February 29, 2008

it’s like shedding your skin … “You Do,” Aimee Mann “You Do Something to Me,” Sinead O’Connor “You Don’t Belong Here,” Charlie Sexton “You Don’t Belong Here,” Tonio K. “You Don’t Get Much,” BoDeans “You Don’t Know Me,” After Eleven “You Don’t Know Me,” Emmylou Harris “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” Chet Baker “You Don’t Love Me,” Matthew Sweet “You Don’t Owe Me Nothing,” Steve Taylor “You Don’t Treat Me No Good,” Sonia Dada “You Don’t Know Me at... Read more

February 29, 2008

The previous post was intended as red meat for a Thursday, but it prompted some good discussion in comments and I want to respond to a bit of that Specifically, I want to follow up on this comment from josh, which is thoughtful and well-stated, but hits a sour note at the end: “It’s once you recognize government as being generally inefficient, and less responsive to the needs of its constituents the further it is removed from them, that you... Read more

February 28, 2008

The United States has a massive nuclear arsenal and the best-equipped, best-trained military the world has ever seen. It is an awesome, fearsome machine that can rain down inexorable death from the heavens. But that’s not why I drive on the right side of the road. I drive on the right side of the road for a whole host of reasons — practical, prudential, even moral I suppose. (Prudential and moral often overlap where safety is concerned. Plus Not Being... Read more

February 26, 2008

Left Behind, pp. 412-414 (a few days late) Imagine trying to convince yourself that curling and cricket were more popular in the U.S. than baseball and (American) football. It wouldn’t be easy. You’d have to ignore massive evidence to the contrary while also overlooking the lack of any supporting evidence. Every time you walked down the street, you’d have to come up with some explanation or evasion for all those people you saw in baseball caps and football jerseys as... Read more

February 26, 2008

Larry Norman is no longer visiting this planet. The original Jesus rocker died Sunday of heart failure in Oregon. He was 60. By the time I saw Norman play in the late ’80s, his best work was behind him. He had become addled and erratic, prone to venting obliquely about the bridges he’d burned with so many of the people he’d worked with over the years. Yet still there were glimpses of the talent that had written so many weirdly... Read more

February 22, 2008

The holy dream becomes a holy faceAnd it leaves me reeling … “What’s Come Over Me,” Daniel Amos “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye “What’s Gonna Happen to Us?” Daryl Hall “What’s Happened to You,” The Call “What’s He Building in There?” Tom Waits “What’s My Name?” The Clash “What’s My Scene?” Hoodoo Gurus “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?” Elvis Costello “What’s the Matter Here?” 10,000 Maniacs “What’s Wrong With This Picture?” Bourgeois Tagg “What’s Your Name?” Adam... Read more

February 21, 2008

(Thursday flame-war open thread) The stupidest thing I’ve read/heard all week was __________________. The stupidest thing I’ve ever read/heard was ________________. Read more

February 20, 2008

One other thing I could use a bit of help with, and which therefore strikes me as good open-thread fodder in my absence, has to do with my upcoming change of address. Slacktivist World Headquarters will be relocating in April. I’m leaving this lovely one-bedroom apartment here in Everybody’s Hometown and will be moving into the third floor of my girlfriend’s father’s house (picture Rudy from Season 1 of Survivor and you’re not far off). Yes, as I’m sure you’ve... Read more

February 19, 2008

No. 37, a prayer of St. Andy. This is a brilliant song. Whatever else it may be, it is also explicitly a prayer. I was trying to imagine what an appropriate response might be to such a prayer, which led me to wonder if this isn’t also, unwittingly perhaps, a Christmas song. Read more

February 18, 2008

OK, so I’m headed to the Northeast Kingdom for the next week and will be mostly away from the Web. The last time I did this, more than a year ago, I posted a series of open threads asking for book/music/movie recommendations. I’m still working my way through those suggestions, but that’s no reason not to keep adding to the list. Somewhere to the right side of your screen is a nifty little widget displaying my Netflix list. Help me... Read more


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