You may know the Strugatsky brothers indirectly by their sci-fi novel "Roadside Picnic" (1971) of which Andrei Tarkovsky created his movie "Stalker" (1979). The whole emblem of a miraculous, uncanny, out-of-time-like "zone" (much invigorated by the Chernobyl disaster of 1986) stems from this novel.
In fact, compared to the five authors I mentioned, Heinlein, Clarke, and Asimov are just boring, pretty much like the later authors Vernor Vinge and Neal Stephenson. Colportage with an emphasis on action and the rapid succession of events instead of imagination and phantasy. But that's just my take.
Heinlein, Clarke, Asimov were "men of their times", as were John Wyndham, the brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, Stanisław Lem, José van den Esch, all of whom barely mentioned in such lists, perhaps because US-ians are a bit – how can I phrase it? – self-centred and navel-gazing?
Yes, John Wyndham. Rarely does one find just humaneness and kindness in science fiction as in his writing. And obviously the brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky and Stanisław Lem, just for the sake of exuberant imagination and intelligent story telling.
'Union Square, Looking up Park Avenue.' (1975) Fairfield Porter cited Édouard Vuillard as one of his most important influences - he learned to paint in a manner that was 'concrete in detail and abstract as a whole.' This work was painted in the last year of his life.
♪ Sergei Rachmaninoff, "Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18" (piano: Grigory Sokolov; conductor: Jukka-Pekka Saraste; orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra) www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRX5...
You fear #AI? Then chances are you confuse the impact of AI and the underlying principles of capitalism.
There is not much time to set the general direction of the use of AI in society. Either Social Democrats, Liberals, Progressives embrace #AI for the sake of the stability of the welfare state, or the xenophobic Right embraces AI to push for anti-immigration policies. Hurry!
It is exactly because of the productivity gains resulting from #AI and automation that Social Democrats, Progressives, Liberals should embrace AI. AI and automation will change the job landscape, for sure, but they will prove vital in keeping the social welfare systems robust.
But with #AI and automation around the corner, I guess the productivity increase will more than offset the decline in human workforce. And that should mean that the various support systems stay solvent.
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Right now I feel a bit reassured about the future stability of the social welfare-, health insurance-, and pension systems. At least in my country there is an endless debate on how a declining population will effect negatively the solvency of these systems.
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Why is it that rightwing parties not run to embrace #AI?
(To keep an economy's prosperity, not an increase in the number of employees is essential but a rise in productivity. And when productivity can rise via AI, then even under demographic decline there is no need for labour immigration.)
Another one. I wonder how it comes that #AI gets it so wrong. What was it "thinking" (aiming at) in the first place?
AI generated videos on YT really get ridiculous.
Alexander Görlach, "Das Sakrileg: „Jesus“ Trump beschwört eine unerwartete Allianz herauf – und seinen Sturz" www.merkur.de/politik/jesu...
With his self-stylization as Jesus, Trump may have brought about a rapprochement of Evangelicals ("Christ is king") and Progressives / Democrats ("No kings").
Remember, this is part of a broader trend and development, viz. #peakfascism
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhoE...
Nice monologue by RM.
It's pretty much for such reasons as stated by RM that Hungary voted out Orbán and his kleptocratic clan in the elections, even so much that Péter Magyar's Tisza party got a super majority of two third of all seats in parliament.
I never would have thought one could laugh that hard just by looking in the mirror.
—Heinrich Heine
(The mutual defense obligation as stated in the Treaty on EU, Art. 42.7, is stronger than Art. 5 of the NATO treaty. The first obligates every EU member state to assist with *military* mean wheras the second allows NATO member states to decide individually what to contribute.)
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Economic integration and common values are good reasons to join. But what is strangely missing in these discussions is the mutual defense *obligation* of the Treaty on EU (1992), Art. 42.7., which is important for Canada and the EU should NATO break apart.
youtube.com/shorts/26doI...
[Yes, the Orbán card is gone, but Russia may stll play its Fico card.]
Ah, yes, US and China (and many more). I first read your reply as stating some European countries to be in that league. Thanks for clarifying that. All and all I wonder if it is not primarily a difference in words and not ideas between us. I share your expectations for Europe.
Who do you have in mind, specifically?
There is one thing I strongly criticize Angela Merkel for: That she almost singlehandedly shot down the idea of the "Union for the Mediterranean". Meant to be a "southern EU" of all littoral states of the Mediterranean Sea, with strong political ties to the EU, Merkel changed it into a culture club.
Europe has been an idea soaked in memories of the past. What the accession of the Eastern European countries means is that Europe can remodel itself as something that draws its identity less from the past and more from the future. Europe, in a strong sense, is something still about to happen.
This continent is haunted by its memories of violence and despair. W/o acknowledging the past, w/o accepting that for our neighbours things may still be unresolved when we think they are already done, that keeps Europe as something from the past and prevents it from being something from the future.
♪ Tatran, "Mind Bubbles" www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_o7...
Lovely bass line...
You don't seem to get my point. Never mind, enjoy today's victory.
Well, I do think that acknowledging historically grown resentments are if perhaps not neceassary but at least conducive for this new Europe. Reparations from Germany are still an issue for Poland, and not even accepting that they are perpetuates the resentment which hinders good neighbourliness.
What makes me happy and grateful is that Europe and its idea are rejuvenated and redefined by the Eastern European countries. To realize this new Europe, old historical debts need to be faced, e.g., between Germany and Poland. Only then can the new and invigorated Europe become a reality.