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Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
Live free or die!
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June 05, 2004
President Reagan - A spiritual leader passes
President Ronald Reagan has finally passed away after years of suffering the indignities of Alzheimer's.
At the time, I didn't appreciate him so much. As a perhaps somewhat strident young libertarian, I objected to him largely for exactly the opposite reasons as his more numerous and vocal liberal opponents. He did NOT in fact slash or really even trim the federal budget generally or welfare programs. (Bill Clinton, of all people, would get more credit for that one.) I enjoyed the pure blind fury that his mere existence gave many of his opponents, but I never voted for him.
You have to give him some credit for his early tax cut, though. "Tax cut" might be somewhat the wrong phrase, in that it absolutely generated MORE tax money by stimulating economic growth. It would be more apt to describe it as a modest "tax reform" largely by lowering the ridiculously high upper tax brackets. What moron thought that a 90% tax bracket was either moral or practical?
In the years since his retirement, though, his greatest value has shown through- something surpassing particular legislative achievements and shortfalls.
I've come to see him as something of a secular spiritual leader. He wasn't going on about God all the time, or such foolishness- Jimmy Carter would have come closer to that. There was a bigger sense of vision, though. He really MEANT that "morning in America" stuff.
Reagan felt this optimism in his soul, and offered it to us all. It didn't entirely make up for all the budget deficits and such what, but then maybe it did. The system pretty strongly tends to roll along no matter what a couple of monkeys at the top think they're going to reform. He couldn't do everything.
He did, however, keep a steady hand on the wheel during the demise of the Soviet Union. Many critics absolutely screamed blue bloody murder at the time over his assured insistence that we were the good guys, and the Soviet government were the bad guys. But a belief in our own goodness is necessary to our ability to think and act rightly: the Soviet Union was absolutely an "evil empire."
Between the evil moral relativists and the weaklings fearful of the wounded Russian bear lashing out, there was a great deal of pressure for appeasement, capitulation and even financial support from America for the dying empire. Reagan had the good judgment mostly simply not to prop the evil bastards up.
He was not belligerent, nor did he in fact make any move to promote some military conflict with the Soviets, as he was so constantly and ridiculously accused of. He simply made it clear that we were standing our ground, perfectly willing and able to spend the money and defend ourselves.
Reagan shouldn't get credit for ending the Soviet empire. That's too much. The Soviet Union collapsed under it's own weight eventually because communism doesn't work. Praise be, though, that as that time came we had a president with the good sense not to cower or prop them up for another ten years with OUR wealth.
From the top, Reagan masterfully projected his vision that America is good and strong and moral- the shining city on the hill. Introspection and self-doubt are important things- in moderation- but you can't live on that stuff.
Nor should we have to. America IS the shining city on the hill.
************
Reagan's best and worst moments
posted by Al at 6/05/2004 05:47:00 PM
June 04, 2004
Tiananmen Square Massacre Anniversary
Fifteen years ago today, on June 4, 1989, the Chinese government openly massacred hundreds, perhaps thousands of peaceful protesters in Tiananmen Square- in brazen full view of the world. DETAILS
We've got our hands full right now with the Islamofascists trying to kill us, but they don't need to think that this incident nor the wickedness of the Chinese regime will be forgotten.
We'll get back to you sonsabitches later.
posted by Al at 6/04/2004 10:55:00 AM
June 01, 2004
New album releases, week of 6-1-2004
This week's "Cheap record company bastards ought to send Al a free review copy" pick is Black Power: Music of a Revolution. This two CD set mixes civil rights movement speeches [including Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael and Huey Newton] mixed amongst related musical items. Some are more obvious hits like "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" and "Chocolate City." Some are more obscure groups that I haven't heard, such as the Watts Prophets. Please, tell me more.
There are remixed CDs of four highly regarded Eno albums, including "Another Green World." I tried listening to a couple of these years ago as a college student, but even stoned I couldn't talk myself into liking them. Maybe I just wasn't ready for Eno. Perhaps I never shall be.
There's a new album out for all the Dubya hatas in the house, Bushspeak: The Curious Wit and Wisdom of George W. Bush. Cheap fun for you and all your pinko friends!
CLICK HERE for the complete list of this week's major releases. Labels: new_album_releases
posted by Al at 6/01/2004 04:35:00 AM
May 30, 2004
Michael Badnarik selected as Libertarian Party presidential candidate
Michael Badnarik from Austin, Texas was selected as the 2004 presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party on Sunday, May 30.
Badnarik has a background as a computer programmer and technical trainer. He's known among Libertarians as a constitutional scholar. He offers an 8 hour course on the constitution.
In my limited exposure, he comes off as a low-key but quietly intent rumpled college professor. I dig that feel a lot, at least in this guy. A related comparison: Michael Badnarik may be the party's closest approximation to Lieutenant Columbo.
Even within the party, Badnarik was the underdog. He was a distant third in expectations coming into the convention. We had Hollywood producer Aaron Russo and fairly well known radio talk show host Gary Nolan as frontrunners. Both had better nominal professional skills in public speaking, better name recognition and certainly more money. Badnarik did, however, have what was widely regarded as a good performance in the Saturday debates.
It took three ballots to clinch the nomination. This seems conveniently like just about right dramatically- enough to peak interest, then getting to the denouement fairly quickly before it got boring. Nolan bowed out after the second ballot, offering his support to Badnarik. 405 votes for a majority were required for nomination. Badnarik beat Russo decisively on the third ballot, 423 to 344.
It appears that basically Nolan and Russo significantly enough alienated one another's supporters as to knock them both out. Russo was graceless enough to say on stage (and on C-Span) that he was pleased to support Badnarik, and was just glad that it wasn't Nolan. Bad form, Aaron. Feel free to redeem yourself by raising a couple million dollars for Badnarik.
I don't know just how good Badnarik will do. We've never had much luck at this high level. For all his good efforts and professionalism and best intentions, Harry Browne didn't do much good- even with two bites at the apple. Badnarik probably couldn't do much worse, but he's not nearly the smooth politician that some of our candidates have been.
For example, I was in the room during this hospitality suite exchange between Mr. Badnarik and Mike Kole at our Indiana state convention last month. I concur with brother Kole that he was not particularly impressive there as a politician, specifically. [Little known bonus tidbit: Badnarik is clearly a genuine connoisseur of N/A beer.]
On the other hand, that might not work against him so much as a candidate trying to honestly earn votes. He's not at all any form of professional gladhander. Again, think Columbo stylistically.
However, anyone much attracted to professionalism of that sort doesn't seem likely to be a Libertarian voter anyway. We attract more like the kind of thoughtful kids who actually paid attention in history class. Badnarik would be their teacher- not the charismatic leader appealing to their limbic systems or reptilian brain stems.
Badnarik comes across to me both on tv and in the flesh as truly totally genuine and straightforward. Exactly the lack of professional polish works for me.
Another way of saying it is that even with close and skeptical observation, I've not detected any smell of him trying to tell people what he thinks they want to hear. That's the basic thing any sane person automatically suspects any politician of. It's understandable, and perhaps excusable as necessary to some extent. As skeptical as I routinely am of such things though, even I could detect not the faintest whiff of even the most benign manipulation or even simple cheap gladhanding.
Badnarik is very friendly and approachable, totally unassuming. As my Dad would say, he's as common as an old shoe. He tries to explain himself in a nice way, but if you're around him for even a few minutes you'd think it unlikely that it would ever even occur to him to consider approaching people in the manner of a legitimate politician.
So, I agree with Kole that Badnarik's not much of a politician- but I don't care, and don't think it'll hurt us. His transparent realness as a human seems much more important and vital and like the image I'd like to have for the party than any fancy people skills he may lack- even rudimentary ones like working a room.
I just know that I feel real comfortable with having a fellow like this representing us. Even beyond any particular political issues, I'd be happy to have the public think that this is the kind of people that we are.
Also, his acceptance speech was particularly touching. He got a kiss from old Dad, and absolutely gave Mom the mic for perhaps two minutes. She seemed like quite the character herself. Noting that his brothers had always said that she thought Michael could walk on water, she was now in fact bold enough to hope that this might specifically mean the Potomac.
posted by Al at 5/30/2004 11:40:00 PM
Demons Dance Alone - a Residents DVD
The most interesting thing about the Residents is that in 30 years, they've never given out their names or appeared without masks, even during live performances such as the November 2002 New York concert documented here.
Not showing their faces creates a sense of mystery about the band. Also, on a practical level, it means that paying audience members won't know who to beat up in the parking lot later.
This just isn't very good on numerous levels. Main thing: there's not much in the way of SONGS here. If there are no worthwhile songs, then not much else is going to matter. There isn't much in any of this in the way of a hook.
Nor do the lyrics say much. I couldn't get a clear meaning out of any of this. There's an emperor's new clothes thing here, like you'll look foolish for not getting the Deep Artistic Statement that they're obviously making.
Also, these people can't sing. There's exactly ONE person on that stage actually capable of carrying a tune in a bucket. We'll call this anonymous person Girl, as she was the only such on the stage.
On the other hand, there wasn't much for them to sing. The melodies were pretty same-y. I could hardly tell where they were going with song structures, as I couldn't remember how most of these songs went even while I was listening to them to even distinguish verses and choruses. It all just runs together in a muddy soup. Ugh.
This music is not, as they would have you believe, really anything avant-garde or experimental. The screechy dissonant stuff might have been experimental (largely in a failed sort of way)- back when the Velvet Underground was doing it 35 years ago. Hint: merely being unpleasant to listen to does not automatically mean that it's great art. Girl had more of a disaffected German cabaret Marlene Dietrich/Nico thing going in a few places, which was at least a little more listenable.
Their stage show here was somewhat elaborate, but again not very meaningful. OK, so they're all wearing gothic masks and toting lanterns. Then there was the demon, wandering around with a couple of powerful flashlights to shine in people's faces. ART!
Most particularly annoying was the lighting. They were performing their shows on a mostly dark stage, other than the lanterns and flashlights. The thing was apparently shot in infrared, and then doctored to put back some color. They go on in the DVD notes about how it was another artistic master stroke. "This process lifted the production out of the concept of a documentary and into the interpretive world of graphic stylization."
This is just the kind of pretentious nonsense that makes me nuts. It's just very badly lit video. It just looks bad. Again, merely being unpleasant does not make it artistic. The local high school AV team could have done a better production.
By way of throwing them a bone, I'll give at least a passing grade to one song, "Ms Wonderful." Girl cradled the demon in her lap and sang him a lament about the children she was never going to have. This is a discernible meaning. There's some recognizable emotional content. Also, there's a somewhat distinctive tune. More like a couple of hooks, really, with not a whole lot of development. Still, it's somewhat memorable. I'll probably watch that part again sometime.
Also, in fairness they are an OLD group now. How many musical acts are still making credible new music 30 years on? Paul Simon and Elvis Costello spring to mind, not many others. If the idea of the Residents sounds interesting to you, you'd do better to get some of their earlier stuff, Eskimo, Duck Stab, even Diskomo.
Now, I hate to harsh on the Residents. They're something of a nostalgia act for me. I was buying their stuff by mail order as a teenager in the early 80s. I as much as bought the 12" vinyl disco remix of their famous anti-ambient Eskimo album, Diskomo. I even kind of liked it- though in retrospect their late protege Snakefinger was much more musically interesting.
Looking back, it was obviously mostly the IDEA of the Residents that appealed to me. They seemed avant garde, see, and surely none of my dumb Seger and Skynyrd listening classmates would get them. See, I was the only one COOL enough to appreciate this stuff.
Dang, but I was too cool for school. By the time I was getting out of school, though, cool was far less important than musical, and into the ol' memory trunk go the Residents.
posted by Al at 5/30/2004 04:04:00 AM
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