“Theos”

An und für sich:

Scientists like to pose as though they are simply responding to the raw data, at least when talking to the unwashed masses, but none of the major scientific paradigm shifts were “empirically grounded” in any serious way — instead, they came up with a compelling new way of looking at the world and, usually, a relatively limited number of examples that cohere unusually well with the theory. After that, people know what to look for, and the theory is confirmed, at least for a certain amount of time.

I recommend checking the actual post out. It’s concise and interesting.

# posted by Bryan

Lou Reed - See That My Grave Is Kept Clean

A great cover of the Blind Lemon Jefferson song from the Harry Smith project. His band is, as always, excellent.

# posted by Mark Elliot Cullen  tags: video, YouTube

Bear v. Puma

# posted by Mark Elliot Cullen  tags: video, YouTube

The Great Phone Conversations of Lennon and McCartney

Hehe, great quote.

Although McCartney’s relationship with John Lennon was troubled, they reconciled during the 1970s. McCartney would often call Lennon, but was never sure of what sort of reception he would get,[80] such as when McCartney once called Lennon and was told, “You’re all pizza and fairytales!” McCartney understood that he could not just phone Lennon and only talk about business, so they often talked about cats, baking bread, or babies.

# posted by Mark Elliot Cullen

Make Walls, Not War

Peter W. Galbraith writing for The New York Times:

Iraq’s minimalist Constitution is a reflection of a country without a common identity. The Shiites believe their majority entitles them to rule, and a vast majority of them support religious parties that would define Iraq as a Shiite state. Iraq’s Sunni Arabs cannot accept their country being defined by a rival branch of Islam and ruled by parties they see as aligned with Iran. And the Kurdish vision of Iraq is of a country that does not include them.

…Let’s face it: partition is a better outcome than a Sunni-Shiite civil war. There is, in any event, little alternative to partition. Iraq cannot be reconstructed as a unitary state, and the sooner we face up to this reality, the better.

In some respects I agree with this provocative nationalities policy, but on the other hand it seems likely that it would lead to ethnic cleansing, whether by murder or deportation. Maybe I’ll write up a longer article when I have a chance to think about it.

# posted by Bryan

Warning: This Video May Be Filthy

The following you-tube video contains cartoonish drawings of the male and female genitalia being transformed into innocent cartoonish drawings. If this doesn’t sound like something you’d like to see, then don’t click play.

# posted by Zach Cullen  tags: video, YouTube

Colbert Tosses Hat Into Ring

Makes me wish I still regularly watched the Daily Show and the Colbert Report so I could have seen this live. With his new book out and after a week of some pretty heavy handed hints, Stephen Colbert has officially announced his candidacy for President of these United States. Colbert made the announcement tonight during a special appearance on Daily Show and then twenty minutes later on his own show.

Well, maybe it’ll be funnier than Man of the Year.

# posted by Zach Cullen

A Mock Columnist, Amok

Stephen Colbert wrote Maureen Dowd’s column this week. Check it out. (Via Wonkette.)

# posted by Bryan

How China Got Religion

Slavoj Zizek writing for The New York Times on China’s new law regarding the reincarnation of living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism:

In short, the media image of brutal Chinese soldiers terrorizing Buddhist monks conceals a much more effective American-style socioeconomic transformation: in a decade or two, Tibetans will be reduced to the status of the Native Americans in the United States. Beijing finally learned the lesson: what is the oppressive power of secret police forces, camps and Red Guards destroying ancient monuments compared to the power of unbridled capitalism to undermine all traditional social relations?

…Perhaps we find China’s reincarnation laws so outrageous not because they are alien to our sensibility, but because they spill the secret of what we have done for so long: respectfully tolerating what we don’t take quite seriously, and trying to contain its political consequences through the law.

(Thanks to Dylan.)

# posted by Bryan

“Begotten”!

# posted by Bryan  tags: video, YouTube

Joan Jett’s Everyday People

In this song Joan Jett attempts to channel Sly Stone. Though I can’t say I really prefer anyone’s version better than his, this is still a great cover. In the video for this song Joan Jett attempts to channel Chevy Chase or has some war against technology and oranges or something.

“God is with those who persevere.” -Chapter VIII, The Koran

# posted by Mark Elliot Cullen  tags: video, YouTube

James Brown and Pavarotti’s Man’s World

# posted by Mark Elliot Cullen  tags: video, YouTube