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Aug 31, 2021Liked by John Birmingham

Probably George Lucas got it from Sun Tzu, but it totally fits: "The more you tighten your grip, the more star systems will fall slip your fingers".

And that's the thing that I don't get with authoritarianism. It's just so wasteful and pointless. The eastern bloc in the 70s and 80s couldn't sustain neighbours spying on neighbours. Because who's watching over those people's shoulders?

Yeah, you might have all those cctv cameras, and algorithms automating the flagging mechanisms, but the sheer level of false positives still means that there has to be a new and massive govt dept devoted to it.

And what sort of moral panic sparked this brain fart. Since human teenagers first threw rocks at each other, parents have worried about the fact this didn't happen when *they* were young. News-flash: it did. And granny and grandpa should just be quietly chortling to themselves about it.

Mrs W and I can't keep our 9 month old away from our smart phones. LittleW already knows how to swipe, tap (and lick) the screen. So the horse has bolted. It probably bolted a good six months ago or more. Our job will be to channel that ability. It certainly won't be the government's role.

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That's nothing to today's edict: no effeminate media. Because the 50's were so culturally productive? I agree with Dave W: why keep restricting your talent pool?

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*first!*

JB, I just finished stalins hammer for the first time, and at first, I gotta say I was a little underwhelmed until the final couple chapters of Paris. This isn't a complaint, just that I didn't know what I was getting into. At first I thought SH would be the start of a new trilogy. Then I eventually realized it's only the intermission between two trilogies. All in all an enjoyable read. A nice palate-cleanser for the mayhem and shenanigans to come. Am impatiently awaiting the next proper installment of the Axis of Time. Any clue on how much longer to wait? Ya know so I can prepare my wallet for its impending doom?

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