Son of Timatollah

Repeatedly over the past few weeks or so, I've heard a non-trivial number of recognized pundits refer to the continuing "Democratic primary."

There is no Democratic primary.

There is a process consisting of caucuses, conventions, and elections conducted by the states, territories, and Democrats Abroad by which those entities select delegates pledged to particular candidates to the Democratic National Convention, to be held in August in Denver. At that convention, those delegates and the so-called superdelegates—elected Democratic officials each with one delegate vote—will select the nominee of the Party.

This process is not a primary, which is an election to select a candidate. It's not even clear to me that the various Presidential candidate preference elections ought to be called "primaries," because they don't really serve the same role that a primary in a statewide or district-wide election does; i.e., picking the Party candidate for the general election.

I know this is borderline pedantic, but using "primary" to describe the process by which the Party picks a nominee is clueless, or, in this particular year, playing into the preferred framing by one of the two remaining candidates. So-called pundits ought to know better.

Labels: presidential, pundits

Joan Jett covers The Replacements, featuring John Doe of X.

Labels: androgynous, joan jett, john doe, x

From Mr. Fripp:

It is not possible to ask for forgiveness where we are not ourselves prepared to grant forgiving: if we do not allow of forgiving for others, we do not permit forgiving for ourselves.

Labels: forgiveness, fripp

I'm giving a talk today in Paul Edson's HU 316 music class, the exact name of which escapes me. Anyway, Paul heard that I'd worked at MIT's Experimental Music Studio once upon a time in a previous life, and he asked me to come in and talk about Computer Music, so that's what I'm doing.

Here's the web pages I developed as slides for the course. Please enjoy, if you are so inclined.

Labels: computer, music

When I was little, my mom would have the Jack LaLaine exercise show on the teevee during the weekday mornings.

Labels: jack, lalaine. television

Okay, a backlog of half-thought ideas that have been half-stewing in the back of my half-brain. Just for you.

• People seem to think that just because someone is capable of running a mean-spirited take-no-prisoners political campaign that somehow that makes them capable of securing the national defense, conducting a war, anticipating emergencies, leading the nation through bad times. Recent history—Bush 43, Clinton, Bush 41— suggests that's not the case. If anything, recent history suggests that the correlation is negative.


• What is so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? I don't think that question has been successfully answered.


• Air traffic, for all it's problems, like Frontier's taking all the bags off of the incoming flight to Denver from Orlando to the International Gates the other day, from which they had to bring them back one baggage cart at a time (it took four trips, and my bags were on carts 3 and 4), is effectively teleportation. The very idea that you can get into a metal tube and be across the continent in less than six hours, around the world in less than a day, remains an incredible human accomplishment.


• I finished the William Henry Harrison bio last week some time. Very interesting, because, as with the bio of Andrew Jackson, it concerns what was then known as The West—between the Alleghenies and the Mississippi—and the clash between US nationals and other immigrants and the Indian populations. Also, compared to the bio of Martin Van Buren, it was an enjoyable read. This may be because it was written in 1939 instead of 1996. Alas, the bio of John Tyler that I am currently reading, also written before WWII, is not as enjoyable, because the author seems intent on pushing The Noble South idea and Tyler's devotion to it.


• The iPhone is truly enjoyable. The web browser actually works, and it syncs up so well with the Mac compared to the hoops I used to have to jump through to get info to sync with my old Palm Treo.


• Why do so many meditation exercises focus on the breath? Well, if the point of meditation is to reduce attachment, what is the single thing one, anyone, is most attached to? Ever been around someone with COPD/emphysema?


• I haven't watched these Reverend Wright videos, and I don't intend to anytime soon. Okay, so Obama's preacher is out there. Instead of asking—or implying—if Obama shares the same views, why not ask instead how it is that Obama can address patriotism from such a clear and meaningful perspective and maintain his friendship with his former minister who seems to have said some face-value unpatriotic things. There's a Covey idea which is "don't give up, don't give in," that might apply here. I look forward to hearing more of what Obama has to say about it. It is important to listen to those we disagree with, even those whose ideas repulse us, maybe especially if the people spewing those ideas are close to us, even if you are running for President of the United States. I'm not for misplaced loyalty, but I am for appropriate loyalty.


• Jeopardy!: 23 April. Don't worry, there'll be more reminders.

Labels: air, biography, breath, iphone, Jeopardy, meditation, obama, potpourri, presidential, teleportation, traffic, treo

"Saying that Hillary has Executive Branch experience is like saying Yoko Ono was a Beatle." Daily Kos commenter Jsn, via Andrew Sullivan.

Labels: clinton, hillary, ono, yoko

I'm pretty sure I haven't said it here, but I've said it to innumerable friends and acquaintances in person: The candidate who will do whatever it takes to be elected is the same candidate who will stab you in the back once the election is over.

Surely we've learned that by now, no? If not, why?

Labels: politics, presidential

It is difficult for me to describe the depth of joy this image brings me. Or why.




Click on it to see it in full size in its native habitat. From artist Chris Yates, via Jalopnik.

Labels: degeneres, ellen, king crimson, lawrence, murder