Is it time to reconsider the US ban on assassinations?

It’s an intentionally provocative question, but one that should be asked in a world when there are no good or guaranteed options to prevent bad actors like Vladimir Putin from invading neighboring countries, committing war crimes, causing untold bloodshed, and disrupting the entire globe.  If we could go back in time, what would you do… Continue reading Is it time to reconsider the US ban on assassinations?

To fly or not to fly, that is the ridiculously dangerous question the world is asking when it comes to Russia

We are hesitant to target Russia’s oil industry or to eject all Russian banks from international transactions for fear of negative global impacts, and yet we’re implementing policies and considering others that could result in downing Russian planes and starting a war directly with Russia, which would be the worst global impact imaginable. On Tuesday,… Continue reading To fly or not to fly, that is the ridiculously dangerous question the world is asking when it comes to Russia

Shakespeare’s Othello, the Turing Test for Artificial Intelligence, and the indeterminacy of radical translation

It took close to 350 years for mathematics and philosophy to catch up with the ideas about the human mind explored in Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.  From computer science to the study of language, the opacity of other minds remains at the forefront of our understanding of each other and at the center of Iago’s scheming… Continue reading Shakespeare’s Othello, the Turing Test for Artificial Intelligence, and the indeterminacy of radical translation

Amazon’s woke take on Tolkien provokes another racial controversy

The announcement that there will be elves, dwarves, and other species of color prompts Tolkien purists to claim Amazon Studios is destroying the franchise, which of course prompts accusations of racism and bigotry from the usual suspects.  Of course, few bother to consider that elves and dwarves aren’t real and aren’t human at all… Last… Continue reading Amazon’s woke take on Tolkien provokes another racial controversy

Ukraine:  Our response to the Russian invasion is incoherent and confused, but the bravery of the Ukrainian people themselves could be the deciding factor

Europe hasn’t seen a war like this in over 80 years, but so far the response from the United States and the rest of the world has lacked any coherent strategy as we impose sanctions for the sake of sanctions and search for a “free lunch” approach that both maximizes and minimizes economic pain.  In… Continue reading Ukraine:  Our response to the Russian invasion is incoherent and confused, but the bravery of the Ukrainian people themselves could be the deciding factor

A Work of Art (Indy Horror Short)

Check out our recent independent horror short available on YouTube.  A Work of Art is a surreal, experimental ghost story about haunted men and their hard-partying alter egos that qualified as a Finalist in the 2021 version of the 100 Hour Film Race contest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIWO9ktQdak A Work of Art is a surreal, experimental ghost story… Continue reading A Work of Art (Indy Horror Short)

From “hide the decline” to hide the coronavirus data

The scientific establishment positions itself as an objective authority that demands our trust, but their actions over the course of the past two decades certainly don’t suggest they are worthy of it.  From an old scandal in climate science to a new one concerning the pandemic, they hide the data that doesn’t support their conclusions… Continue reading From “hide the decline” to hide the coronavirus data

Ukraine reveals the sad impotency of the international establishment

The establishment is obsessed with meaningless words and “constructive dialogue,” but all Vladimir Putin cares about is power.  We’ve wasted decades talking about containing Russian aggression while increasing Russian power by granting them access to European energy markets.  Words will not change this dynamic, only the application of power in the form of US energy… Continue reading Ukraine reveals the sad impotency of the international establishment

Shakespeare’s Henry V and the timeless politics of power

King Henry V is a nationalist hero to the English, a villain to the French, and likely something in between to modern audiences.  Part heroic warrior, part self-serving, calculating politician, Henry’s rise prompts timeless questions about the nature of power in general. Shakespeare’s Henry V is a subtly yet at times disturbingly contradictory character, a… Continue reading Shakespeare’s Henry V and the timeless politics of power

Parents across the country are on the march, fighting pandemic restrictions and CRT even in liberal enclaves like San Francisco

Three School Board Members were ousted by huge margins in a never before seen recall for keeping schools closed while pursuing woke policies.  We can expect more of the same across the country if progressives continue to insist radical ideology belongs in the classroom, but parents do not, pushing the narrative that America is irredeemably… Continue reading Parents across the country are on the march, fighting pandemic restrictions and CRT even in liberal enclaves like San Francisco