Here’s a sampling of my current musical obsessions.

“Repeaterbeater” by Mew — Who says prog rock is dead? This Danish group channels the spirit of Yes to craft a baroque bit of pop that doesn’t once mention wizards or spaceships. The song has a grandeur that one doesn’t encounter much in today’s world of manufactured teen idols and morose indie singer/songwriters.

“Catamaran” by Candy Claws — This band reminds me of Air France in its capacity to create sweet, sweet ear candy. Like the rest of the album, this song has a sun-drenched tropical vibe that conjures up images of blue water and white sand. Highly recommended iPod listening if you ever find yourself sipping a daiquiri on the shore pf some privately owned island in the Caribbean.

“Breaking Into Cars” by The Raveonettes — I’ve been a fan of The Raveonttes ever since I first heard their signature sound, a curious mix of grungy guitars and old-school AM radio pop that shouldn’t work but somehow does. This song starts out with a menacing bass riff but then shifts into a darkly exuberant chorus that will have your inner teenage rebel jonesing to go break something.

A couple weeks ago, I did a basic introduction to my vent and assorted accouterments for my work colleagues. The idea was to give them enough information so they would know what to do if my tube disconnected in the middle of a meeting or how to silence me should they get annoyed with my blather. Everyone was very attentive and asked good questions, but it reminded me that the everyday aspects of my life–the chair, the tubes, the personal bodyguard–must seem really strange to the typical observer. I mean, how many people do you see in your office who look like me?

It also got me thinking about a more advanced-level course that covers topics such as how to feed me Pringles and how to intervene when I start totally geeking out.

In my darker moments, I sometimes think the country would be better off ruled by a bunch of artificial intelligences with zero charisma but a far better grip on reality. Our policy decisions are too easily swayed by emotion and we have almost no capacity for thinking of long-term consequences. Ezra Klein’s post on taxes and the Afghan war reveals just how far we have to go towards a day when our leaders behave like sober, responsible adults rather than eager-to-please indulgent parents.

Rep. Dave Obey is proposing a surtax to pay for a small portion of the costs of the war. More specifically, it only pays for one year of the war. Of course, most of Obey’s colleagues–including fellow Democrats–have already declared the idea dead on arrival. Congress seems more inclined to fund a war effort of dubious merit (to put it charitably) that will likely add hundreds of billions to the deficit than to pass a health care bill that actually reduces the deficit. Military spending has always gotten a pass from both parties when it comes to any discussion of fiscal responsibility and that doesn’t seem likely to change soon.

I’m all for sensible defense spending. If you pressed me, I could probably even come up with some arguments for sticking it out in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, it’s dangerous to have an electorate be completely disconnected from the consequences of the leadership’s policy decisions. Our collective refusal to have a rational discussion about taxes and national priorities has created a wall between us and economic reality, but it’s a wall built on quicksand.

I blogged a few months ago about Gary McKinnon, the British man who faced extradition to the U.S. for breaking into American defense networks in 2002 in a quest to find evidence of a government cover-up on U.F.O.s. McKinnon’s case had drawn considerable media attention because he has Asperger’s Syndrome and his family is deeply concerned that the American prison system is not equipped to handle his mental health needs. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the British Home Secretary rejected a final appeal from McKinnon and ruled that he must be extradited to the U.S. “forthwith”.

The secretary cited as supporting documentation a letter from the U.S. Justice Department stating our government would assure McKinnon receives the necessary treatment and medical care. I’m not sure how much credibility I would give those assurances. The American penal system doesn’t have a sterling record of caring for inmates with mental health needs. McKinnon may still be able to serve his sentence in the U.K., but the Americans seem determined to make an example of McKinnon as a warning to other hackers who might attempt similar mischief. That’s not great news for McKinnon.

My dad called me today for some tech support on his iMac (I’m the only PC in a family of Macs). Having not used a Mac since the 80’s, I could do little more than do some basic Google searches and offer the most rudimentary suggestions. When my best suggestion is “turn it off and on”, you know I’m grasping at straws. He figured out the solution himself after a few minutes. It almost made me nostalgic for the days when I would spend forty-five minutes on the phone helping him install a printer driver.