Brent Simmons, whose calm, measured voice is a pleasure in both text and audio, has written a great rebuttal of a bullshit opinion piece. Whether you’ve been following the public debate around Apple’s recent gross rent-seeking behavior or not, this is a pretty good summary of the “argument.”

Which, as usual in our culture, is between brutish, reductive patriarchs who have no idea what they’re talking about but think tough, bad-dad tirades against being “whiny” and “needy” are anything other than callousness; and calm, measured voices experiencing active oppression and exploitation by systems of power, who have figured out what the problems are, and who just can’t get anyone in a position of undeserved authority to listen, let alone change.

Bad Suns — Patience

I've been writing my thoughts down, to clear my mind, to try and figure out my brain. To confront and set aside my pain, and I'm approaching a breakthrough. I'm happy now, though, satisfaction comes and goes. While the saddest facts, they cling like shadows.

One more try for the top of the mountain. Close your eyes, be patient, it's coming.

All my dreams have been weighing me down! Like an anchor to my bed. I can live my life instead.

Liza Anne - Bummer Days

I don't know what I want, but I know that I feel: bad! And then when I feel good, I think I make myself: sad.

Extremely accurate depression feelings! My depression has been mitigated greatly by brain medicine, though it's a different thing every day. And it seems to me like anxiety has tended to sweep into the space left behind. One thing that hasn't changed: I still don't really have access to a clear sense of what I want. But I'm working on answering that question and then challenging the answers less often.

And it does feel easier to get out of my own way, sometimes, in some ways.

There's always something that I'm doing, that keeps me far from where I say I'm going!

And then trying not to do this, either. Good luck, Liza Anne. I like the new record!

Destructoid says there will be an English translation of Hobonichi's Iwata-san / Ask Iwata book. I can't wait!!!

Ingredients
Notes ........................ 100000% DV

wow.

Gipsy Kings — Bamboleo

It's a good night for FLAMENCO

fuckin see ya, web site!!!!!

it's so stupid how much of our communication and coordination has been conglomerated into this one bad web site. I believe it's imperative for us to replace this with something(s) else. Otherwise these fuckers are going to keep driving our perception of reality even further off Hell's Cliff! This is not an exaggeration or hyperbole; we live in this current world in no small part due to everybody using facebook to look at pictures of their classmates' summer vacation butt photos in the late 2000s, and as "funny" as that is, it's not been funny for a loooooong time

Five Iron Frenzy — Giants

This song was so scary to me when I heard it in middle school. I didn't understand most of the lyrics. Going back to it and realizing it was about corporate capitalism devouring our livelihoods and liberties was, pretty great!

... I love being excited that media accurately describes our nightmare reality!!!!!!!

not a bad list of high-rotation records from the last few years