The desperation of a powerless regime. We all ought to know now what to think of the pleasant-sounding phrases so many world leaders like to use:
"The president said that change can not be achieved through chaos but through dialogue."
"Mubarak urged calm, adding that only because of his own reforms over the years were people able to protest."
Lest anyone take the latter claim seriously, these reports from nearly two months ago should help to elucidate the heretofore grim political reality of life in Egypt, including the fact that, "in Egypt it's illegal for more than five people to gather in one place."
A few more quotations:
"This is a country whose policy is directed towards small elites that are enjoying the country's resources, in short. You know. And when you have nothing to give, there is nothing but the police, there is nothing but brutality, there is nothing but oppression, there is nothing but detention centers and torture and so on. The regime is strong, and we have to be stronger."
"I think one advantage, which I hope would reflect on the way people struggle to change this regime, is to realize that Parliament in a police state is not the way to change."
It's obvious that the protesters, who are heroically intransigent, will not continue to accept the presence of a hateful dictator like Mubarak (though whether he is in fact a dictator is apparently still an unresolved question for some people), even or rather especially after the pitiful and hypocritical offers to dismiss his cabinet and implement other reforms. As one protester aptly put it: "We want Mubarak to go and instead he is digging in further. He thinks it is calming down the situation but he is just angering people more." Were it not for the fact of his dictatorship, which has ruled under emergency law for its thirty-year duration, talk of "dialogue" might make sense. But with his cynical and despicable casting of suspicion on the protesters themselves ("part of a bigger plot to shake the stability and destroy legitimacy" of the political system) and his defense of his own security forces' violently brutal crackdown on the protests, his presentation of himself as a potential interlocutor for the furious dissidents can be taken seriously only by the likes of, say, Hillary Clinton.
Short of more violent measures that will only further de-legitimize his rule in the eyes of every decent person in the world, there is no way Mubarak will be able to hold on to power, and his "reaching out" to protesters to supposedly engage them in some kind of conversation is transparently just that: an effort, as it has already been said, "to dig in further" in clinging to the autocratic authority which has brought such stability to the region.
Edit: Here is the best and most jubilant conversation about the events in Egypt that I've seen on a television news program thus far. You get a sense of just how world-historical this moment is when the people this woman is interviewing laugh in her face after she asks the predictable, statist question of who will lead Egypt if Mubarak is overthrown.
http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Egyptian Uprising
"'We urge the Egyptian authorities not to prevent peaceful protests or block communications including on social media sites," Clinton told reporters in the most blunt comments to date by the United States urging Mubarak to undertake reforms."
As predictable and tepid a response as one could expect: "Give them a few little freedoms and get back to business as usual," along with the long time favorite reference to freedoms of speech, which manifests itself chiefly in social networking sites on the internet these days (By the way, did anyone else think it was absolutely absurd not only that Obama cited Facebook as a shining beacon of American industry in the 21st century, but that Congress applauded when he did so? Hell of a year for Mark Zuckerberg.). And although Reuters claims that Clinton "minced no words" in the above statement, this quote is much more frank:
"We support the fundamental right of expression and assembly for all people, and we urge that all parties exercise restraint and refrain from violence. But our assessment is that the Egyptian government is stable and is looking for ways to respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people."
Responses by the US government in situations such as these is pretty much cut-and-paste, but rarely comes out that strong in support of embattled dictators. Then there's the ever-present plea for a "refrain from violence," which ignores a few facts. First, without any violent acts it would be almost impossible for these people to be heard and taken seriously as a threat by their government. Secondly, that in situations where citizens come out en masse to voice their dissent, violence is often exacerbated, if not initiated, by the state's police forces and/or army. Finally, that these are the exact same tactics used by American police whenever there are anti-government demonstrations on US soil. Sure, the American government has never blocked the use of social networking sites to prevent citizens from organizing, but they have never had to. And there is every reason to suspect that they would if they did perceive a need to, judging by their reaction to WikiLeaks, when they bullied all sponsors and servers into rescinding their support, and making sure that supportive citizens could not lend theirs.
So this will definitely be something to keep an eye on, particularly, in Tunisia, what kind of government comes out of the ruins of the previous one. What history leads me to guess is that the Tunisian people will be granted a few more social freedoms, but the economic situation will remain mostly the same. However, the uprisings in Egypt do add a note of hope to the process, especially since the complaints of the Egyptian people seem to hit much closer to the core of things, as their main source of outrage seems by and large to be the economic system and the immobility and poverty it engenders.
Update: The situation is escalating constantly in Cairo. Follow it here.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Chances that an American Indian will die before the age of 45: 1 in 3
U.S. Office of Technology AssessmentEstimated percentage change in the size of Canada’s Native-American population since 1500: +22
Library of Indian Affairs (Quebec)/U.S. Bureau of Indian and Northern AffairsEstimated percentage change since then in the size of the Native-American population of the U.S.: -76
Library of Indian Affairs (Quebec)/U.S. Bureau of Indian and Northern AffairsEstimated percentage change in the Native American population of California during the 1850s: -65
Russell Thornton, American Indian Holocaust and Survival, University of Oklahoma Press (Norman)Percentage change, since 1980, in the number of people calling themselves “American Indian” on the census: +38
U.S. Census Bureau (Suitland, Md.)Percentage change, since 1983, in the number of Harvard freshmen identifying themselves as “Native American”: +100
Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.)Number of U.S. presidents besides Bill Clinton who have made an official visit to an Indian reservation since 1937: 0
Bureau of Indian Affairs (Washington)/Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library (Hyde Park, N.Y.)Number of American Indian tribes that own a casino license: 90
National Indian Gaming Commission (Washington)Number that are members of the InterTribal Bison Cooperative: 28
InterTribal Bison Cooperative (Rapid City, S.D.)Percentage of households on U.S. Indian reservations that have phone service: 47
Federal Communications CommissionChance that a black woman living in the U.S. will be a victim of violence this year: 1 in 18
Bureau of Justice Statistics (Washington)Chance that a Native American woman will be: 1 in 10
Bureau of Justice Statistics (Washington)Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
R.I.P. Countdown With Keith Olbermann
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Apocalypse Watch: Cheeseburgers I Mean Cows Are Now Dying Too, Plus Cloning
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Gettin' Based
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Highlights From This Months Harper's Index
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Today In Earth Shaking News: Your Zodiac Sign Probably Isn't What You Think It Is
"A recent Harris Poll found that 31 percent of Americans believe in astrology. They're wrong -- although not necessarily in the way their detractors might cite.
"The ancient Babylonians based zodiac signs on the constellation the sun was "in" on the day a person was born. During the ensuing millenniums, the moon's gravitational pull has made the Earth "wobble" around its axis, creating about a one-month bump in the stars' alignment.
"The result?
"'When [astrologers] say that the sun is in Pisces, it's really not in Pisces," said Parke Kunkle, a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society.
"Indeed, most horoscope readers who consider themselves Pisces are actually Aquarians. So instead of being sensitive, humane and idealistic, they actually are friendly, loyal and inventive.
"Or not."
Here's the new, updated chart, in case you're curious about who you are.
Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11.
Pisces: March 11-April 18.
Aries: April 18-May 13.
Taurus: May 13-June 21.
Gemini: June 21-July 20.
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29.
Ophiuchus:* Nov. 29-Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.
* Discarded by the Babylonians because they wanted 12 signs per year.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Another Congressman (From My State) Receives Death Threats
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Apocalypse Watch: Mass, Unexplained Animal Deaths
2012, here we come. This is one of the more shocking things that I have read in a while, and a sure sign that all is not well on Spaceship Earth. From the Huffington Post:
"Millions of dead fish surfaced in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay in the U.S., Tuesday, while similar unexplained mass fish deaths occurred across the world in Brazil and New Zealand. On Wednesday, 50 birds were found dead on a street in Sweden. The news come after recents reports of mysterious massive bird and fish deaths days prior in Arkansas and Louisiana.
The Baltimore Sun reports that an estimated 2 million fish were found dead in the Chesapeake Bay, mostly adult spot with some juvenile croakers in the mix, as well."
"ParanaOnline reports that 100 tons of sardines, croaker and catfish have washed up in Brazilian fishing towns since last Thursday. The cause of the deaths is unknown, with an imbalance in the environment, chemical pollution, or accidental release from a fishing boat all suggested by local officials.
"In New Zealand, hundreds of dead snapper fish washed up on Coromandel Peninsula beaches, many found with their eyes missing, The New Zealand Herald reports. A Department of Conservation official allegedly claims the fish were starving due to weather conditions.
"While all three events are likely unrelated, they come after recent reports of mysterious dead birds falling from the sky in both Arkansas and Louisiana. Thousands of dead birds were found in Beebe, Arkansas on New Year's Eve, and a few days later, around 500 of the same species were found 300 miles south in Louisiana. A Kentucky woman also reported finding dozens of dead birds scattered around her home. In the days prior to New Year's, nearly 100,000 fish surfaced in an Arkansas river 100 miles west of Beebe. Officials are now saying that fireworks likely caused the Arkansas bird deaths, and power lines may be to blame for the death of the birds in Louisiana.
"Some remain skeptical of the explanations. Dan Cristol, a biology professor and co-founder of the Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies at the College of William & Mary, told the AP that he was hesitant to believe fireworks were to blame unless "somebody blew something into the roost, literally blowing the birds into the sky."
"The events are likely unrelated, however, and the BBC notes that this is the third year in a row thousands of dead devil crabs, also known as velvet swimming crabs, have turned up on the coastline near Kent, England. It is estimated that 40,000 of the dead crabs have washed up on the beaches this year.
"According to LiveScience, experts believe cold weather is to blame for the massive crab deaths. Tests conducted in past years have turned up no results for disease or similar problems, leaving the cause an unexplained mystery, though hypothermia is conjectured."
Sorry, government scientists, but you'll forgive me for being a little skeptical that all of these "events" are completely unrelated, and that fireworks would kill thousands of birds, and that because the mysterious deaths of tens of thousands of crabs is now a fucking trend, it's automatically unrelated to other species dying off en masse. Possible? Yes. But probable, given the ever-accruing mass of evidence that our climate and, by extension, planet is gradually coming more and more to resemble a toxic cesspool? Nah, brah. Has anyone even heard of this?
Imagine That! A Book By Don DeLillo That Isn't Completely Obnoxious!
And, in fact, is actually really remarkable! Usually, I end up needing to take a cold shower and maybe even shed a few bitter tears of dissatisfaction after reading a novel by this particular titan of post-modern literature. Really, without fail, this happens every time. I'm always incredibly off-put by the seeming inability on DeLillo's part to give his characters voices that are at all distinguishable from each others, the fact that human characters seem to take a back seat to the discrete bits of information that Don DeLillo seeks to wow you with in his attempt to show you just how well he understands The Times We Live In, and frequently gag when reading sentences that seem to constantly be saying, "See what I did there?". So, imagine my surprise and delight when I didn't experience any of these things in his new, short novel!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Has Anyone Ever Actually Read Pitchfork's Review Of Kid A?
I had never even seen a shooting star before. 25 years of rotations, passes through comets' paths, and travel, and to my memory I had never witnessed burning debris scratch across the night sky. Radiohead were hunched over their instruments. Thom Yorke slowly beat on a grand piano, singing, eyes closed, into his microphone like he was trying to kiss around a big nose. Colin Greenwood tapped patiently on a double bass, waiting for his cue. White pearls of arena light swam over their faces. A lazy disco light spilled artificial constellations inside the aluminum cove of the makeshift stage. The metal skeleton of the stage ate one end of Florence's Piazza Santa Croce, on the steps of the Santa Croce Cathedral. Michelangelo's bones and cobblestone laid beneath. I stared entranced, soaking in Radiohead's new material, chiseling each sound into the best functioning parts of my brain which would be the only sound system for the material for months.
The butterscotch lamps along the walls of the tight city square bled upward into the cobalt sky, which seemed as strikingly artificial and perfect as a wizard's cap. The staccato piano chords ascended repeatedly. "Black eyed angels swam at me," Yorke sang like his dying words. "There was nothing to fear, nothing to hide." The trained critical part of me marked the similarity to Coltrane's "Ole." The human part of me wept in awe.
The Italians surrounding me held their breath in communion (save for the drunken few shouting "Criep!"). Suddenly, a rise of whistles and orgasmic cries swept unfittingly through the crowd. The song, "Egyptian Song," was certainly momentous, but wasn't the response more apt for, well, "Creep?" I looked up. I thought it was fireworks. A teardrop of fire shot from space and disappeared behind the church where the syrupy River Arno crawled. Radiohead had the heavens on their side.
I kid you not, that is an actual review. Someone call the Cake Police.
Monday, January 3, 2011
TOP TEN RECORDS OF 2010: THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT
1. Shipping News- One Less Heartless to Fear
2. The Fall- Your Future, Our Clutter
3. Enemies- We've Been Talking
4. Swans- My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
5. Joanna Newsom- Have One on Me
6. Envy- Recitation
7. Vague Angels- The Sunny Day I Caught Tintarella di Luna for a Picnic at the Cemetery
8. Buke and Gass- Riposte
9. Fight Fair- California Kicks
10. My Disco- Little Joy