I’m finding it hard to accept we are not ambling into a major nuclear conflict. Putin’s belligerence must be addressed, but the hubris of the west is equally irresponsible. I don’t have any answers but I know history has many lessons that our leaders seem to keep ignoring. Too many references to World War II and Hitler by the pundits and too little reflection on the Great War that led to WWII.
Darker than any of the novels could have predicted.
Thomas Sowell’s explanation of hatred for “others,” and in this example, of Jews, is simple but accurate.
I had the opportunity to watch Mikhail Gorbachev speak at George Mason University back in late 2008. I don’t remember the exact topic of his lecture, but there were some grumbles about the war on terror and how the US mishandled the post-Soviet era.
I was particularly fascinated by Gorbachev’s insistence that communism was and is still a sound system. Faithful to the end, the man did not waiver on his ideology.
After watching the HBO miniseries Chernobyl about the Ukraine nuclear plant meltdown in 1986, I find it hard to believe that so many on the American left continue to view Gorbachev with such esteem. I don’t know much about the man outside of superficial articles on him and what I remember as a teen and current events at the time. I suspect that he had decent intentions and, like all political leaders had as much nasty to him as his counterparts.
A “lie’ in believe
An “over” in lover
An “end” in friend
An “us” in trust
And an “if” in life
Something to keep in mind.
Trust is the foundation of any organization or society. In a time where news, opinions, and the public are delivered with a few clicks and without context. Deepfake technology poses a sinister threat to our way of life. The In Event of Moon Disaster project by MIT is engaging and sobering. The six-minute video is excellent! But its pho-thenticity is disturbing and a warning sign of things to come.
There are excellent resources on the site for an in-depth study of Deepfake technology. Governments will need to draft sensible policies around such techniques, and news organizations will need to develop a discipline around rushing to distribute videos without verifying their authenticity.
You can visit and access all the resources of this project by going to: https://moondisaster.org/
It is incredible to think that its been 45 years since RHPS came out. This cultural phenomenon has influenced scores of young people with lots of time in their hands and given many of us an appreciation for camp and parody that I think is lost on so many today. The lack of seriousness in this production gave it is a long-lasting, communal experience. Every screening was the same, yet always a different experience.
I don’t want to sound like an old fart, but I will. Still, the truth is that today’s generation of young people is too serious and sensitive to appreciate the brilliance and empowerment that Rocky Horror’s vulgarity and offensiveness provided to so many awkward young people over the decades. It’s a brilliance that has not been repeated, and I hope it never is…Rock on Rocky Horror!
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low — David Bowie
Reads from the web 20200828
OneCoin Took In Billions. Then Its Leader Vanished. — Interesting story about a billion dollar blockchain scam. This will be a movie at some point over the next 10-years.
What Did the Roman Emperors Look Like?: See Photorealistic Portraits Created with Machine Learning — Very cool project!
CYBERTONIA 