Kaspar Hauser

Speaking of post-truth tendencies, I think this quote speaks to a lot of we're hearing from the Alt Right: “Never believe that anti-Semites are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge. But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words. The anti-Semites have the right to play. They even like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors. They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.” ― Jean Paul-Sartre

"For in tremendous extremities human souls are like drowning men; well enough they know they are in peril; well enough they know the causes of that peril;--nevertheless, the sea is the sea, and these drowning men do drown.” --Herman Melville Yeah, that sounds just about right...for Russia, for the former Republics, for all of us.

America also rammed Neoliberalism down Russia's throat in the 90s. A lot of Russians see America as the reason they don't have health insurance. In any case, Putin has good reason to see NATO as a threat. I mean, we still need to defend ourselves from the thug before he tears out our collective jugular, but it's not as though this is an unprovoked assault. If we can get out of this without an economic crash, a regression to authoritarian governments throughout the West, or a hot war with Russia it'll be a miracle.

I suspect that he's attempting to undermine NATO as a military alliance and its member countries' economies in order to have a freer hand to expand into Russia's old sphere of influence.

Michael, I want you to get through this. The evil in the world is real and strong and it has hurt you, but it is neither omnipotent nor omnipresent. Hold on to the faith that there will someday be a place of hope for you to stand in. Please don't succumb to the temptations of grief and despair. I know enough about your character to know that we need people like you. Keep trying, keep fighting, no matter how hard it gets.

Lovelock or Lovecraft, as the difference becomes less pronounced as time goes by.

The US was founded on utopian dreams, and utopian dreams all too easily give way to apocalyptic longings. I sometimes think that American culture is simultaneously self-glorifying and self-loathing, a narcissistic fever dream spiralling ever-more rapidly into oblivion.

This is the comic you want to get your hands on: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandman_Mystery_Theatre

Back to automation: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/automation-jobs-canada-computers-white-collar-1.3982466 https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/jobs/what-risk-does-automation-pose-to-your-job/article30434394/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com& You know, in The Legion of Superheroes a computer selected Earth's president from a database of the most qualified people every few years. Just saying.

Les Leopoldo: "Republicans now control 32 state legislatures and 33 governorships. They have majorities in both state legislative chambers as well as the governorships in 25 states. The Democrats have total control in only six states and legislative control in two more. "If Republicans achieve veto-proof control in 38 states, they can do something that has never been done before—hold a constitutional convention, and then ratify new amendments that are put forth. To date, all amendments have been initiated from Congress where two-thirds of both houses are required. In either case, 38 states would be needed to ratify the amendments. The Republicans are well on their way." https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/why-we-could-be-on-the-verge-of-a-constitutional-apocalypse/ Meanwhile, the Arizona Senate has just passed a bill that would allow the police to seize your assets if you are part of a protest that turns violent. So, if you show up at a town hall meeting and an agent provocateur throws a brick, you could lose the car you drove there in. If you helped organize the protest you could lose your house. Expect similar legislation to sweep through Republican-held legislatures across the country. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-arizona-legislation-idUSKBN1622LB

Is this what it looks like when civilization suffers a stroke?

IN-SEMINATE! IN-SEMINATE!

Here's a link to a CBC article about a report that indicates that up to 42% of Canadian jobs are at risk of automation within the next 20 years: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/automation-job-brookfield-1.3636253

This article, written by a Bosnian who survived the horrors of the 90s, pulled something together for me. Like all authoritarians who come to power, Trump and his regime are engaging in a form of psychological warfare designed to arouse our sadism, and it's working really well. It's what the Alt Right does everywhere, because it's only when our sadism is unleashed that we're willing to let them tear down every institution that keeps us safe. http://lithub.com/aleksandar-hemon-on-the-urge-to-violence-in-a-time-of-trump/

There also seems to be an assumption that the new jobs will pay as well and have as much security as the ones being lost. I certainly haven't seen that happening.