Speaking of Fetishes...
There was
an interesting article originally published in the Boston Globe recently, called "Cruel Science: The Long Shadow of CIA Torture Research." It is an analysis of the recent torture photos coming out of Iraq.
Basically, the story is that such torture by Americans is nothing new. This will not be news to anyone who has not brainwashed by American mass media.
There are, however, a few relevant passages. The first is an analysis of "no touch torture," in which "interrogators use two essential methods, disorientation and self-inflicted pain, to make victims feel responsible for their own suffering." The effects of "no touch torture" spread to both perpetrators and victims:
Although seemingly less brutal, "no touch" torture leaves deep psychological scars on both victims and interrogators. The victims often need long treatment to recover from trauma far more crippling than physical pain. The perpetrators can suffer a dangerous expansion of ego, leading to escalating cruelty and lasting emotional problems.
I agree with this analysis; my quasi-Buddhist, compassionate side knows that everyone involved with torture suffers on some level, and are therefore worthy of compassion. I just can't imagine being in a situation where torturing another human being is the best choice that can be made.
Regarding these specific perps from the Iraq photos, and who is to blame for the atrocities, McCoy says the following:
these seven MPs are neither "creeps" nor weaklings who succumbed to the prison pressure-cooker. They are ordinary American soldiers following orders within a standard interrogation procedure. Whatever their guilt, the court martial of these soldiers should be just a first step up the chain of command and beyond to far-reaching reforms.
That's perhaps the most relevant statement regarding the systematic American torture of its prisoners I've seen.
I can't believe this is an issue. Any credibility for American imperialism somehow "helping" or "freeing" whatever occupied territory they are in is gone.
The Ultimate Fetish
OK, my political commentary in this personal forum has been much lighter as of late. There are many reasons for this. In general, all activists have to take time to recharge. One cannot be an activist, full-time, for years at a time without completely draining themselves. In addition, my creative output has been totally focused on music recently. I just don't have enough energy to focus on political ranting. Besides, putting energy into my music is probably the most effective way I can enact change in my reality. Music has a power that is undeniable to change public consciousness.
Having said that, I just read the following in Time magazine:
When Saddam Hussein was rousted from his spider hole in Dawr, a town near Tikrit, by U.S. soldiers last December, Iraq's fallen dictator was clutching a pistol. He is now in detention at an undisclosed location, being questioned by American authorities and awaiting charges for war atrocities and crimes against humanity. But what ever happened to the pistol?
The sidearm has made its way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Sources say that the military had the pistol mounted after the soldiers seized it from Saddam and that it was then presented to the President privately by some of the troops who played a key role in ferreting out the old tyrant. Though it was widely reported at the time that the pistol was loaded when they grabbed Saddam, Bush has told visitors that the gun was empty--and that it is still empty and safe to touch. "He really liked showing it off," says a recent visitor to the White House who has seen the gun. "He was really proud of it."
Now, how can an intelligent, psychologically aware person take this? It is, in many ways, the perfect symbol for what is wrong with this administration. This is an object of violence, that GWB is fetishizing. Moreover, it is a symbol of his obsession with Saddam Hussein. One wonders that if Saddam somehow is killed "resisting" the guards (wherever he is now, who knows...), that GWB would have Saddam's penis cut off and stuffed. I wonder if he'd be as proud of that, showing it off.
I wonder if GWB has a bigger pistol than Saddam?
mixerman redux
the saga is archived
here, including the later weeks. FMI....
someone else's studio bookmarks
Good stuff on this page....
Another Edgar photo...
...this time with my daughter.
This dog is really cool.
Free Plugins to download
I'm making a note of these free plugins so I can download them when I get home:
All for now...maybe more later. I hear there are thousands of useful, free VST plugins floating around.
How Marillion are changing the recording industry
Steve Hogarth of Marillion says in the Register:
"Instead of gigging round toilets for ten years trying to get a record deal, gig around toilets for ten years and ask people for their email addresses. If what you're doing strikes a chord, you'll be financially better off while remaining pure and free to do what you want."
So, what does this mean for the music industry? Steve sees the writing on the wall: "History will see it as a funny little anomaly that happened between 1950 and 2010," he says. "While technology made it possible, advances in technology will also make it impossible."
Right on. Anyone interested in music should read this. Then go
get your marbles.
Prof. Sound's Drum Tuning Bible
Link
::bubble::bubble::
The studio computer is finally running normally. It turns out I had forgotten to install the chipset drivers. Ummmm, yeah.
*shrek_voice* At'll do, Donkey. At'll do.
So from here it's...make music! Get proficient at USING (as opposed to configuring) Sonar. Record stuff. Edit stuff. Mix stuff. Master stuff. Release stuff. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I've found myself attuned to energy cycles around me in my community. People are reconnecting. Awakening from their long winters nap. Mmmmm...stretch
A beautiful thunderstorm blew through here last night. I love thunderstorms. They are much more common in the midwest than here. I miss them. But when they do come, the ocean air, combined with the ozone after a storm, smells amazing.
Stirring the cauldron
I just started writing again for the first time in a while; writing, that is, apart from the somewhat light blogging I've been doing over the past few months. I often use writing or journalling to help me process things. I can always improve my understanding of my current situation when I write about it. I just have to be careful about showing it to others; I have learned from a mistake in the past. I can't show this writing without providing a proper context. ;-)
There is lots of energy moving in me and around me. My reality is in flux, and this flux is manifesting on several levels. Change is in the air--an appropriate thing for spring.
I realize this is very vague and doesn't say much, but I don't really want to give voice to much more than that just now. But don't worry. I fully believe much of the change is in the form of release; energy blockages are clearing out. I often think about what effects these clearings will have as they settle in, both within myself and my community.
I know these changes are good, because I've been feeling a tremendous amount of joy and gratitude on many levels. My heart chakra is just overflowing with energy right now, and it feels wonderful. :-)
I am so blessed. There are some amazing people and amazing things in my reality. This is the prime source of my gratitude. My prayer is that I, and my community, will be able to use this energy in fruitful ways.
Wisdom from my daughter
My daughter came up to me with pen and paper and asked me to write this down:
"Energy is plain; energy is not mean or good. It comes to you as it is, but you choose what to make it into. You carve it."
I just wanted to record that here. I thought it was really cool.
Edgar
Well, we have a dog. Here he is:
His name is Edgar. Mo named him. He's the one on the right with the chocolate brown fur and the white on his chest and throat. Some funny stories about him.
When we first conceived of meta-dog we opted for the other one, Edgar's brother. But that dog was almost twice the size of Edgar and very high strung. Edgar had a nice, chilled vibe. So we got him. Mo bonded with him the entire way home. He did great in the car.
He's doing much better with whining tonight, and responding quite well to operant conditioning. He's gonna be fine. He brings a wonderful energy. He's so tiny, 3lbs currently, 6-9 when grown. Very fragile. I'm trying very hard to resist the appetizer jokes. At least he's not the least bit annoying.
Oh, and get this. When we got home, we found a picture Mo had drawn of the meta-dog. It was folded up, and had been on our altar for weeks. He was, of course, colored brown. And some liquid had spilled on the drawing, so that the brown faded to white...on his chest and throat. No wonder we picked Edgar...
studio update
I am continuing to ride the learning curve of Sonar and the new computer. I am at least able to record audio now. The latency is still a bit pokey; but I have several ways to tweak that. I suspect a new video card, and a new hard drive just for audio data, will help tremendously.
But progress is made every time I go over there. It's largely just a matter of time spent in front of the machine. So of course, I want to spend more of my abundant free time there. Yeah. Right.
guns and entropy
A federal drug agent shot himself in the leg during a gun safety presentation to children in what police describe as an accident.
I just don't know what to say about this one. Entropy in action? Natural selection? The Will of the Divine? who knows...
