Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Perspective

So after letting it languish for quite a while Google's finally announced that Reader is going away. Then I read this passage in Robert Anton Wilson's The New Inquisition (1986):
For instance, most of us are annoyed frequently by the daily newspaper. "News" or alleged news that we don't want to read gets printed; heathenish and heretical opinions appear on the letters page, and sometimes in the columnists; politicians (of the opposite camp, of course) tell the most outrageous lies, which also get printed. With modern computer technology, all of this can soon be avoided. Just fill out a simple questionnaire and mail it in. The computer will print a slightly different version of that day's paper for each reader, and your Personalized copy will come to you in the morning containing absolutely nothing but what you want to know. After a year, or maybe five years, you will have forgotten entirely all the "alien" and uncomfortable signals that once got through to you and caused you distress.
A lot to think about.

Friday, February 08, 2013

The Ethics of Liberty

Couple years ago someone left a stack of free books in the lobby of my apartment building - looked like a poli-sci student lightening the load. I nabbed a copy of Rothbard's "The Ethics of Liberty," originally published in 1982. This bit stuck out:
It is important to insist, however, that the threat of aggression be palpable, immediate, and direct; in short, that it be embodied in the initiation of an overt act. Any remote or indirect criterion - any "risk" or "threat" - is simply an excuse for invasive action by the supposed "defender" against the alleged "threat." [...] Once we bring in "threats" to person and property that are vague and future - i.e., are not overt and immediate - then all manner of tyranny becomes excusable. The only way to guard against such despotism is to keep the criterion of perceived invasion clear and immediate and overt.
Gosh, wonder what he would've thought about post-9/11 American politics.

As I read through the book I run into a lot of notions and arguments that would need re-thinking in light of new technologies. The libertarian strain that runs through Extropianism begins to make more sense and I have a feeling that if I were to dig deep into the extropian mailing lists I'd find this book referenced right alongside Nozick's "Anarchy, State, and Utopia."

Friday, January 11, 2013

SXSW Picks, 2005 - 2012

So the fine folks at sxswtorrent.com have posted torrents of all the SXSW acts from 2005 through 2012. Late last year I downloaded 'em all and gave 'em a listen. Here are my picks:

2005

  • Back Porch Vipers - When I get Low I Get High
  • The Chris Vestre Group - Dead Ant
  • dios malos - starting five
  • Dogs Die in Hot Cars - I love you cause I have to
  • Dub Trio - Drive By Dub
  • Gretchen Phillips - Swimming
  • Parlour - Over the Under
  • Red Sparowes - Alone and Unaware, The Landscape
  • Samadha - Anonyme

2006

  • Band Marino - Someday We Die
  • Cardinale - Untitled
  • Charanga Cakewalk - Belleza
  • Christopher O'Riley - Paranoid Android
  • The Drift - Invisible Cities
  • Duane Andrews - Caravan
  • Ephraim Owens Quintet - Mo Mo Ci
  • Fires Were Shot - subslumber
  • Garland Jeffreys - I May Not Be Your Kind
  • Hopewell - Synthetic Symphony
  • Katahdin's Edge - Zoeie
  • Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch
  • Magic Surprise - Indians Ride Barebackk
  • Maserati - Towers Were Wires
  • Nomo - Discontinued
  • Of Montreal - Wraith Pinned to the Mist and...
  • Pilotdrift - Bubblecraft
  • Poni Hoax - Budapest

2007

  • Awesome Cool Dudes - Dorm Room Disco Fantasty
  • Balkan Beat Box - Bulgarian Chicks
  • Dionysos - Tes Lacets sont des Fees
  • Electric Apricot feat. Les Claypool - Burning Man
  • The Electric Soft Parade - If That's the Case, Then I Don't Know
  • Elias Haslanger - Street Beat
  • Errors - Mr. Milk
  • Field Music - Sit Tight
  • The Jack West & Lalo Vibe - Closer to the Sky
  • Jessica Fichot - Le Genier
  • Low Line Caller - its like i think were about to leave
  • Maneja Beto - Entrudo
  • Muddy World - IRON ANT
  • Pawa Up First - Detour
  • The Procession - Major and Minor
  • Sunwrae - Catch Me If You Can
  • This Will Destroy You - I Believe In Your Victory
  • Toubab Krewe - Devil Woman
  • Turbonegro - All My Friends Are Dead
  • Ume - Hurricane
  • Upground - Oye Chica
  • White Christian Romance - Waste

2008

  • Anamanaguchi - Power Supply
  • Bedroom Walls - No Wedding Cake
  • Bitter:sweet - Dirty Laundry
  • Black Moth Super Rainbow - sup lips
  • Blaggards - Drunken Sailor
  • Capitol K - Drum St. Song
  • Chiwoniso - Kurima
  • Citay - First Fantasy
  • Clare & The Reasons - Pluto
  • Collections of Colonies of Bees - Flocks III
  • Firewater - This Is My Life
  • Grand Analog - Around This Town
  • Greg Harris Vibe Quintet - Flank Fuzz
  • Grimy Styles - Smoking on Deck
  • Grupo Fantasma - Mentiras
  • HEAVy - SAM/SAM's Return
  • Jim Bianco - I Got a Thing for You
  • Joan of Arc - Fleshy Jeffrey
  • Kush & Jah Bloodfiyah Angels - Thick Smoke
  • Laura Barrett - Robot Ponies
  • Marcia Ball - Louella
  • Mission to the Sea - Sugar and the Queen Master
  • O'Death - Down to Rest
  • Paul Metzger - Bright Red Stone
  • Pedro Menendez Ensemble - Kolndombe
  • Pierre Aderne - Mina do Condominio
  • Sabaton - Primo Victproa
  • Shri - Mela
  • Spiral Beach - Made of Stone
  • Torngat - You Could Be
  • 17 Hippies - Wann war das?

2009

  • Alex Smoke - A Moment to Myself
  • Arms and Sleepers - Butterflycatcher
  • Bigelf - Money, It's Pure Evil
  • Bishi - Never Seen Your Face
  • David Kirton - Green Camouflage
  • Dosh - If you Want To, You Have To
  • Easy Star All-Stars - Karma Police
  • Elastic Band - A Little Bit Of Lovin'
  • Fool's Gold - Surprise Hotel
  • Grimy Styles - Sound Czech
  • Hot Club of Cowtown - Deed I do
  • Jim Bianco - I Got a Thing For You
  • ManooghiHi - Om Baba
  • Marco Benevento Trio - Atari
  • MC Frontalot - Diseases of Yore
  • My Education - Sluts and Maniacs
  • Surinder Sandhu Band - The River
  • Wave Machines - I Go I Go I Go
  • Yppah - Gumball Machine Weekend

2010

  • Anime Winds - Entracte
  • Balmorhea - Bowsprit
  • Beats Antique - Beauty Beats
  • Boom Pam - Surfing Tuba
  • CHLLNGR - CHANGE
  • Cosmo Jarvis - She's Got You
  • Gadarene - The Beast
  • Hauschka - Schones Madchen
  • Jazzus Lizard - Seasick
  • Margaret Cho - Eat Shit and Die
  • My Education - Oars
  • Natalia Mallo - Coracao em po
  • Omodaka - Kyoteizinc (video mix)
  • :papercutz - A secret search.
  • Tone (DC) - Confidence and Progress
  • Two Star Symphony - Goblin Attack!
  • White Ghost Shivers - Everyone's Got 'Em
  • Zona Tango - Quejas de un Bandoneonista

2011

  • The Appleseed Cast - As the Little Things Go
  • Beats Antique - Junktion
  • Bikini - American Mourning
  • Boats - Chrome Eyelids
  • The Calm Blue Sea - Literal
  • Chief Boima - Baobab Connect
  • Constantina - Azul Marinho
  • Dam Mantle - A Statue that is Perpetually Unveiled
  • Depressed Buttons - Ow!
  • The Devil Whale - Barracudas
  • Distal - Typewriter Tune
  • Fared Shafinury & Tehranosaurus - Matarsak
  • J Rabbit - Ninja Step
  • Jim Bianco - Sinner
  • Joel Laviolette and Rattletree Electric - Going To The City
  • MC Frontalot - First World Problems
  • The Melovskys - KING OF THE BOOMBOX
  • Mexicans with Guns - Me Gusto
  • Michael Lowenstern - Trip
  • Midnight Magic - Beam Me Up
  • Pedro Menendez Fusion Ensemble - Candombe de la Pava
  • REVOLVER - Get Around Town
  • Sonodaband - Soul River 2010
  • SPL - IN MEMORY
  • SPOEK MATHAMBO - Mshini Wam
  • Starkey - Robot Hands
  • TAJ WEEKES & ADOWA - ANGRY LANGUAGE
  • Threefifty Duo
  • Tune-Yards - Hatari
  • Wires Under Tension - Electricity Turns Them On
  • YTCracker - the link
  • 1001 Nights Orchestra - Miserlu

2012

  • Aiana String Quartet - String Quartet in F Major - Vif et agite
  • Alabama Shakes - Hold On
  • Anenon - Shifts
  • Astro - Ciervos
  • BeatauCue - Kiho
  • Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers - Beautiful
  • Ben von Wildenhaus - The Limping Axeman
  • Botany - Waterparker
  • Bright Moments - Travelers
  • Carlton Pridae & Mighty Zion - Roots Alive (Live 1-1-10)
  • Chief Boima - Talking Drum
  • Constantina - Pequenas Embacacoes
  • Daedelus (feat. Inara George) - Penny Loafers
  • Dillon Francis and Diplo - Que, Que (Torro Torro Remix)
  • Dubtronic KRU - Sunshine Girl
  • Grupo Ancestros - Patacore
  • J. Pinder - Never No
  • Jonti - Hornets Nest
  • Kyle Rapps - Love, Love (feat. KRS-One & Homeboy Sandman)
  • Maya Azucena - The Half
  • MC Frontalot - Stoop Sale
  • Mr. Pauer - Cumbion Del Sur (ft. Itagui)
  • Muchachito Bombo Infierno - SIEMPRE QUE QUIERA
  • Nadastorm - i!!
  • Natives - Where the Land Meets the Water
  • Neil Blumofe - Devil Woman
  • Outernational - Fighting Song (Future Rock Mix)
  • Rattletree Marimba - Chikende
  • Son of Kick - Playing the Villain
  • Talkdemonic - Revival