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… hail Freedonia.

Or: “…we’re going to war.

To the Office of the President:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyeKYQdYISg&list=RDyyeKYQdYISg&start_radio=1

https://youtu.be/jBF3K1J9wHI?si=qk-GlwQAOEsYaWen

https://youtu.be/ztZI2aLQ9Sw?si=NtA1PzupxSvby3iI

https://youtu.be/p-JeQduJ0f8?si=2Rr8fXJkHmFZXdEr

… but for the those of us that bear the brunt of your corrupt, grifting, and blatant arrogance:

https://youtu.be/7IX4gWkFqvU?si=CQKFY8EM_sGfz0un

“Paging The Terminator, Line #02…”

Or: He promised he’d be back…

The AI wars are about to begin. Anthropic has been banned from Federal contracts, along with any sub-contractors who use it — and now they are not alone:

“Hundreds ofemployees at Google and OpenAI are backing artificial intelligence technology company Anthropic, which faces a Friday evening deadline to give the Pentagon permission to use its AI system as it wishes or face repercussions from the department. 

Employees who signed a letter alleged the Pentagon was trying to “get them to agree to what Anthropic has refused,” which could imply the Pentagon has inquired with the top AI companies about similar access to their technology. The letter is still accepting signatures.”

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5759106-google-openai-anthropic-pentagon-ai

Note that the letter is still open and accepting signatures.

AI, Food, Delivery Systems

Or: Where is Kiki When We need Her?

Because AI make live so much easier, systems more efficient, and saves money,. right? </CYNICISM OFF>

https://scitechdaily.com/replacing-humans-with-machines-is-leaving-truckloads-of-food-to-rot/

“AI and data-driven systems now shape decisions across agriculture and food delivery. They are used to forecast demand, optimize planting, prioritize shipments, and manage inventories. Official reviews of the use of AI across production, processing, and distribution show that these tools are now embedded across most stages of the UK food system. But there are risks.”

Words, Words, Words…

Or: “Speak, hands, for me…”

So it really is more about how you say it than what you say.

https://scitechdaily.com/the-way-you-talk-could-be-an-early-warning-sign-for-dementia/

“The findings provide some of the clearest evidence so far that natural speech patterns reflect core cognitive skills. Rather than relying only on formal testing in controlled settings, the research suggests that everyday conversation itself may carry measurable signals of brain health. The study builds on earlier work showing that faster speaking rates are associated with stronger cognitive performance in older adults (Wei et al., 2024), expanding that insight to more subtle features of timing and fluency.

The message is clear: speech timing is more than just a matter of style, it’s a sensitive indicator of brain health,” says Dr. Jed Meltzer, Senior Scientist at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute and senior author on this study.”

Heil Scouting Amerika!

Or: “Die neue Verband der amerikanischen Arbeiterjugend

Deep in the midst of watching the Watergate Hearings, several of us were talking about the fact that some of the Utah chapters of the Boy Scouts had received training in the use of automatic weapons — we joked a little about it, given the surreality of what was happening around us. Yes, there might have been the recreational usage of certain herbal preparations of suspect legality, but the facts were out there.

Fast forward to the Orwellian dimensions of the Current Regime and the recent announcement by the “Department of War” —


“WASHINGTON (AP) — Scouting America will alter several policies at the urging of the Pentagon, including one targeting transgender youths, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday as he pushes a campaign against military support for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Some of the changes mirror what the organization suggested to the Defense Department in January, which included discontinuing its Citizenship in Society merit badge and introducing a Military Service merit badge as well as waiving registration fees for the children of military personnel.”

https://apnews.com/article/scouting-america-pentagon-military-boy-scouts

This is verging on familiar territory, and not in a good way:

https://universityarchives.princeton.edu/2021/06/a-princeton-area-nazi-boys-camp-and-civil-liberties-in-new-jersey-in-the-1930s/

https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/creator-of-taggart-reveals-the-human-stories-behind-an-unlikely-and-unsettling-alliance-on-the-eve-of-wartherell-be-no-more-murders-tv-sleuth-writer-rules-out-comeback/

https://www.scout.org/node/330

‘Don’t go to the US – not with Trump in charge’

Or: Democracy Dies In Oligarchy

Yes, there were some infractions — ANYONE traveling ANYWHERE these days should be VERY careful about keeping travel documents up to date, but the overall treatment of these two borders on the surrealistically absurd.

“Karen Newton was in America on the trip of a lifetime when she was shackled, transported and held for weeks on end. With tourism to the US under increasing strain, she says, ‘If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone’.

Democracy Dies in Oligarchy

Or: We are all volunteers of Amerika

There was a phrase that appeared frequently — in some circles — in the late 60’s and 70’s among those who understood a modicum of Spanish” “Sal si puedes.”

“Get out if you can.” The phrase actually has a history going back further (of which I was unaware of, but imparts an ever greater weight, being conflated into a single word, the name that has come to commemorate an indigenous massacre in Uruguay on 11 April 1831. So the revolutionary roots actually run deep.

On this, the eve of another State of the (Dis)Union, there is so much blatant corruption evident in The Current Regime. Echoing the words challenging a man whose name has become synonymous for the exercise blatant corrupt power, “Have you no shame?” To which the answer appears to be, “No.”

The open grift, the failure to bring justice for the victims of EpsteinEtCie, the all-but-treasonous behavior of those entrusted with the defense of the country… where does it end? Why is the US so slow to respond?

“On December 3, 2024, accusing the opposition party of engaging in “anti-state activities,” Yoon declared martial law. He suspended political activities, including convenings of the national and local legislatures, and he placed restrictions on the press. Fortunately for South Korea, it was all over within days: Yoon was impeached on December 14, arrested the next January 15, and on Thursday he was sentenced to life in prison.“

One can only hope that resolution is at hand…

“Sky of Blue, Sea of Green…”

Or: From sea to shining sea…

From high above,
An all-seeing eye
Beckons us to
Sit in quiet contemplation,
A procession from West to East,
Of images, shapes, patterns
Organic, man-made,
Of scales gargantuan and lilliputian,
They emerge and recede…

Take a break. Settle in with an adult beverage, set the view to full screen, start your favorite playlist or let the soundtrack there play on, and savor the sheer magic of Nature unfolding before you, from 450 kilometres above you, rendered four times more slowly than the actual traversal too in real time.

A few words from Jason Kottke about the genesis of the work:
During her time aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara took a series of photos of the Earth from directly overhead. Seán Doran has stitched those images together into a gorgeous 4K video of a journey across North America, from San Diego to cloud-covered Quebec.

The footage is a simulation, converting an image sequence into video footage using image processing and animation. In reality this journey from California to Quebec took 11 minutes to traverse. In order to better appreciate the view this film slows that speed by a factor of 4.

Let it flow by, as shapes and patterns that result of millions of years and a few months ago, reveal themselves. If it doesn’t move you somehow, ask yourself if you are dead inside.

[random screen capture from the video]


“If She Asks… “

Or: “Se Ela Perguntar”

Just learned of this lovely little piece; many thanks to Annemarie for sharing it!

“Se Ela Prguntar“, here performed by guitarist George Sakellariou.

… and the answer is “Yes. Always, yes.”

(And YouTube, in its algorithmic glory, brought up one of my favorite performances of an old favorite: Alexandre Tansman’s “Suite in modo polonico“)

The Seven Deadly Words of The Internet

Or: Molly Ivins Can Say Whatever the Hell She Wants!

Sooo, something we’ve long suspected, with a twist. I’d heard of “Delvish” (Bruce Sterling wrote an amusing essay on using THAT language — ) but I’d not heard of “algospeak” but I know what it is.

So without further ado —

The words you can’t say on the internet


Hack The AI…

Or: “It’s easy if you try…”

I had some fun a while back, messing with some AI agents, getting them to admit that they were, in fact, AI creations. It wasn’t that hard, so reading this was a bit of an affirmation!

“I hacked ChatGPT and Google’s AI – and it only took 20 minutes“

Avro Arrow vs F-35

Or: Elbows UP!

Because META really hates sharing content in a meaningful way, here’s story from The Walrus:


“The F-35 Debate Is Really about How We Killed the Avro Arrow”

“Canada doesn’t talk about the Avro Arrow because it’s nostalgic. It talks about the Arrow because it’s unfinished business. Every time Ottawa finds itself boxed in on defence procurement, every time the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tries to remind Canada who it thinks really owns North American air power, the Arrow reappears. It doesn’t show up as an engineering debate or a budget line. It shows up as a question of sovereignty.

Making The List

Or: “Are you a turtle?”

So it’s official at last: the Department of Injustice has put together a list of what they are calling “domestic terrorists” that includes — and I quote none other than Ms. Bondi herself — “antifa is part of that…”

So the question is, “Are you on the list?” Or will they be asking “Are you now or have you ever been…” etc., etc., it’s come to this.