An American tourist in Russia
Brant von Goble 
Seldom is a sequel widely recognized as superior to its predecessor, with most follow-ups struggling to recapture the relevance or dynamism of the original. There are exceptions—Aliens comes to mind. But they are few and far between. As often as not, a sequel is a shameless and hamfisted cash grab, with remakes typically no better. Yet … Read more
As a follow-on to a recent post by one of my colleagues, I offer my experiences with machine intelligence and image generation. The results we achieved are not identical, but I would hope that my piece adds something else of value to the conversation. The Problem of the Mind The problem of the mind is … Read more
Why, God? Why? What prompts someone to write a 95,000+ word essay series and distribute it freely? By definition, a freely distributed essay offers little means for remuneration. And the odds of being recognized for this effort are likely between those of being struck by lightning while exploring a deep mine and those of being … Read more
Chinese Freedom: Creativity, Choice, and Innovation in a Closed State and a Global Economy The American impulse in times of change is generally expansive. Yes, the United States has had periods of isolationism, but these are few and far between. Conversely, the Chinese impulse is contractive. Neither instinct is bad, but both must be moderated … Read more
Fools’ Errands, Objectives, and Oversized Glasses There is a certain hopeful foolishness in any program to make the world a less awful place. Just as importantly, there is a confidence in one’s power and the power of one’s readers. The truly powerless can do nothing. They cannot so much as resign themselves to their fate, … Read more