Polyphonic Ramblings: A New Beginning

So I have this mix that I made up. No one to make it for except for myself. So it's heavy on ambient, drone-based tones. Do not operate heavy machinery while listening to Track 4.

1. Moonchild/The Dream/The Illusion - King Crimson

From their first album; this track would be a prime example for those who argue prog rock is meaningless over-long pieces of music bordering on noise (no structure, etc.) I object to the first two points strenuously.

2. Treefingers - Radiohead

IMO, the same thing as Track 1, re-interpreted 30 years later

3. Sour Times - Portishead

Fitting of the dark mood that has been set.

4. Sonar Blow Job - Portishead & Kraftwerk

Don't quote me on the title or artist; it was taken from Acqusition

5. The Heavenly Music Corporation - Robert Fripp & Brian Eno

Eno coined the term "ambient" for a musical style. Fripp picked up a tape loop machine and created a whole new way of playing the guitar. This is what happened when they met up.

6. The Rip - Portishead

Two things I like in this piece: the (deliberately?) rough guitar fingerstyle picking in the beginning, and the comforting full, round tones of an analogue synth at the end.

There is no doubt, now...

So if you ever had the suspicion that the Bush White House used political orientation as a basis for employment, you can finally point to something that is official:

As the chart indicates, the Screening Committee deselected 80 (80 percent) of the 100 applicants with liberal affiliations, 4 (9 percent) of the 46 applicants with conservative affiliations, and 223 (29 percent) of the 765 candidates with neutral affiliations.

[snip]

The data indicates that the candidates with liberal affiliations were deselected at a much higher rate (15 out of 18) than candidates with conservative affiliations (0 out of 5) or candidates with neutral affiliations (11 out of 48), even though all candidates met the same criteria.

[snip]

We found that all 7 applicants who indicated that they were American Constitution Society members were deselected by the Screening Committee for interviews, while 2 of the 29 applicants who indicated that they were members of the Federalist Society were deselected.

Thanks to emptywheel for posting on this. Check out her site for the best coverage of government scandal this side of Sy Hersch.