Day: December 11, 2012

The Mothers and Firesign Theater

2012-12-11, 9:49 pm
Categories: Music

Per uploader willyrein:

From the vaults of the popular psychedelic show 'The Radio Lab' which later became 'Cryptic Propensity Projections' and 'Midnight Collage' on KBOO FM, Portland, Oregon from 1971-1985. (Caution, this program contains explicit sexual content). Bill whips up a spicy stew with The Mothers of Invention and The Firesign Theater. The photo in the video backdrop is Barry Schwam (Schwump) and Bill Reinhardt recording a radio play. KBOO poster with Hound Dog Taylor by Bruce Sorensen. Poster of Bill at the futuristic console in space by Michael Strickland (Sunnyland Band).

There you have it. Two (or three) great tastes that taste great together.

This Will Probably Get Me Put on a Watchlist Somewhere

2012-12-11, 2:27 pm
Categories: E-Mail, Politics

Dear Senator McConnell,

Hi, me again. You presumably recall my E-Mail of two weeks ago, where, discussing Senate gridlock, I closed by asking you, "Are you going to start filibustering your OWN bills now?"

For the record, Senator, that was intended as a joke. I meant it as an example of ridiculous hyperbole, the sort of crazy, offbeat hypothetical situation that a person of average intelligence would see as self-evidently ludicrous. The kind of thing where someone would read that and think, "Haha, filibustering his own bill. That is humorous, because no rational, sane human being would ever do such a completely asinine thing."

In other words, I was not actually seriously recommending that you start filibustering your own bills.

Despite the misunderstanding, I am absolutely flattered that you took my words to heart, and if I may have a moment of your time I have some more suggestions I would like you to consider.

  • Copyright -- please hire Derek Khanna, recently ejected from the Republican Study Committee, to address the subject of copyright reform. Unless you're as cozy with Hollywood lobbyists as your colleagues in the House, of course.
  • Corporate personhood -- please revert to pre-Santa Clara v Southern Pacific policy and clarify that the equal protection clause is intended to protect actual human beings, not abstract social constructs.
  • Science -- please acknowledge the existence of science, and pressure your colleagues to do the same.
  • Women, black people, brown people, gay people, and disabled veterans -- maybe your party could show some basic human decency to these demographics. Just a thought.
  • Filibuster -- please restore to pre-1975 rules, or eliminate entirely. The way the minority party has been abusing it recently is a joke. Literally.

Thanks!