Wednesday, March 28, 2001

Clones

Quacks on cloning. It's only a matter of time, I guess, before the first human clone makes the news. From MSNBC:
“Cloning may literally threaten the character of our human nature,” said Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-La., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, who plans to introduce legislation this spring.
Rep. Clifford Stearns, R-Fla., went further: “It interferes with the natural order of things,” he said. “People have a right to their own genetic makeup, which should not be replicated.”

I'm really not keen on the idea of human cloning. The arguments being made (in Congress) against it though seem unpersuasive. What does "the natural order of things" even mean? I would think that, based on how you define "natural order" you could prove that every act of human will is against "the natural order" or every act is in compliance with it.
Will cloning cause or ease more suffering, the utilitarian part of me asks? The Kantian on my other shoulder suspects it's wrong regardless of results.

Monday, March 26, 2001

The Academy Blows It

Because I'm aware of the futility of moaning about the injustice of the Academy Awards, I will be brief ... but, c'mon, Gladiator wasn't even a good movie. If not Crouching Tiger, then Traffic. Gladiator? Morons.

Thursday, March 22, 2001

Mix Tape

Mo, your mix tape is ready to go, I think I'm going to be coming to CT on Saturday, so I'll give it to you then. Because I used a Sony 110 min. tape with a slide case, I'm afraid it's not going to have much (anything) by way of liner notes and the song titles and artists are written in small, illegible script. Hence, following for your perusal is the complete list of songs, artists, and the occasional bit of justification for why the song is included:
A.
"Movie Star" by Stereo Total (from the "Tao of Steve" soundtrack); "Ballad of Cable Mogue" by Calexico (takes the Santa Fe, NM aesthetic on loan from the "Tao of Steve" track and moves south of the border); "Worthless" by Dido (I'm not crazy about the album as a whole but I do like her voice); "Pauline" by Eleni Mandell; "Totally Freaked Out" by Bettie Serveert (rounding out the female vocalist groove set by the last two tracks); "Hands Up Billy" by The Fall (I hope this wasn't on the tape MD made for ya); "The Employment Pages" by Death Cab for Cutie ("We Have the Facts..." is one of the best albums of the last several years); "Danelectro 2 (remix)" by Yo La Tengo/N. Takemura; "Dark Sun" by Sally Timms (the lovely and talented); "What Can I Say" by Yo La Tengo (after the Timms tune I felt I had to bend the mix tape rules and come right back with a great Georgia Hubley track); "The Last Laugh" by Mark Knopfler/Van Morrison; "Love Travels Faster" by the Halo Benders; "Negated" by Unwound; "The Ballad of Ezra Messenger" by the Gravel Pit (part one of their American Trilogy, part two follows later in the tape); "So This Is the Night" by the Slackers (the new album has a few wrong turns but they are still pound for pound the best ska band working)
B.
"Negative Attitude" by Lloyd Cole; "I'm Going to Spain" by the Fall; "Fell, Destroyed" by Fugazi; "You Don't Have to Tell Me Now" by Grant Hart; "The Rise of Abimelech DuMont" by the Gravel Pit; "Timber" by Neko Case and Her Boyfriends(sweet little neo-country number); "Little Light" by Jets to Brazil; "Buried Bones" by Tindersticks; "Common People" by Pulp; "Child Psychology" by Black Box Recorder ("life is unfair / kill yourself or get over it"); Dinosaur Act" by Low; "My Time After A While" by Buddy Guy; "Part Company" by the Go-Betweens; "She Thinks I Still Care" by George Jones (we had Sally Timms and Neko Case, seems like time for some classic honky-tonkin'); "Daydreamin'" by Hepcat; "Superman" by Cinerama; "Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello (gack, the tape ended too soon so it's cut-off, you know how it ends anyways...)

I'd better give props to Mega cuz several songs on here (The Neko Case & Black Box Recorder most notably) I actually have on loan from his collection. Every mix tape has it's missteps (was "Part Company" the best choice off the Go-Betweens album? most likely not, but it's the song I thought of first; are the Dido and Unwound songs really good enough to warrant inclusion? maybe not, but they're new in the collection and I wanted to put stuff that was new, to me at least, on here) and this one is no exception. There it is though ... now, to name it ... "The Somebody Set Up Us the Bomb Tape"?

Long post longer: announcing, in a rare fit of generosity, the first ever, totally free, Triptych Cryptic Mix Tape Giveaway! Some of what's listed above sound good to you? Send me an e-mail with your name and address and I'll slap some tunes from the mighty, mighty c-dog (and mega) cd collection on tape (or mini-disc if you're the other person who bought a player) and mail 'em to ya on my dime. Why? I'm still delirious with fever and hopped up on the heady mix of Nyquil and Captain Morgan-n-Diet Coke. My fellow Crypters are welcome to participate, so act fast because I'm going to send the tape to the first email I get.

Tuesday, March 20, 2001

500 Records

Elvis Costello's 500 records you need to own. (via Ethel) Seemed germane given the Hall of Fame discussion below. I haven't had a chance to read through it yet, but Elvis's introductory comments make me think that he's (mostly) capable of doing a fine job. Early on I did see some Cannonball Adderly and Louis Armstrong with the Hot 5's and 7's. That bodes well.

Tuesday, March 13, 2001

Cox Arrested

UConn police reveal details of Cox's arrest.

Governator

I didn't read it at Ah-nuld's website but I did just see a newsflash on the telly that he's going to run for Governor of California. "It's not a too-muh."

Sunday, March 11, 2001

Bracket Jabber

Tennessee and UConn get the first two of the one seeds in the ladies' tourney with Notre Dame and Duke rounding out the head of the class. On the mens' side, the bracket is garbage. Only 5 from the Big East? Providence only a 10 seed?! BC only a 3? No UConn, fine, they didn't play well enough after beating Notre Dame to deserve in, but 6 from the Big East would have made more sense. 16-14 Georgia goes while 3 better teams in the Big East ('Nova, Seton Hall, UConn) are left out. What a joke.

Wednesday, March 7, 2001

UCONN Defeats Notre Dame

I was glad to see the Huskies beat Notre Dame last night to take the Big East championship, but losing Shea for the rest of the season, I hate to say it, means it will probably take a miracle for them to return to the NCAA finals this year. Shea and Svet are the best players on the team. Despite having a still fantastic lineup, these injuries are too much to expect the other girls to be able to make up for. Notre Dame and Tennessee are too good. I expect UCONN will still beat up on their first round opponent, and probably the second rounder as well. After that though ... I'll hope for the best, but without Shea & Svet ...

Saturday, March 3, 2001

Ethel Is Good Reading

Several interesting posts recently at Ethel the Blog, not that that's unusual, but if you haven't been reading over there, now's a good time to start. Recent posts concern Kim Philby and moles, Bush Sr. pardons of dubious distinction, and Cheney's dealings with Iran, among other things.

Leave the Buddhas Alone

Taleban destroying 2000 year old Buddhas. (story at CNN.com)
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