persiflage

• The Endless Mike and The Beagle Club interview that I referred to way back when has been posted and is what I consider, in my humble opnion, to be a must-read.
• I did another interview with an old radio friend of mine about the whole OiNK fiasco, which is also pretty good. That's posted at wealsoran.com.
• I think 3 is a good round number of items for a short bulleted list. Happy New Year.
  

uhh...

What if, in the near future, it became technologically possible to take a snapshot of your mind: the near-infinite spiderweb of nerves in your brain, the chemicals and the ratios thereof that influence your temperament, all your memories and opinions and tastes and attitudes? What if someone found a way to replicate all of that, and install you onto some sort of computer, that could imitate your voice, your conversational mannerisms, the rhythm and meter of your instant message communications?

• What if, just like you, it could change, learn, mature?
• Of course, the minute the copy was made, you and it would begin to diverge. It couldn't be updated in real time with your post-replication experiences. As you and it had different conversations with different people your opinions and its would become less and less alike.
  
• Would you want a computer version of you to exist? Do you think you'd enjoy conversations with yourself? What's the first thing you'd ask?
• Do you think, assuming this computer would outlast you, that death would be easier or harder to accept with the knowledge that a decent approximation of you (depending on how recently it was made) can feasibly continue to interact with your friends and loved ones? Your unborn great grandchildren?
• Would you like the chance to speak with computer replications of your ancestry?
  

• What if it couldn't learn? What if it remained a snapshot of exactly who you were at a certain point in time?
  
• Do you think you'd enjoy conversing with your former self?
  
• Who do you think you'd like better: it or your current self?
• Whose brains (living or dead) would you most like to pick in this way?
  
• Your parents, as children?
• Springsteen, circa 1975?
  

Amie Street

'Tis the season for marketing cleverly disguised as generosity, but the kid above I'm sure would tell you never to look a gift horse (or any horse) too closely in the mouth. If you're a regular here you know I give away my music for free, but I also have it available for a pittance at Amie Street for the rare visitor that'd prefer paying for something rather than getting it for free.

Anyway, Amie Street is running a cool holiday promotion that I've decided to participate in. Basically, you sign up with this link (particular to yours truly) and you get a free $5 and 4 RECs (ask me more if you're curious what to do with these) with which you can buy music. Lots of good stuff is cheap there, so that $5 can go a long way if you're smart about it.

And look, I'm in no way suggesting you spend it on my music. In fact, I think it'd be better spent on folks like Drew & The Medicinal Pen, Brett Dennen, John Bustine, or The Seedy Seeds. Hell, The Format's on there too, though $5 won't get you as far with them. Go nuts. It's a great site. You might like it.

*Update* The Beagle Club has just dipped a toe in the Amie Street pool as well. Reward their pioneering spirit by buying and REC'ing their stuff here.