Hammer Mill Days

Heard any good podcasts lately? Nah, neither have I. Well, aside from the ones I typically listen to, but those tend not to have anything to do with music. I sometimes download podcasts about fixing robots and doing odd jobs, like bending pretzels. (Real odd jobs.) But never music. Well, in spite of that simple fact, we of Big Green do put out a podcast about music ... or, at least, one that contains music, and typically new music in every episode. This month's is no exception. That sucker is larded down with so much music it will make your teeth wobble and your big toe shoot up inside your moccasin. Eight flipping new songs, my friends, never before heard by the likes of you. And a new Ned Trek to boot. (Boot it right out into the yard.) Here's a look at our first-of-the-year podcast: Ned Trek 39: Patterns of Horse. Yeah, I made that name up on the fly, because this episode of Ned Trek is based on the classic Star Trek episode entitled "Patterns of Force", ak...

When I listen to mainstream reporting on the standoff in Venezuela, I come away with the strong impression that the press has not learned anything whatsoever from their failures in the run-up to the Iraq war back in 2002-03. I know - I shouldn't be surprised. Ironically, Trump's targeting of the mainstream press rings a vague bell with many who recall their catastrophic support for Bush's big middle eastern adventure. As is often the case, the Orange Disaster approaches being right on this issue from entirely the wrong direction. (The same might be said of his current policy on North Korea, though that might actually result in something positive, unlike his targeting of journalists.) From an institutional perspective, it makes total sense that MSNBC, CNN, and the major networks would be almost totally on board the Trump train as it steams towards Caracas. These outlets are owned by corporations that are deeply vested in the imperial enterprise. Their news organization...