Contrary Brin Keep the aspidistra flying!

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Capitalism as moral ideology Capitalism is that moral ideology whichgrades on effort,but defines effort in terms of ergonomic inefficiency.It grades on creativity,but defines creativity as effective salescrittership,but mercifully has been known on occasion to reward the especially efficient and respectable with jobs in fields other than sales.It grades on character,but defines character as ability to…

Yet again, nationalism rears its ugly head. 12-Sep-2006 1733Z The more NPG position papers I read, the more inclined I amto assert that the ‘N’ in ‘NPG’ stands for nativism, or even(gasp) nationalism. Let me try counting the ways: 1. The extent to, and consistency with, which minimization of US population is prioritizedabove human population…

When I first purchased my Tracfone®,adding ‘units’ to my Tracfone® was as simpleas going to a ‘land-line phone’(in my case a pay phone, but since it’s a toll-freecall I can do so at no ADDITIONAL cost at selected pay phones.Once dialed in, it is a simple matter of navigating avoice mail menu, punching in my…

More Fun With Dick And Jen 04-Sep-2006, 1907Z I waited with baited breath to find out what Granholm’s response would be tothe (precedent-setting?) inclusion of TV ads of the advertisement-as-press-release genre into the mix, already consideredby some to smell somewhat of conflict of interest due to the mixing of theadvertisement-as-campaign-speech and advertisement-as-opinion-piece metaphors.I didn’t have…

Another suggestion for Mr. DaVos, er DeVos If you have been reading this blog, this mensaje is for you specifically.Between your beyond-impressive business career and your budding political career,I see it as unlikely, but I’m assuming these days mostpoliticians have ‘operatives’ for sundry tasks including ‘public opinion research’in the form of literal dumpster diving in…

Austerity as Atrocity Where does, where should one draw the ‘line,’ if any between ‘atrocity’ and ‘non-atrocity?’Perhaps the ‘term’ ‘non-atrocity’ is overbroad.An (the?) international legal controversy of late has pertainedto certain questions about where ‘non-torture’ ends and ‘torture’ begins.I tend to concern myself with questions about the shapeof the threshold or ‘frontier’ between X and…

The latest in a long series of volleys 03-Sep-2006 1509Z Predictably, but frighteningly impressively, even to me, Dick DeVos’ game of ideological hardball gets even harder.Orchestration of the two genres of television programming known as ‘campaign advertising’ and ‘issues-based advertising’(i.e. ‘astroturf’) is absolutely old hat, and both of the political parties allowed non-marginal status are…

The other battle of the bedroom Wednesday, 24 August 2006, 1205Z Good Morning Americaran a segment on a battleof the bedroom not entirely unlike the sinister demographic competitionbetween the Israeli and Palestinianpeoples in the middle east. This bedroom battle is taking place here in America.It seems that (surprise, surprise)rightist attitude tends to beassociated with larger…