Re/Creating Tampa

Cure Homosexuality with Yoga

2009-07-12T18:13:24Z

Not everyone is happy that India recently decriminalized homosexuality.

Swami Baba Ramdev thinks homosexuality is a congenital defect that can be treated with the proper breathing exercises and meditation.

“The high court’s judgment reversing a colonial-era ban on homosexuality has met with widespread opposition among many religious groups and conservatives.”

“In an interview with the Times of India, Swami Ramdev said homosexuality caused “mental bankruptcy” and was “against God and creation”.”

Corrupt Street

2009-07-12T16:01:19Z

Rachel Maddow’s interview with Jeff Sharlet, author of The Family.

You can browse The Family at Google Books.

Jesus Plus Nothing by Jeff Sharlet at Harper’s.

“Coe listed other men who had changed the world through the strength of the covenants they had forged with their “brothers”: “Look at Hitler,” he said. “Lenin, Ho Chi Minh, Bin Laden.” The Family, of course, possessed a weapon those leaders lacked: the “total Jesus” of a brotherhood in Christ.”

Another Jeff Sharlet article at Harper’s about Christian fundamentalism – Through a glass, darkly: How the Christian right is reimagining U.S. history.

Jeff Sharlet’s Rolling Stone article on Sam Brownback and C Street -God’s Senator
Who would Jesus vote for? Meet Sam Brownback.

“They were striving, ultimately, for what Coe calls “Jesus plus nothing” — a government led by Christ’s will alone. In the future envisioned by Coe, everything — sex and taxes, war and the price of oil — will be decided upon not according to democracy or the church or even Scripture. The Bible itself is for the masses; in the Fellowship, Christ reveals a higher set of commands to the anointed few. It’s a good old boy’s club blessed by God. Brownback even lived with other cell members in a million-dollar, red-brick former convent at 133 C Street that was subsidized and operated by the Fellowship. Monthly rent was $600 per man — enough of a deal by Hill standards that some said it bordered on an ethical violation, but no charges were ever brought.”

All of which reminds me of this advice from William Burroughs.

“If you’re doing business with a religious son-of-a-bitch, get it in writing. His word isn’t worth shit. Not with the good lord telling him how to fuck you on the deal.”

Destination Venus

2009-07-12T05:20:41Z

The Rezillos performing Destination Venus.

Rezillos-Destination Venus TOTP.2-12-1978
Uploaded by newcanadian. – Watch more music videos, in HD!

Nina Hagen sings White Punks on Dope

2009-07-12T05:08:07Z

Video Cabinet in Limbo has background about The Tubes anthem White Punks on Dope and the story behind Nina Hagen’s cover. Video Cabinet also includes a clip of The Tubes performing WPoD.

“Her version of ‘White Punks On Dope’ appeared on her first LP, but was not a true cover in the strictest sense;
She changed the lyrics and meaning completely, turning it into a song about television addiction.”

Tommy in Old Seminole Heights Returns

2009-07-11T22:40:42Z

Tommy in Old Seminole Heights is one of my favorite hyperlocal blogs. It was on hiatus while Tommy traveled, but I just noticed that he’s back to blogging.

Welcome back, Tommy!

Bamboo Taxi

2009-07-11T19:43:47Z

Why don’t we have a fleet of these carting people around Tampa?

Bamboo Taxis Arrive in Philippines Town

“The taxis, commissioned by Tabontabon mayor Rustico Balderian, are made out of 90% bamboo and run on coconut biodiesel.”

“The ECO 1 taxi seats 20 people, runs on one gallon of biodiesel fuel for eight hours, and is covered in a Filipino woven mat. ECO 2 seats eight passengers, runs on a gallon of biofuel for eight hours, and has a stereo with a sound system. Both vehicles are locally made–bamboo is indigenous to the Philippines, and local youth help with car production.”

All Your Prosthetic Limbs Belong to Us

2009-07-11T19:30:15Z

Here’s a quick glimpse into our weird-ass future.

“For example, the next generation of implantable devices to control prosthetic limbs will likely include wireless controls that allow physicians to remotely adjust settings on the machine. If neural engineers don’t build in security features such as encryption and access control, an attacker could hijack the device and take over the robotic limb.”

Comments meta

2009-07-11T19:21:20Z

I think I fixed the comments.

Racial Purity on Fox

2009-07-11T19:47:22Z

Another example of our post-racial society. (h/t Eric Deggans for catching this.)

Deggans describes the clip -

“Fox & Friends co-anchor Brian Kilmeade noting Nordic peoples from Sweden and Finland keep their populations “pure” by not marrying outside their nationality or race.”

“We keep marrying other species,” sez Brian Kilmeade. OK, Brian, who is “we” and who is the “other species?”

Friday Afternoon Meta

2009-07-10T19:34:01Z

Still no comments. Long, tedious afternoon of trial and fail. I’m starting to believe it was Wordpress’s upgrade to 2.8. It looks like comment function ended right after I upgraded. I tested out some new themes, but they also seem to be suffering from some sort of 2.8 bug. Perhaps there will be a patch soon and all my troubles will go away!