Guardian of the Non Sequitur

Portugal’s Kalashnikov

If the Red Elvises …

• were from Portugal
• were more political
• rocked harder
• dropped the M F bomb constantly …

they’d be Kalashnikov.

March 6th, 2008 Posted by bshirley | sxsw | 3 comments

Evangelicals a Bit Too Worldly (And Lazy)

If you’re going to play at SXSW, you need to do some hoof work. Or if you have People, have your People do your hoof work for you.

Showcase listings on the SXSW web site:

• get a picture on there
• get some text on there
• put an audio file up there

And get a website that’s not myspace. I usually avoid Austin bands, but especially ones who ignore more than one of the above “show a little work” rules. This means you, Evangelicals!

Ditto, Scott Biram, Stanton Meadowdale, Houston’s own Studemont Project, High Class Elite (who had one of last year’s best sounding songs, and worst shows).

March 6th, 2008 Posted by bshirley | sxsw | no comments

Electronic “Voting”

I voted in the Democratic Primary on Tuesday, but wasn’t up for going to the Precinct Convention when I got home. I wanted to go just to experience it, but it didn’t happen.

I consider all the elections in recent years to be suspect. I’m resolving to write up a letter to that effect to hand over to the precinct workers come the full election.

Nothing wrong with this ticket to the right. The problem is the complete unauditability of the process. There is no way to confirm what I click on and what I am displayed is ever actually accounted for. The only way to provide that functionality is to provide a hard copy in the voting booth.

That’s the only issue that needs to be considered. But on top of that is the closed nature of the system. How it works is not public knowledge. This is what we call security through obscurity and 1) it is never secure 2) it is suspect to collusion by insiders, and 3) the secret nature of it makes people lazy.

And, the nature of humans is to be cheaters. Everyone wants something without working for it.

March 6th, 2008 Posted by bshirley | government, politics, resolution | one comment

Presidential Preparedness: Who has been Tested?

As I’ve been reviewing past presidents’ experience prior to becoming president, the topic has come up a few times in the media recently. As we head for a Tuesday penultimate in its Superness, it’s been in some of the political coverage.

The question was raised directly by George Will on This Week: Does that experience count for anything? Of course he had to do it such a was as to attempt to show himself to be the smartest Ass in the room. Who was the most “experienced and prepared” president? James Bucannan, generally judged one of the worst. Because it was such an obviously researched and prepared fact and delivered with much smugness, it failed at making Will seem superior. Not that it’s not an interesting data point.

Also in Slate.com this week, John Dickerson broached the subject in Tough Call, Will Clinton or Obama Protect Your Children.

… the essential question the ad asks is a fair one: Which of the candidates do you trust to keep his or her head when everyone around them is lighting theirs on fire, and at a time when your kid’s safety could be on the line?

The answer touches on the elements of experience as we’ve batted them around so far this election—who has broader exposure to the world, who has dealt with more foreign leaders, and who knows more about the military. But the ad also raises a new question the Clinton campaign has been stressing over the last few days: Who has been tested?

March 4th, 2008 Posted by bshirley | government, inthenews, politics, presidents | 2 comments

Capitol K

Oddly, whilst listing to the SXSW bittorrent I’ve decided that I like bands that self-identify as Electronic, but actually use a liberal amount of guitar.

On exhibit: Capitol K from London - Drum St Song[mp3]

As a foil, here’s a self-identifying Rock band with electronic elements. Excellent as well. Cassettes Won’t Listen - Paper Float [mp3]

March 2nd, 2008 Posted by bshirley | sxsw | no comments