Deviant Synapse

WordPress to Your Moms

2010-02-14T10:11:00.000-06:00

I came to drop bombs: I'm outta here, suckers! That's right, I finally set up a WordPress site. Check it out and update your RSS feeds:

http://www.fbesp.org/synapse/

See you on the other side!

RIP Howard Zinn

2010-01-27T20:36:00.002-06:00

Howard Zinn died today. What a shame — I was just speaking to a student this week about how great he is. I'm way too exhausted to write something properly, but here's part one of a lecture he gave recently so those of you who don't know him can get a taste.

The world has lost a great man.

Inexplicably Fantastic

2010-01-21T19:33:00.000-06:00

I can't explain precisely why, but there's something beautiful and ethereal about this video. The guy is providing a sign-language transcript of Suzanne Vega's song "Tom's Diner".

Perhaps it's the zen-like lack of expression as he waits for the lyrics. Perhaps it's the combination of fluid music and fluid hand motions. Perhaps it's the intriguing connection of certain American Sign Language movements to the actions themselves.

Anyway, I was flipping through The YouTube today and sat enthralled. Enjoy!

Ceci n'est pas un blog post

2010-01-20T19:57:00.001-06:00

Check out the cool new wallpaper I made. If you don't get it, you should learn more about Magritte's work.

For best results, replace the HP2009m with an image of your own monitor.

TimeWaster™

Jack Bauer interrogates Santa Claus. (No, you're a month too late!)

Today I'm listening to: The Big Lebowski!

Sarah Palin Is Wrong About Facebook

2009-12-10T19:30:00.004-06:00

Whatever you may think about Sarah Palin, whatever you may like or dislike about her personality, whatever you may believe about her life story or her husband or children, whatever you may think of her political ideology, the truth is this: On at least one very important point (representative of many other points), she is very, very wrong.

On page 400 of her book Going Rogue, Palin discusses her Facebook posts:

These posts had an impact, and it made me think, Isn't Facebook a terrific illustration of the power of American ingenuity?

Facebook was created in a Harvard dorm room in 2004. No one gave its young creator a government grant — he just did it on his own, like generations of other American entrepreneurs.

It's true that Harvard sophomore Mark Zuckerberg did not receive a government grant when he created Facebook late one night while he was drunk in order to compare the ugly chicks on campus to farm animals. (I swear I'm not making this up.)

However, the Internet — without which there could be no Facebook — was in part the result of a massive government project. The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), in coordination with computer science departments at universities around the country (and researchers in other countries) spent millions and millions of dollars to develop the amazing technology that allowed Mr. Zuckerberg to make his ugly-chicks/farm-animal site.

Sarah Palin complaining on Facebook about how reliant we all are on big government is criminally pathetic. If she doesn't know, then shame on her for being ignorant. If she knows and is trying to deceive her readers, then shame on her for hiding the truth.

Pic from SarahCalendar.com. Just $15.95 — order now to get "Over 50 photographs of Gov Sarah Palin and her family". But don't talk about the kids!

TimeWaster™

It's awesome, it's got great music. Very meta. Thanks as always to Madsimian.

Today I'm listening to: SomaFM!

I'm Going Rogue

2009-12-09T08:38:00.002-06:00

I've decided to start living my life more like Sarah Palin. She's so rebellious and independent — she's more rogue than Anna Paquin. I'm going to approach every situation from now on with the single goal of doing the opposite of what I'm expected to do. I like turtles! (See what I did there? You expected that sentence to logically follow from the one before it, but I went rogue!)

I'm listening to Sarah Palin's audiobook and I have to say, I am thrilled. She's had such an exciting life! Before I start talking about it, though, we need to establish some ground rules. First of all, her kids are off limits! Like she says (excerpt):

Let’s debate ideas. Let’s argue about legislation and policy. Let’s talk about political philosophy. But leave my children alone.

So what because she dressed her baby up as an angel to pose for a Right To Life ad? So what because she launched her campaign for governor at her child's 15th birthday party? So what because she drags her children along to every photo-op and public event? She does that because it shows what her priorities are! Don't talk about the kids!

We Gotta Fight The Powers That Be

It's amazing to me that everything in her life relates in some way to Bucking the System. When she was mayor of Wasilla, THE MAN didn't want her to discuss which books might not be appropriate for the library. When she ran for governor, THE MAN didn't appreciate her speaking ill of other Republicans. When she served on the Alaska oil regulatory board, THE MAN didn't want her investigating corruption.

She's more rebellious than the grandchild of M1 and Chuck D and Angela Davis and Kathleen Cleaver. And most of the time she's in hot water with Republicans. She's the perfect Republican candidate for independent voters! She deals with principles, not politics. She's going to speak her mind, and to hell with what the political machine wants or expects. She's just so.. so.. rogue!

She fired the chief of police for not being motivated enough. (That's not the way he tells it; according to him, she was unhappy that he wasn't positive enough. Swear to god — read this Seattle Times article.) She also fired Commissioner of Public Safety Walt Monegan for — to quote Dave Barry, I swear I'm not making this up — "egregious rogue behavior". See, he was just the wrong kind of rogue!

Believe in THIS, Obama

Did you know Barack Obama stole the idea of using "Change" as a campaign slogan from Sarah Palin? It's true! One of his top aides grew up in Alaska or something, and when Palin ran for governor, her whole campaign was about change. I doubt I'll get this quote exactly right, but it was something like: "We were talking about change before change was cool." She also mentioned that they "kept it real" by bringing their kids to rallies. Swear to god.

Most of the other shots at Obama so far have been attempts at subtlety. When discussing the residents of Wasilla, she points out that they're "can-do, do-it-yourself kind of people -- no community organizers needed". Take that, you punk-chump so-called "President"! Keep your death panels away from my children, about whom you should not speak.

I Don't Hate Sarah Palin

Lorraine Hansberry, in her play Les Blancs, presents a character who says: "I don't hate all white people. But I wish I did; it would make things so much easier." I feel this way about Sarah Palin. There are some redeeming things about her. Her writing style is crap; just atrocious, all over the place, jumping between topics with very little regard for the tempo of the story or structure of her narration. At the same time, she includes some precise details that work to engage the reader (something I'm always hounding my Creative Writing I students to do).

More substantially, her personal perspectives are a panorama of contradiction. She speaks passionately about how important it was for her to have the same opportunities as men, and how Title IX was to her high school sports career (with obvious implications for the rest of her life). But then, as if terrified about the dreaded FEMINISM warning bells that are wailing in her readers' ears, she lashes out at NOW and other feminists, accusing them of promoting a narrow political ideology. She speaks with similar conviction about the ecological terrorism inflicted on Alaska by Exxon, and how angry she got when legislators — state and national — refused to hold them accountable. But she whines constantly about the restrictive nature of regulation, and while I haven't seen precise quotes, I'm sure she's opposed to reform that would more seriously punish criminal corporations. (Let's revoke some charters, shall we!?)

And besides, I believe strongly that we must hate what a person does and says, while not hating the person herself. (If you've ever heard me say, for example, that I "want to see Kissinger hanging from a rope", rest assured that it was hyperbole.) I love Ms. Palin like I love all humans, even the ones, like Dick Cheney and Bernie Madoff and Osama Bin Laden and Robert Willie, who do atrocious things. (Debbie Morris' book Forgiving the Dead Man Walking is one of only a few books to actually make me cry — very powerful and extremely important.)

So as much as I joke about hating Sarah Palin, I only hate what she does and says and believes and represents and promotes and looks at. (TPCQ: "I don't hate you; I hate your parents for having you." Paul Mooney, whose book Black is the New White is also very good.)

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to save the human race from extinction.

TimeWaster™

Sometimes just putting "wacky funny silly" into YouTube actually works!

Today I'm listening to: Cougar! (They're a superb instrumental band from Madison who just signed with Counter/NinjaTune.)

Fantastic xkcd Comic

2009-11-07T11:46:00.002-06:00

This one's about movies. Good if you like LOTR and Star Wars or Jurassic Park. (TPCQ: "They should all be destroyed.") Great if you like 12 Angry Men. (Ahem.) Absolutely glorious if you like Primer. (Ahem.)

Click here for the full-sized version.

TimeWaster™

No TimeWaster™ today. I'm sick. Go away.

You'll Buy a Widescreen Monitor and You'll Like It!

2009-10-24T15:49:00.004-05:00

Yesterday after school I came home and turned on my computer monitor. "Bpzzzt!" it said, as it often does (it's very old). But then, instead of showing my trusty Mac OS desktop, it stayed black. I tried again, and it flashed, then died.

Annoyed but simultaneously intrigued by the possibility of getting a shiny new (and perhaps somewhat larger) monitor, I drove off toward the east side of town, where the consumer electronics shops are all hidden. I quickly learned a very annoying fact: The only monitors being sold in retail shops today are widescreen. (16:9 ratio, compared to the previous standard 4:3.)

This really frustrates me, so I went to four different stores in the hope of finding a normal-shaped monitor. By the time I reached my fourth shop — let's call it by the fictitious name WorstBuy — I was really ticked off. As I stared angrily at the rack of 20 monitors, a chipper young man in a bright blue shirt approached and asked if I needed any help. Here is a verbatim transcript of our conversation:

WorstBuy Employee: Need any help with anything?

Me: Why don't you have any non-widescreen monitors?

WBE: Because they're all widescreen these days. That's the format all the screens and TVs and monitors are moving toward.

Me: Why?

WBE: Because of movies.

Me: But I don't watch movies on my computer. That's what my television is for. I use my computer for desktop publishing and website creation and browsing the web.

WBE: Well, everything's changing to the widescreen format these days. Movies and websites are also moving to widescreen.

Me: I'm going to leave now before I stab you and then myself. (muttering as I walk out) no such thing as a widescreen website .. illiterate bozo moron..

I also hear that radio is moving to widescreen format, so if you're one of those weird people who still listens to the radio in your car, you better get a widescreen radio soon. And books, too — books are going widescreen. (Diane and I have accepted that our dog does in fact have a widescreen head.)

I finally broke down and purchased (from a different store) the HP 2009m 20" LCD Monitor. When I got home, Diane told me that there was a Mac store near our home, and maybe I could call and make sure they didn't have any normal-shaped monitors. I did, and — after learning that the only monitor they sell is the $900 Absurdly Overpriced Display — tried again to ascertain why it's impossible to find a monitor shaped like a monitor, and not a movie screen. Here's part of our conversation:

MacXPert: They're better..

Me: Not for me! I don't watch movies on my computer. I do web design and desktop publishing.

MacXPert: I do too. Not to be contrary, but I like it better.

Me: Why? I'm really trying to understand where you're coming from.

MacXPert: Well, what I do is pretend it's not widescreen, and then..

Me: Okay, thanks for your time. (sound of me hanging up)

He said something about how he uses the other space for his iTunes or something, but I had to end the call before I started laughing obnoxiously in his face.

So there you have it, folks. If you don't plan to watch movies on your new widescreen monitor, you'll have to pretend like it's not widescreen. And then you can pretend that you don't get 20 spam emails every day. And then you can pretend that Bill O'Reilly had a horrible run-in with a wolverine and lost the use of his mouth.

To be honest, it's a very nice monitor, and it looks slick, and it takes up much less room on my desk than my ancient previous monitor. I think I'm relating to the items on the screen (and the words) a little differently now, because they're further away, and I'm at a different angle. So I'm not too unhappy with my purchase.

But I still wish it had a 4:3 ratio.

I did, however, strike instant paydirt when I did a Google search for "cool widescreen wallpaper". Check out this beauty (click for full-sized version):

TimeWaster™

Those who have worked in literature-related academia will appreciate this XKCD comic.

Today I'm listening to: Groove Salad!

Hail to the Busdriver

2009-10-15T20:18:00.002-05:00

"Me Time" by Busdriver. Best rap video in the last five years, easy.

Things I Don't Like

2009-10-10T08:41:00.002-05:00

I actually have no problems with buttons. I just did a Google Image Search for "don't like" and I liked this image. (Dude I just blew your mind.)

I don't like being sick. Halfway through the day on Thursday I suddenly got a head cold. For the past 48 hours my brain has been concrete and my sleeves are coated with mucous because I can't get the hanky or tissue or toilet paper to my face fast enough. I have three bags of Ricolah going at once. (The new Mixed Berry drops suck! Stay away.) I can't decide if it's better to be sick on the weekend (because I have time to rest, but I feel robbed of happy relaxation time) or during the week (because I get bonus rest time, but the work builds up when you're gone from the classroom).

I don't like Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Every world leader who has not illegally invaded another nation is probably thinking: "WTF? Where's my prize? I also believe in the power of diplomacy." Obama only won because Bush was such a warmongering criminal. It's like a teacher giving a kid a gold star because for once he didn't spit on the other kids. It makes me sad as an American that the rest of the world has set the bar so low for us. "Nice work, Sam! You didn't drop bombs on anyone this week! Have a trophy!" (If I weren't sick, I'd link again to the Strong Bad cartoon.)

I don't like the singleplayer for Operation Flashpoint. The enemies are too far away and too small and I ran out of ammo for my night-vision high-tech weapon and the iron sight gun I took from the enemy is useless. I finally realized that I can get a better weapon from killing the officer, but then there's the time pressure and I keep failing and my men keep getting shot. I just want to shoot things, not order a squad around. They should make the AI for your squad good enough so that if you don't tell them what to do, they still do useful stuff. That, or find people to play co-op with. Today I'll try the multiplayer.

I don't like my brain's insistence on multivariate lists. I feel like only having three items in a list is too few. So I add in extra stuff just to feel like the blog post is really worth it. Meaningless blather goes here.

I DO like this radish Diane found on the farm. It's quite remarkable. It's about one inch long.

TimeWaster™

Many thanks to Madsimian for this superb Carl Sagan autotune remix.

Today I'm listening to: Flobots!

Stop Singing At Me

2009-10-03T11:27:00.004-05:00

I'm not the biggest fan of live music in the world. I have to really like a band — and know it well — to enjoy a band or a singer performing live. I'm not into musicals, and I get very quickly annoyed when someone's whistling or singing near me (unless it's a song I really like a lot, and they're singing well).

So last night we were at Laredo's — good food, your bog-standard Mexican restaurante — when this Mariachi band starts belting out songs at a nearby table. After three loud songs, they did "Happy Birthday", so we figured they'd been called in for a special occasion. But no, they proceeded to do three songs to each of the tables between where they were and where we were. We finished quickly and paid the check just in time to say "Sorry we're leaving" as they rolled up to our table, smiling and strumming.

Were we being total gringo uncultured bozos? Were we sniffing in the face of a proud cultural tradition? Or do folks in Mexico get annoyed when the loud singing people with guitars approach, too? Does this even happen in non-tourist Mexico? I felt a little rude, but then aren't they being rude for assuming we'd rather hear them shriek Guantanamera instead of having a nice conversation during Friday-night dinner after a long, stressful week?

Suffice to say that I will not return to Laredo's on Friday or Saturday night, unless I hear that they have discontinued the unsolicited Mariachi music at the tables. (I wouldn't mind if they were off to the side or something — I'd probably even tip, then, too. But get out of my face while I'm eating!)

TimeWaster™

Be sure to read the Onion "News in Photos" headline from whence the picture there was swiped.

Today I'm listening to: More Kombat!!

Five Excellent Podcasts

2009-09-27T09:33:00.003-05:00

I've recently (finally) caught up with the whole podcasting thing. I've sorted through lots of different shows, and now I'm ready to throw five out there that I think people will really enjoy. (All links go to the show's website. They're also available on iTunes, which is a very handy way to get them automatically.)

The Philosopher's Zone. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation provides us with the most intriguing and thought-provoking podcast available on the interwebs right now. Host Alan Saunders does a superb job finding people from around the world (though mostly in the US and Australia) and covering a fascinating variety of topics. I have no formal training in philosophy, but I find each week's show accessible and engaging.
The Bugle. "Audio newspaper for a visual world." You know and love John Oliver from The Daily Show. He's even better on this podcast with his very amusing co-host Andy Zaltzman. There's lots of chatter about cricket and people we don't know in the US, but their take on global events is very biting and hilarious.
Tavis Smiley. I've loved Tavis's show for years, and I'm very glad that it's now available in podcast form. He brings in a very wide variety of guests, and he asks good questions that make for conversations with great rhythm. If you want to dig through the archives, I recommend the two-part Jay Leno show.
Alan Watts. For those who don't know, Alan Watts was a philosopher and religious theorist/historian who lectured widely on a variety of topics, especially eastern religions and Zen in particular. Many recordings were made of his talks, and they're being serialized in weekly podcast form. Superb nuggets of food for thought, and always amusing too. My one complaint: Just when he really starts getting into it, the show cuts off.
Against the Grain. From KPFA in Berkeley, this show (like Madison's own A Public Affair) covers a wide variety of topics from an intelligent, left-leaning point of view. Host C. S. Soong knows his stuff, and asks quality questions. The hour-long format allows for plenty of depth, and there's a good balance of national and international topics.

And now, here's a terrifying picture of Diane with our bloodthirsty pitbull:

TimeWaster™

Bill O'Reilly in his most controversial interview ever!

Today I'm listening to: Groove Salad!

Civil Discourse

2009-09-05T07:03:00.002-05:00

I really must hand it to Rachel Maddow — she is able to express my frustration and ire toward the Bush administration (and the many messed-up systems of our civilization) with eloquence and patience. She's a tremendous asset to our democratic project, and other journalists could learn from her.

Please watch the interview she did with former Secretary of the Office of Homeland Security Tom Ridge. In the first section they discuss the role of politics in raising the terror alert level.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Be sure to watch part two on Katrina:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

And part three on Iraq:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I strongly believe that calm, rational discourse like this is the only thing that can save our species right now. If we can't discuss things like sane humans, then maybe we deserve the various annihilations that threaten us.

Thanks (as always) to madsimian.

Red Ring of Death. Again.

2009-09-01T20:38:00.002-05:00

And again.

And again.

Third time.

I'm really sick of giving Microsoft my money.

I'm going to buy a PS3 and eventually move over to it.

I'm so sick of this.

He's Done It Again

2009-08-28T07:22:00.002-05:00

Several months ago I did a bit on my buddy madsimian, who regularly posts truly magnificent stuff on his tumblr blog. Well, he's achieved something I thought might never happen.

Allow me to explain.

Many years back, when I first moved to Madison, I rented for some inexplicable reason a Japanese anime DVD entitled All-Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku Nuku. It was the most bizarre thing I'd ever seen; it was about this single-dad scientist guy who puts a cat brain into a teenage girl android. She becomes a babysitter for his son, and there are strong hints that she's attracted to the father.

APCCGNN was more disturbing to me than any other anime I'd ever seen, including Legend of the Overfiend. Even though there was no nudity at all in Nuku Nuku or any naughty scenes whatsoever, the pederasty themes were so mainstream that I got really freaked out. It's all about men using science to make women that fit a sick ideal of passivity and infinite youth — vomit! (Of course, this trend has only continued in our culture, especially Japanese culture.)

Ever since I first saw APCCGNN, I've waited to see something that rivaled it for sheer bizarre confluence of mainstream kiddie-fun and incomprehensible sexual overtones. And I'm happy to report that madsimian has found it. Fire up your automatic head-scratchers and take a look at Ultimate Muscle Roller Legend!

I just don't know what to say, except: Thanks, madsimian. What a way to start my day!

TimeWaster™

Here's the intro vid for All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku. ScienceDad is strangely absent here — a nod to his invisible deus-esque omniscience?

Today I'm listening to: Silversun Pickups!

There Will Be Blood

2009-08-19T08:13:00.003-05:00

I can't shake the impending feeling of doom when I see people bringing loaded firearms to town hall meetings about health care. If people have guns (especially paranoid right-wing people who believe there's someone trying to restrict their freedoms) they will eventually use them. (TPCQ: "If you've got it, you have to use it, right?") Someone is going to get shot.

You'll forgive me if I don't trust these people. Sure, they have the right, but it's still a sickening example of what's wrong with political "discourse" in the United States. We're supposed to be discussing health care for the most vulnerable among us (as well as the "well off", who are often one paycheck or less away from bankruptcy if medical problems arise), but instead these people are pretending like the Dems want to send them to internment camps. (TPCQ: "It's the biggest tax increase in history!" "Actually dad it's the smallest tax increase in history." "Well anyway, I'm still outraged.")

I am reminded of what Bill Hicks said when he heard people were bringing shotguns to UFO sightings: "Doesn't there come a time in our evolution as a species where you put your guns aside? Just [bad word]ing once?" If ths keeps up, mark my words — someone is going to get shot.

Meanwhile, here's the real gem from the CNN article:

He added that because of Arizona's open carry law, it's not uncommon for protesters to pack heat at demonstrations.

Wow. I suppose someone more clever than myself could work in a Public Enemy reference here.

TimeWaster™

As always, The Daily Show strikes at the heart of the lunacy with this January 2007 bit about guns in schools.

Today I'm listening to: Silversun Pickups! (Who said they were coming to Madison but in fact they're only making it to Green Bay. Sob!)

Žižek: Yeah, okay. I'm In.

2009-07-30T16:35:00.002-05:00

A few months back Diane and I saw Examined Life, an intriguing film about philosophy and how it relates to our lives. The film has many intriguing interviews — I was most excited to see and hear the honorable Cornel West. I'd read bits and pieces from Avital Ronell at New College (thanks to Dallas Taylor and Nate Walker, if memory serves). And I'd read Peter Singer's book Animal Liberation in high school.

One of the other memorable interviews in the film is with Slovenian Marxist-Lacanian philosopher Slavoj Žižek, standing before a big mountain of trash and insisting that a true ecology movement could not (and certainly should not) avoid engagement with the refuse of our civilization.

Enter Jon Broad, who was the one who insisted long ago that I watch Barton Fink. Thus, I have come to appreciate his taste in the life of the mind. (Ya like how I wove them things together there?) He told me at a social gathering about how he's been reading Žižek and enjoying him, and I mentioned seeing him in Examined Life.

So I'm standing there in Rainbow Books and I find a newly reprinted edition of his first book, The Sublime Object of Ideology. I'm really enjoying it, so I went and found some audio interviews. Then I realize that the director of Examined Life made a whole movie about him, called (oddly enough) Žižek! (For some reason one of the interviews takes place while he's chillaxing in bed.) Today I watched it, and soon I will devour the special features.

He's got many important things to say, but one of the things I like best is the relatively high meaningful-stuff-to-horsecrap ratio. He's dense, but — not only is there important meaning inside his language — he gives profuse real-world examples and allusions to culture, popular and otherwise.

Perhaps the most worthwhile audio interview I found is this one, in which he discusses the 2008 Republican National Convention and theory and movies and ideology and a bunch of other topics. (It also has good sound quality — some of the others were proper scratchy, like they'd been duplicated from an old 78 wax cylinder.)

I'm intrigued by the interdisciplinary nature of his work. He doesn't focus on one particular part of the problem(s), he localizes each/all within a wide array of contexts, making important (and unusual) connections between them. He's also a really funny guy, but there's definitely some "laughing to keep from crying" (as Langston Hughes called it). Indeed, at one point in the movie he suggests that his popularity and media attention on his comedic value may be a way to distract people from what he's trying to say.

I won't go into more boring detail here — like anyone worth learning from, you can find lots of resources very easily today. So I encourage people who like thinking about stuff to check him out; the above-linked interview is a good place to start, or else find the documentary movie somewhere. Oh, and — as Jon Broad helpfully pointed out — he's on Twitter.

TimeWaster™

One of the best scenes in the film is this appearance on Comcast's CN8 cable show "nitebeat", where he was interviewed by very loud host Barry Nolan. (Interesting side note: Apparently Nolan was fired from CN8 for protesting an Emmy award being given to Bill O'Reilly.)

Today I'm listening to: Kettel!

Oh yeah, here's the trailer for Examined Life.

PS. Did you hear about the Boston cop who referred to Henry Louis Gates, Jr. as a "banana-eating jungle monkey"? Here's the email. (TPCQ: "Here's what they think about you.")

Fury, Rage, Gates, Obama, and Cops

2009-07-24T06:56:00.005-05:00

I'm having trouble explaining just how furious I am about all the "commentary" swirling around the recent arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. For those who want the basic facts: The police report is here (PDF) and Gates gave his first post-jail interview here. The transcript of Obama's press conference is here (it was the last question).

I'm so angry that I can't even organize this post in my head. I keep coming up with different things I want to say. Let's start with the basics: This arrest had nothing to do with a break-in. The arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley, recognized immediately (probably when he saw Gates' Harvard ID) that there was no break-in. The arrest was for disorderly conduct. Crowley said that Gates was yelling at him in his kitchen, calling him "racist". Crowley said he had to go onto the front porch because "the acoustics of the kitchen and foyer were making it difficult for me to transmit pertinent information". Gates followed him onto the front porch, where he was arrested. Sgt. Crowley recently said: "The professor at any time could have resolved the issue by quieting down and/or going back inside his house."

Gates says he couldn't possibly have been yelling because he had bronchitis which he contracted during the trip to China from which he was returning. He also claims that Crowley repeatedly ignored or refused his request for his name and badge number. Several lawyers have noted that you can't be arrested for disorderly conduct in your own home, so it's possible that the porch move was intended to get Gates to a location where he could be arrested.

Obama: Acting Stupidly?

(The image at left is the leading graphic right now on the FoxNews website.)

Conservatives are claiming that Obama "went too far" when he said:

Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that, but I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge Police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there is a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That's just a fact.

Michelle Malkin, my favorite moron illiterate bonehead who somehow keeps getting on TV, says that "Obama trashed police officers as 'stupid' on national TV". Rush Limbaugh suggests that Obama has "a chip on the shoulder".

A number of police officials are also upset about Obama's remarks. Retired police chief Joseph McNamara of San Jose said: "He [Obama] really hurt the police terribly. What bothers me is the tremendous stature that President Obama has with the minority community. [Obama's comments could cause] a very unfortunate and tremendous setback for police efforts that have been impressive over the 50 years since I became a policeman." Notice: Crowley's actions aren't the problem here. Obama's comments are.

I'm very happy to see Obama's reaction: "What's the problem?" He told ABC News: "I am surprised by the controversy surrounding my statement, because I think it was a pretty straightforward commentary that you probably don't need to handcuff a guy, a middle-aged man who uses a cane, who's in his own home." Good for you, Mr. President.

As an English teacher, I also have an obligation to point out something very basic: Obama said that the cops "acted stupidly". That's very different from calling the cops stupid. One addresses the actions of the police officers, and one focuses on their identity. Obama took precisely the correct approach — talking about what they did, not who they are.

Authority and Ego

It seems obvious to me that Sgt. Crowley acted out of ego and frustration. He knew right away that there was nothing illegal going on in Gates' home, but he resented being called a racist. I mean, he even did mouth-to-mouth on famous black person Reggie Lewis! How could he possibly be racist, when he kissed a black man!? He's also taught a class about how not to racially profile people. (Let me also include the obligatory disclaimer that I have a lot of respect for police officers, who constantly put their lives on the line, deal with intense pressures, etc etc.)

But none of this changes the fact that he acted stupidly. (Teachers like me deal with intense pressure too — though obviously not as intense as those faced by cops — but when we do something stupid, we should be called on it.) As Gates points out, when Crowley realized what was going on, he did not say: "Is everything okay here?" He did not show the owner of the house any deference. It sounds like Gates was upset (and who can blame him), and Crowley didn't like that. Only one person (Sgt. Crowley) knows for sure whether race played a part, so it's pointless to speculate on his filthy racist mentality or his pure and unblemished love for all peoples of all colors.

The point is this: Sgt. Crowley arrested someone who had not broken the law. He should apologize. And I should stop following this story, because all the "commentary" and lazy reporting makes me more and more furious.

But I do recommend reading What Do You Call a Black Man with a Ph.D.?, by Gates' friend Lawrence Bobo:

I will say that when I moved into the same affluent area as Gates, I wondered whether someone might mistakenly report me, a black man, for breaking into my own house in a largely white neighborhood and what I would have to do to prove that the house actually belonged to me if the police showed up at the door.

I remember joking with my wife that maybe I should keep a copy of the mortgage papers and deed in the front foyer, just in case. I do now. And it is no longer a joke.

TimeWaster™

Thanks to (who else?) Madsimian for bringing us this superb Rick Astley vs. Nirvana mashup:

Today I'm listening to: Dana Gould! (Not his best work ever; that was his "Swedish Cooking Hour" bit which I would pay lots of money to hear again.)

I Love My Wife

2009-07-07T20:42:00.002-05:00

Today is the anniversary of the fantastic wedding that took place between myself and Diane Louise Farsetta two years ago. They have been the 730 happiest days of my life.

Here she is at the Trevi Fountain during our honeymoon in 2007. Ain't she cute? How did a pudgy shlub like me end up with a knockout like her?

Diane is smart, funny, and compassionate. She's awesome and fun to be around. She lives her principles, but she's got a gorgeously open mind.

TPCQ: You're such a super lady!

I could go on all night, but I think that will embarrass her enough for this year. Thanks to everyone who sent anniversary wishes, even though they made me feel guilty (since I can never remember anyone else's).

Here's to 102 more!

TimeWaster™

You want more fun with Diane? Why not watch the Road Trip Movie again? Here's part one via YouTube:

Today I'm listening to: Lifesavas!

Our New Dog Has A Big Ol' Head

2009-06-26T17:29:00.002-05:00

Today Diane and I went to the Dane County Humane Society, where we met a very sweet dog named Tito. We liked him so much, we decided to take him home with us. Yay, we have a new dog!

TPCQ: "He robbed the school of music!" "He robbed the school of financial security!" "He robbed the school of Tito!"

Tito is an American Pit Bull Terrier, and he's really sweet. We were a bit nervous about adopting a pit bull, but he's a total goofball and very friendly. Apparently there are lots of myths about pit bull terriers, and so we're learning lots already. The most striking thing about him is his enormous head. My hands can't close around it — it blocks out the sun!

The photo at right is the first shot I took of him. Right after we finished the paperwork for adoption, we went to the Mounds Pet Food Warehouse, to get him some food and stuff. (I accidentally grabbed the Senior Weight Loss variety, so I have to go back there soon.) We wanted to get him some kind of chew toy, so we went down the Toy Aisle. He stopped at a display of orange squeakie dealies, so I offered him one. He took it immediately (he's very gentle when he takes stuff with his mouth) and so we got it. He's way into it.

Also, his head is huge!

TimeWaster™

Check out this cool time-lapse movie of the Milky Way coming into view. I think I got it from Madsimian.

Today I'm listening to: Soma FM!

Tour de Timor X

2009-05-26T18:37:00.002-05:00

The video's done! Thanks to everyone who rode with us. It was a big hit — we raised over $5000! For more info, as always, visit aideasttimor.org. (Watch it full-screen style.)

See ya on the next 10 rides!

Jon Stewart: Foole

2009-05-22T17:20:00.004-05:00

On his fourth album, George Carlin identified his occupation as "Foole", insisting that he prefers to add the silent E at the end "just to piss 'em off". By now, of course, Carlin's stature as a legendary jester who spoke truth to power is well-documented. He found intellectual liberation through the use of humor, and connected to his audiences on a very deep level. He is part of a long tradition of individuals (both fictive and actual) who parlay their position as comic relief into profound wisdom and social commentary.

Jon Stewart is probably the most important foole alive right now. Although he insists that The Daily Show is nothing more than biting humor, he (along with other satellite comedians associated with the show) has ascended to a position of urgent relevance, and I hope passionately that he realizes how much we appreciate his work, as well as the responsibility provided by his position.

About the image: I got it from here, pursuant to a Google Image Search for "Jon Stewart and jester". Obviously JS is a different kind of comedian, but I really love Watchmen, and Mr. Stewart does watch people — and I watch him. And you're watching me watching him watch other people. So I guess it works. (I don't believe Jon has ever had his face slashed by a pregnant Vietnamese woman. Oop, spoiler!)

My first real glimpse of Jon Stewart's transcendent commentary came during his October 2004 appearance on the now-defunct talk show Crossfire.

He took Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala to task for engaging in meaningless invective, rather than civilized discourse. Could anyone else make the same point with the same impact? Probably not. People listened when Jon spoke up there, and while obviously many factors go into a network's programming decisions, we all smiled a bit when Crossfire was cancelled soon afterwards.

Some of us also recoiled a bit when Jon Stewart pointed out that his integrity as a commentator is insignificant, because "The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls." (A reference to Crank Yankers, which had its moments.) Obviously I agree with his point that Comedy Central is not CNN. But at the same time, he has the (unique) opportunity to call out people like Henry Kissinger and Bill Kristol. Although he sometimes avoids key questions I'd like to hear (Kissinger on Timor, for example), Jon Stewart does seem to be doing more of the assertive calling-out as his fame allows him the necessary elbow room.

Jim Cramer is a perfect example. As the poster boy for MSNBC's reckless cheerleading for laissez-faire Wall Street hijinks (with Bette Midler as ... The Ringmaster), Cramer took the bait and made himself available. And Jon Stewart nailed the moment. He said exactly what many of us have thought for years, and shed important light on the whole post-regulatory economageddon. (As in the case of HalliBush Wars, Inc., Cramer pled incompetence and promised to do better in the future. Whatever; his response barely mattered. The only honorable thing he could have done is resign from public life.)

(Part one of the interview is below; you can also watch Part Two and Part Three.)

I was going to include a paragraph here about the role of profound importance the foole often occupied in the works of Shakespeare, but to be honest I just got home from school at the end of a very long and (for a variety of dreary reasons) hideous week, so tough crap if you wanted to read that.

Perhaps the best interview I've seen recently with Jon Stewart was one conducted by the great Bill Moyers. They have a thought-provoking conversation with plenty of video clips and in-depth analysis. I really encourage you to watch both parts of the interview — it's quite excellent.

EDIT: It appears these YouTube clips are edited down, without accompanying Daily Show segments. Follow this link for the whole real interview.

And finally, here's a more lighthearted note for us to end on: Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert presenting at The Emmys. Perhaps the most glorious moment in the history of award shows. Enjoy!

Ribonucleic Radio is On the Air

2009-05-17T10:26:00.003-05:00

I've started my own internet radio station. Click on this link, or tell iTunes (or whatever program you use to listen) to open this URL:

http://76.201.151.228:8000/listen.m3u

I'm currently spinning just breakbeat stuff and remixes from the Indefatigable Neural System. (There's one GunFlower track, included especially for my brother Mark.) Special thanks to Josh for working out the technical stuff.

Enjoy!

Tesla Zelda Music

2009-05-12T18:26:00.001-05:00

Madsimian may have posted the ubercool Bohemian Rhapsody played with computer components, but check out this wicked bit of musicmaking by machines that were never designed to make music:

Wanda Sykes at the White House

2009-05-10T15:31:00.002-05:00

I love Wanda Sykes, and I was delighted to hear that she gave the keynote at this weekend's White House Correspondents' Dinner. I don't think she was exactly in her element, though — I get the sense that some folks were uncomfortable with her harsh jabs at Palin and Bush and Cheney and Limaugh. But whatever; like she said, it was funny and we'll be telling those jokes again.