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Audio Road Tripping across the U.S.A.

Driving in a car too small to store much Is a good way to make sure your audio road trip does not land you in the poor house. Is there such a thing anymore? Poorhouse? I mean, I've read about this quaint English institution that condemned poverty in the strongest possible terms, but what, and how different was 1996 and PRWORA? That's the acronym for welfare reform, in case you pondering. And that was passed under Bill Clinton, as was some hardcore anti person-of-color-caught-up-in-crime legislation. And that is supposed to be the more socially concerned side of the political spectrum? Oof. Well, what's the difference between neoliberal Democrat and neoliberal neocon Republican anyway? Eh? Yes, at some point I really should start talking about traveling and checking out musical equipment. Hm.  So, it was winter of 2018, and after quite a few years in the wilderness of good audio equipment (Harman Kardon Soundsticks are ok, but come on), I was in the mood again. T...
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“Ritual Sacrifice in an Unnamed Society ” Reading Medea's Human Sacrifice

“…regarding their kings as incarnate divinities on whom the welfare of men, of cattle and of the corn implicitly depends…” James Frazer, The Golden Bough Introduction At the outset, let me briefly outline the explanation I attempt here. This is a human sacrifice of substitution and fertility, the latter being most prominent, with aspects of expiation/propitiation/atonement. Agricultural fertility is being ensured since it is the lifeline for the survival of the community, and perhaps a wrong has been committed or being averted. I will draw on the work of Frazer and Smith, with additional references to readings as relevant . At the beginning we are shown the saplings planted in the fields. That and the several head of goat, coupled with the nature of dwellings (carved out of rock formations) indicate this is a subsistence community, based on agriculture and livestock. The young man in fine blue attire is waiting for the proceedings to commence, looking reflective and somewhat pensive. C...
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Travel Nightmares: JetBlue, and the Built-in Perils of "Budget" Airlines

 You go to Mexico, thankful for the asteroid that extincted the dinosaurs (I love them too, just not to live with, and it wasn't really in my hands). Riviera Maya, and the only resort I'll be caught dead in, because it is next to a nature preserve.  You're coordinating three schedules, so of course, ticket booking is a little later than ideal. Prices are insane, and there are few direct flights. Up pop Frontier (swipe left), JetBlue, Spirit (eventually, swipe left). So, JetBlue it is. But is it? First things first, list your mothereffing prices including tax. Don't BS me with $500 in fees I don't see till I get to your booking site.  A sidenote: don't book on third party sites. I booked a car on gotrentalcars.com, received a booking confirmation and then called the actual car provider, Thrifty. "Hi, I need a modified car." "Sorry, don't have that kind [you have to be fully crippled, because that is the only kind of modification they have]....
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