Comparative Reality

Back in my college days, in Berkeley...

The UC Theater was old, dilapidated (at best), and a really kick ass college town theater. Oso and I saw quite a few movies there, ranging from brilliant to heckle-the-screen awful.

Many of the films began with this PSA:

George Will is an idiot. He's also an unbelievably cranky old man. While ranting about the evils of denim (hey, he's only about 160 years too late, give him time to catch up!), and saying that he regrets the French Revolution because fashion really went downhill after that, he veers off yet another cliff into the abyss of cranky old man insanity:

Seventy-five percent of American "gamers" -- people who play video games -- are older than 18 and nevertheless are allowed to vote.

Oh, I am wounded!

And yet, 100% of bow tie-wearing Washington Post columnists -- people who don't understand basic science, and, when presented with facts, continue to blatantly lie and generally spew insane bullshit, and then rant about the vulgar classes and their love of denim jeans -- are older than dirt and nevertheless are allowed to vote.

I used to believe that conservatives longed for an idealized version of the 1950s, when (white) men were men, and women served them dinner. Now I think it's closer to the 1650s, when kings were gods, and peasants never dared lift their eyes from the muck.

Although Will would probably complain about the Renaissance, and all that troubles that caused...

Just the idea, and writeup, is great, but of course there is a huge call for it to become real.

A Tauntaun sleeping bag.

Go on, tell me that's not awesome.

We have a National Ignition Facility. Now home to the world's biggest laser.

Obviously, big lasers are awesome things, of which I heartily approve. But I just really like the name National Ignition Facility. It's like nirvana for geek pyromaniacs.

This week: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears.

Will you like them? Well, do you like James Brown?

Ha ha ha! That's a trick question! Everybody likes James Brown! Because if you don't like James Brown, you don't like music.

(To be completely honest, Brown isn't the only strong influence, but that's really all you need to know before you check them out.)