Collapse Can’t Wait

Gore Vidal [interview, DN!]:

I don’t see much future for the United States, and I put it on economic grounds. Forget moral grounds. We’re far beyond any known morality, and we are embarked upon a kind of war against the rest of the world….We are going to go broke. The dollar loses value every day….We are a declining power economically in the world, and the future now clearly belongs to China, Japan, and India. They have the population, they have the educational systems. They have the will. And they will win.

I like the cut of your jib, Mr. Vidal. Wake the fuck up, America, and pull your heads out of your asses. And you will, once you’re completely broke. That’s what they’re saying it might have to come to, you know, the only thing we seem to understand or truly appreciate in this corporate-owned country of ours: our money. Maybe then, amidst the Fourth Campaign of Operation: Take Over the Middle East, when our economy has fallen and a wheelbarrow of dollars fills up your gas can, and you’re hungry and cold—maybe then you will realize how wrong you were to be so unwavering and steadfast in your idiocy.

Ah, but I’m getting off on a rant. Sorry. Most of the interview centers on his reaction to Bush’s inaugural address. He picks out some interesting Christian imagery and some almost eerie language (eerie to godless heathens such as myself, anyway) he says can be compared pretty closely to certain biblical passages.

“We’ve Been Taken Over by a Cult” - Seymour Hersh [DN!]

This is the guy who wrote the New Yorker piece that broke the Abu Ghraib scandal last April. You may have caught him on the Daily Show last night. Anyway, they have a transcript of a speech he gave last month. [Or maybe it’s just an excerpt, I’m not sure.] If you have any interest in knowing something about what’s really going on, I urge you to read it. They also have an MP3 (and various RM streams) of the entire show available to download if you prefer. I watched most of the speech tonight after work. I actually find it a little hard to read, because the guy is basically just talking (as opposed to reading a rehearsed speech), but it’s important so check it out.

Mr. Hersh also wrote this article in the new issue of The New Yorker about US plans and operations regarding Iran. You might remember my mentioning this a few days ago. I won’t even go into it now; for one, I haven’t yet had a chance to read the article, and two, even if I had, I’m already worked up enough as it is.

I’m a little late on some of this stuff. Work has been hell lately and I’m pretty busy all day. I’ve also been pretty much consciously avoiding the news recently (this kind of news, I mean. The Post doesn’t really count), because I just don’t need anything else to feel bad about.

That said, I really wish I could communicate to you how important this shit is. You have to understand that these aren’t reports from some conspiracy theorist nut jobs. Both of those guys are award-winning writers and thinkers and they’re not making this stuff up.

January 26, 2005 | Filed Under News & Politics | Leave a Comment 

Plus Minus

+ It’s awesome having a friend who works at a record store. This week’s half-priced used finds: Midnight Movies: s/t, Neu!: Neu! ‘75 Heartworms: Space Escapade, Mazzy Star: She Hangs Brightly.

+ Pitchfork has news on two records I’m excited about: new albums from The Books and Portishead(!)

+ Having Thursday off for the inauguration was the least I should get for putting up with another four years of Dick and Bush.

+ Did I mentioned I got an iPod recently?

- Almost breaking my iPod yesterday. Newsprint is a bitch.

- Why a snowstorm on Saturday, when I could be getting days off of work? Oh, and there are no hills to sled on around here.

- Another friend moving far away.

January 22, 2005 | Filed Under Music, Personal | Leave a Comment 

iHacked

I decided to give hacking my iPod’s firmware a try. It wasn’t hard at all with the help of iPod Wizard.

It allows you to alter the firmware by replacing graphics, fonts, and text. I replaced the dumb NO sign (circle with a line through it) that flashes when the iPod is connected to the PC with a picture of Wally, my cat.

January 20, 2005 | Filed Under Technology | Leave a Comment 

iPod Pt. 2

Well folks, I took the plunge (i.e. bit the bullet, joined the club, and cooked my own goose—all at the same time). On Saturday, despite possibilities of either getting one used or discounted by up to 20%, I decided to jump the gun and just buy one. And so I did…

I chose to go to Best Buy because I also needed to get a USB 2.0 card for my PC and didn’t feel like driving out to Microcenter. I ended up getting the 20GB model I was considering last week. They had this opened/returned unit for $50 less than normal price, but when I looked it over and saw a few minor scratches on the screen and someone else’s greasy fingerprints all over it, I opted to forgo my last chance to save a few bucks and ended up paying full price to get one brand-new. Yes, I can consume with the best of them.

It’s been awesome, so far. I had a few issues installing the USB card (it kept conflicting with my video card, causing my PC to lock up whenever I plugged into the USB), but since I got that sorted out, it’s been smooth sailing to MP3sville. The rest of my weekend was all about ripping CDs. It’s tedious stuff for sure, but I’m about halfway through my first round of essentials (currently up to about 4GB). I imagine there will be at least another pass or two through my collection after I realize everything I loaded on is crap and I have nothing to listen to.

Several of the reservations I had about the accessories have been confirmed. The stock earbuds aren’t doing it for me; they’re uncomfortable and don’t sound too great either. I’ve ordered these Sony MDR-EX71SL buds recommended to me by John, the reviews for which have been mostly favorable. I’m also ordering a black iSkin, since I’m already tired of handling this thing like it’s a newborn strapped to twenty sticks of dynamite. As for the other stuff, the dock now seems rather unnecessary, and I’ll have to wait and see how I do without a remote before looking into those. I already have an aux input on my car stereo, so I’m finally able to make use of that with the help of a simple 1/8″ cable I had laying around.

I’ve checked out iPodLounge.com, Anapod Explorer (fully integrates the iPod with Windows Explorer and allows for direct transfer of MP3s outside of iTunes), and read about hacking the iPod firmware to add custom graphics. [Yeah, not so fast there buddy.]

So, what’s next? How else can I insulate myself from this daily life I find littered with so many toolbags, rednecks, mouth-breathers, conservatives, and outright dandy fops?

How about a pair of iBalls? Why yes, thank you.

January 17, 2005 | Filed Under Technology | Leave a Comment 

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