Sand

Consciousness is more than just a heap of sand.

Back At It

It's been awhile since I've lasted posted but I will be getting back at it soon.  After changing jobs, which may or may not be related (since I am less disgruntled), I have been busy with my new sound lately, which combines punk with jazz themes, which I call "Punk Jazz" (which is really neither).  I've been releasing a song (or more if different versions are involved) a week or so since September, which is pretty darn prolific for me.  The adapters for my guitar pedals broke, so I could no longer produce my usual nonsense, and I actually tried playing for once.

Here's a sample:

In general, the vocals are my first or second attempt at writing the song lyrics, which is sort of like scat but not with the skill.  I really do not have the finger dexterity to do better with stringed instruments, and drums are just too fucking loud (and most drummers are insane), so I produce percussion effects on a synth (which is more about timing than skill).  I can write real music if I try, but it would sound much better if skilled musicians played the parts.  I know how to play multiple instruments, but I am certainly no master at anything.  I have learned DIY for sound engineering.  I suppose I am a song writer and engineer more than anything.

Lately I've had more fun with music than the printed word, but I am beginning to run out of steam (after writing and producing an album's worth of songs in about 8 weeks--the time was better spent than paying much attention to the elections anyway).

Hear more at Drunk And Armed.

Broken

Everything is Broken is one of the better written explanation concerning the massive security contained within pretty much every computing devise, but fails to mention the one method that will protect your data on your computing: pulling the plug.  If you are not connected, you can't be hacked.

Political Nihilism

"Here is the ultimatum of our camp. What can be smashed must be smashed; whatever will stand the blow is sound, what flies into smithereens is rubbish; at any rate, hit out right and left, no harm will or can come of it."

-Dmitri Pisarev
Russian Nihilis
Link

Chinese Propaganda

After a long hiatus...

China says its propaganda just isn’t strong enough caught my eye.  It seems that not enough people in China are believing whatever the Communist Party is pushing these days. I find it amusing that a country that has embraced capitalism (albeit state controlled) is still pushing Marxism at its universities. It is interesting that China had one of the few governments left standing that still refers to "propaganda" when elsewhere the term has a negative context.  I also noted the article said nothing about the impact of so many Chinese being educated abroad.  Does this mean, when their efforts fail, they will prevent students from going to foreign colleges and universities (which was the case right after the Tienanmen Square movement was crushed).

Wither

     An old cliché states "truth is subjective."  Along with greater truth, individual verities must be determined.  At some degree, definitions are externally supplied. The individual must reconcile conflicts between inner and outer values for any hope in finding a place in the larger scheme of existence.  Nobody can do everything.  Powerlessness must be acknowledged and dealt with accordingly.  Most would rather turn a blind eye.  Lacking context, information may be manipulated to ensnare those unwilling or unable to determine its uses.  Gains and loses must be appropriately assessed for accurate conclusions regarding content.  Forced reliance upon interpreters must be resisted on every plane. A mouthpiece for vested interests will always affirm its world view to Maximum Advantage in all Things.  Education does not necessarily equate with intelligence.^[1]  Uniformity atrophies the mind.  Discourse is a path to truth ignored when parroting talking heads.  Absent meaninglessness, anything inherently divisive is controlled.  Certain statements are discouraged by stakeholders with something to lose.  An objectionable or even repugnant notion may stimulate thought far greater than the comfortable or agreeable.  Unless overused, agitation techniques employed by propaganda can be very effective.  Excepting fanatics, agitprop campaign failures inoculate against eternal application.  Truth may only be stretched so far.  One must question oneself, or be content with fear and ignorance.  Unfortunately, academia is among the worst places to look for guidance.  Cloistered, pretentious and even parasitic, academia is dogmatic to the extreme of stupidity. Generalization is frowned upon and esteemed less than compartmentalized specialization.   Doctorates are all products.  Linkages remain unseen or are ignored.  The results are incorrect or incomplete notions.  Big money has invaded academic circles, thereby directing its course and encouraging ignorance beyond the unprofitable.  The arrogance is also sickening: academia digs its own grave.  If not for the tragedy of crushing student debt, their increasing irrelevance would be amusing—an indentured servant served less time.

---

^[1] GWB is an easy example.

One Learns Nothing

One learns nothing by digesting prepackaged data, but the prevalent anti-intellectualism masquerades stagnation as some sort of paradigm shift.  Commercial interests push this mental model as a means to keep consumers passive within a technological bubble.  This bubble, when it does break, will be orders of magnitude worse than simple economic meltdowns as it will be more than a disruption—it will destroy any remaining goodwill toward centralized systems.

Shopping

To suggest we go shopping in response to a national crisis inspires nothing. This nothingness allows societal apathy a foothold. Culture stagnates. The end result is decadence unto civilizational nihilism.