Such a shame that Coppola’s movie was bad. He was onto something there.

I remember liking GTA4 but getting burned out on its archaic in my view mission design.

Zuck puts out this weird “pick me” or “me too” energy lately, trying to fashion himself as one compatible with Trump’s world. His interest in Rome may precede Trump’s ascension to power, but his coming out is not a coincidence in my view. And yes, a fascination with Rome started as so many other things as an “innocent” meme and became a fascist dog-whistle.

Thanks for the correction, it’s Augustus Cesar. Still, what an odd connection. Good article btw.

Whether they are returned or not, truth is it will make no difference to any of my life concerns as a Greek. It will make the Acropolis museum a little more spectacular. And it may then bring a little more money than before. That’s it. So yeah, I support the return of all stolen treasures in principle, but the truth is that if they were ever returned it would be more cause for a brief swell of national pride and milked for what it’s worth by whichever government happens to be in place than anything of actual consequence.

Also, by having the artifacts stay at the British Museum, they bear testament to the massive scale extractive exploits of colonialism and how the fates of entire peoples have depended on the favor or disfavor of great powers. I kind of find it more embarrassing for the UK that they are keeping them and every time they refuse to return them it reminds me how rotten and racist the underbelly of western powers is, hidden not-so-well beneath a cultured and democratic veneer.

Yes, but Trump does represent a qualitative change. At least there was some consensus in Washington before him, both on domestic and international affairs. That made the US rather predictable. You knew where your values and interest met theirs and where they did not. That is no more. The US is now home to both some of the most forward thinking people and institutions and some of the most influential regressive beliefs. And all helmed by a fan of the latter and whose tempers change by the minute. The US is right now in some regards a bigger source of uncertainty than either Russia or China, erratic and extremely polarized as it has become. And it’s not only markets that hate prolonged uncertainty. Foreign governments and the people do too.

I still haven’t played GTA5. Does it hold up (single-player) all those years later?

Zuckerberg wears t-shirts comparing himself to Julius Caesar? Why is that every time I think I’m up-to-date on the latest weirdness there’s more of it?

Well that is probably where Trump and Musk are most alike.

Having spent much of my life around nerds, I do believe he may be dumbfounded by the reactions to his new role in MAGA. Nerds tend to be very good at some things by virtue of hyper-focusing on them, while simultaneously being oblivious to many others. Add to that the fact that his circles and social media feeds must be filled with MAGA ideology and fans for whom he can do no wrong and what you get is someone who’s probably feeling like he’s doing good.

Ok thanks. So not owned by Orban, just maybe connected to him. Good to know, I just wish people weren’t so keen to dismiss anything that might potentially endanger their world view. The article posted was actually debunking anti-Ukraine claims, so I see no evidence of propaganda in this instance. Not that I much cared for Euronews anyway, just saying.

What? How?