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151 results for “acerbicX2”
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Shine – Wrathcult Review By Grin ReaperSomething must be in the water over in Poland, because the country churns out quality death metal like few others. The phrase ‘Polish death metal’ always grabs my attention, whether it’s technical like early Decapitated, thrashy à la Vader, or as blackened as Behemoth. Such was the case when I espied Shine’s Wrathcult lying unclaimed in the promo bin. The invention of guitarist Tomasz Dobrzeniecki (ex-Hazael), Shine unleashes a Polished debut of blackened death, eliciting prompt comparisons to compatriots Hate and Behemoth. While both provide apt reference points, there’s an acerbic tunefulness that evokes At the Gates and Old Man’s Child, as well. Given the glamor of these benchmarks, does Wrathcult let a light Shine down on Poland’s latest blackened death metal opus?
If you give me a word to sum up Polish metal, I’ll say ‘conviction,’ which Wrathcult oozes with calculated rabidity. Whether brandishing steady chugs, rapid-fire trems, or slinky, groove-infested crawls, Shine feels focused and frothing with finely-tuned fire. Dobrzeniecki’s description of the music and lyrics pins the overarching inspiration of Wrathcult on pre-Christian beliefs and the arcane powers of primeval mysticism, specifically calling out the intersection of ‘Germanic, Norse, and Slavic mythology.’1 While it’s not a theme I would’ve divined on my own, this context adds helpful color once Shine shows me where to look. In particular, the clean singing (“The Lamb Against the Wolf”) and chanting (“The Horror of the Night”) sprinkled throughout Wrathcult often give proceedings a ritualistic zest, culminating in one of my favorite tracks, “The Necklace with Runes.” The clean drawl at the beginning is underscored by finely crafted, deeper vocal layers, and while I’m generally unmoved by rhythmic spoken word, singer Marek Krajcer’s performance reads as a ceremonial incantation, reinforcing Wrathcult’s primordial basis.2
Musically, Shine exhibits a cunning understanding of the crossroads between death metal, black metal, and melody. Besides the cleans, Krajcer projects a deathly growl that’s at once confident, scathing, and commandingly effective throughout Wrathcult. Guitarists Tomasz Dobrzeniecki and Mateusz Waśkiewicz supply equal doses of second-wave fervor and dulcet leads that are as barbed as they are captivating. Mid-album song “Oddajcie co moje” sports not only the hookiest melody of the bunch, but also contains one of the best bass grooves. Though subtle, Wojciech Gąsiorowski’s ambling bass-lines burble and thump with delightful heft, solidifying a resonant dimension on tracks “The Lamb Against the Wolf” and “Wrath of the Hammer.” With the high caliber of musicianship featuring on strings, an anemic drum performance could dull the entire showing. Thankfully, Paweł Duda seizes the opportunity with gusto, lashing his kit with precision strikes. Overall, Shine lays me on the ground with meaty, well-executed performances that belie Wrathcult’s debut status.
While many moments on Wrathcult fly me in the sky, a few aspects creep in and dim the power of Shine’s light. The production bolsters strong performances across the album, allowing proper room for each instrument to gleam—especially the bass. The forty-six-minute runtime keeps Wrathcult digestible, although riff repetition presents an opportunity to trim thirty-to-sixty seconds from several tracks for a tighter experience. And while Shine serves up several great jams on Wrathcult, a few weaker cuts create dips between the peaks of its strongest material. To be clear, there are no bad or inessential songs that I skip,3 but I do find myself waiting out some moments to get to better ones. Still, there’s variety in the songwriting that keeps affairs engaging and blood pumping through Shine’s blackened heart.
Shine’s Wrathcult should garner its fair share of devotees, living up to the high expectations of Polish blackened death. It’s taken many spins to unlock Wrathcult’s otherworldly secrets, and I’m of a mind that there are even more treasures to unearth. Anyone looking for melodious fury and a band with possibilities on the horizon should be paying attention. When I snatched Shine’s debut, I asked myself, ‘What will I find? Will love be there?’ While I can’t guarantee the same results for you, my answer is a resounding, ‘Yeah.’
Rating: Very Good!
#2026 #35 #AtTheGates #Behemoth #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #DarkDescentRecords #DeathMetal #Decapitated #Hate #Hazael #Jan26 #OldManSChild #PolishMetal #Review #Reviews #Shine #Vader #Wrathcult
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dark Descent Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 30th, 2026 -
Shine – Wrathcult Review By Grin ReaperSomething must be in the water over in Poland, because the country churns out quality death metal like few others. The phrase ‘Polish death metal’ always grabs my attention, whether it’s technical like early Decapitated, thrashy à la Vader, or as blackened as Behemoth. Such was the case when I espied Shine’s Wrathcult lying unclaimed in the promo bin. The invention of guitarist Tomasz Dobrzeniecki (ex-Hazael), Shine unleashes a Polished debut of blackened death, eliciting prompt comparisons to compatriots Hate and Behemoth. While both provide apt reference points, there’s an acerbic tunefulness that evokes At the Gates and Old Man’s Child, as well. Given the glamor of these benchmarks, does Wrathcult let a light Shine down on Poland’s latest blackened death metal opus?
If you give me a word to sum up Polish metal, I’ll say ‘conviction,’ which Wrathcult oozes with calculated rabidity. Whether brandishing steady chugs, rapid-fire trems, or slinky, groove-infested crawls, Shine feels focused and frothing with finely-tuned fire. Dobrzeniecki’s description of the music and lyrics pins the overarching inspiration of Wrathcult on pre-Christian beliefs and the arcane powers of primeval mysticism, specifically calling out the intersection of ‘Germanic, Norse, and Slavic mythology.’1 While it’s not a theme I would’ve divined on my own, this context adds helpful color once Shine shows me where to look. In particular, the clean singing (“The Lamb Against the Wolf”) and chanting (“The Horror of the Night”) sprinkled throughout Wrathcult often give proceedings a ritualistic zest, culminating in one of my favorite tracks, “The Necklace with Runes.” The clean drawl at the beginning is underscored by finely crafted, deeper vocal layers, and while I’m generally unmoved by rhythmic spoken word, singer Marek Krajcer’s performance reads as a ceremonial incantation, reinforcing Wrathcult’s primordial basis.2
Musically, Shine exhibits a cunning understanding of the crossroads between death metal, black metal, and melody. Besides the cleans, Krajcer projects a deathly growl that’s at once confident, scathing, and commandingly effective throughout Wrathcult. Guitarists Tomasz Dobrzeniecki and Mateusz Waśkiewicz supply equal doses of second-wave fervor and dulcet leads that are as barbed as they are captivating. Mid-album song “Oddajcie co moje” sports not only the hookiest melody of the bunch, but also contains one of the best bass grooves. Though subtle, Wojciech Gąsiorowski’s ambling bass-lines burble and thump with delightful heft, solidifying a resonant dimension on tracks “The Lamb Against the Wolf” and “Wrath of the Hammer.” With the high caliber of musicianship featuring on strings, an anemic drum performance could dull the entire showing. Thankfully, Paweł Duda seizes the opportunity with gusto, lashing his kit with precision strikes. Overall, Shine lays me on the ground with meaty, well-executed performances that belie Wrathcult’s debut status.
While many moments on Wrathcult fly me in the sky, a few aspects creep in and dim the power of Shine’s light. The production bolsters strong performances across the album, allowing proper room for each instrument to gleam—especially the bass. The forty-six-minute runtime keeps Wrathcult digestible, although riff repetition presents an opportunity to trim thirty-to-sixty seconds from several tracks for a tighter experience. And while Shine serves up several great jams on Wrathcult, a few weaker cuts create dips between the peaks of its strongest material. To be clear, there are no bad or inessential songs that I skip,3 but I do find myself waiting out some moments to get to better ones. Still, there’s variety in the songwriting that keeps affairs engaging and blood pumping through Shine’s blackened heart.
Shine’s Wrathcult should garner its fair share of devotees, living up to the high expectations of Polish blackened death. It’s taken many spins to unlock Wrathcult’s otherworldly secrets, and I’m of a mind that there are even more treasures to unearth. Anyone looking for melodious fury and a band with possibilities on the horizon should be paying attention. When I snatched Shine’s debut, I asked myself, ‘What will I find? Will love be there?’ While I can’t guarantee the same results for you, my answer is a resounding, ‘Yeah.’
Rating: Very Good!
#2026 #35 #AtTheGates #Behemoth #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #DarkDescentRecords #DeathMetal #Decapitated #Hate #Hazael #Jan26 #OldManSChild #PolishMetal #Review #Reviews #Shine #Vader #Wrathcult
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dark Descent Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 30th, 2026 -
Shine – Wrathcult Review By Grin ReaperSomething must be in the water over in Poland, because the country churns out quality death metal like few others. The phrase ‘Polish death metal’ always grabs my attention, whether it’s technical like early Decapitated, thrashy à la Vader, or as blackened as Behemoth. Such was the case when I espied Shine’s Wrathcult lying unclaimed in the promo bin. The invention of guitarist Tomasz Dobrzeniecki (ex-Hazael), Shine unleashes a Polished debut of blackened death, eliciting prompt comparisons to compatriots Hate and Behemoth. While both provide apt reference points, there’s an acerbic tunefulness that evokes At the Gates and Old Man’s Child, as well. Given the glamor of these benchmarks, does Wrathcult let a light Shine down on Poland’s latest blackened death metal opus?
If you give me a word to sum up Polish metal, I’ll say ‘conviction,’ which Wrathcult oozes with calculated rabidity. Whether brandishing steady chugs, rapid-fire trems, or slinky, groove-infested crawls, Shine feels focused and frothing with finely-tuned fire. Dobrzeniecki’s description of the music and lyrics pins the overarching inspiration of Wrathcult on pre-Christian beliefs and the arcane powers of primeval mysticism, specifically calling out the intersection of ‘Germanic, Norse, and Slavic mythology.’1 While it’s not a theme I would’ve divined on my own, this context adds helpful color once Shine shows me where to look. In particular, the clean singing (“The Lamb Against the Wolf”) and chanting (“The Horror of the Night”) sprinkled throughout Wrathcult often give proceedings a ritualistic zest, culminating in one of my favorite tracks, “The Necklace with Runes.” The clean drawl at the beginning is underscored by finely crafted, deeper vocal layers, and while I’m generally unmoved by rhythmic spoken word, singer Marek Krajcer’s performance reads as a ceremonial incantation, reinforcing Wrathcult’s primordial basis.2
Musically, Shine exhibits a cunning understanding of the crossroads between death metal, black metal, and melody. Besides the cleans, Krajcer projects a deathly growl that’s at once confident, scathing, and commandingly effective throughout Wrathcult. Guitarists Tomasz Dobrzeniecki and Mateusz Waśkiewicz supply equal doses of second-wave fervor and dulcet leads that are as barbed as they are captivating. Mid-album song “Oddajcie co moje” sports not only the hookiest melody of the bunch, but also contains one of the best bass grooves. Though subtle, Wojciech Gąsiorowski’s ambling bass-lines burble and thump with delightful heft, solidifying a resonant dimension on tracks “The Lamb Against the Wolf” and “Wrath of the Hammer.” With the high caliber of musicianship featuring on strings, an anemic drum performance could dull the entire showing. Thankfully, Paweł Duda seizes the opportunity with gusto, lashing his kit with precision strikes. Overall, Shine lays me on the ground with meaty, well-executed performances that belie Wrathcult’s debut status.
While many moments on Wrathcult fly me in the sky, a few aspects creep in and dim the power of Shine’s light. The production bolsters strong performances across the album, allowing proper room for each instrument to gleam—especially the bass. The forty-six-minute runtime keeps Wrathcult digestible, although riff repetition presents an opportunity to trim thirty-to-sixty seconds from several tracks for a tighter experience. And while Shine serves up several great jams on Wrathcult, a few weaker cuts create dips between the peaks of its strongest material. To be clear, there are no bad or inessential songs that I skip,3 but I do find myself waiting out some moments to get to better ones. Still, there’s variety in the songwriting that keeps affairs engaging and blood pumping through Shine’s blackened heart.
Shine’s Wrathcult should garner its fair share of devotees, living up to the high expectations of Polish blackened death. It’s taken many spins to unlock Wrathcult’s otherworldly secrets, and I’m of a mind that there are even more treasures to unearth. Anyone looking for melodious fury and a band with possibilities on the horizon should be paying attention. When I snatched Shine’s debut, I asked myself, ‘What will I find? Will love be there?’ While I can’t guarantee the same results for you, my answer is a resounding, ‘Yeah.’
Rating: Very Good!
#2026 #35 #AtTheGates #Behemoth #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #DarkDescentRecords #DeathMetal #Decapitated #Hate #Hazael #Jan26 #OldManSChild #PolishMetal #Review #Reviews #Shine #Vader #Wrathcult
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dark Descent Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 30th, 2026 -
We finished watching Down Cemetery Road [Apple TV] the other night. It's a gritty thriller written by Nick Herron - of Slow Horses fame - and features a similar vibe. Two women, played by Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, seek to find a young girl who has been abducted. They find themselves in a web of government deceit and conspiracy led by an acerbic mandarin of Whitehall and his ruthless, violent lackeys. Grim at times, but also with a bit of strong comedic streaks. The two female leads are outstanding, especially Emma Thompson, and it is worth watching for her alone. She is staggeringly good. And the series features some excellent alternative music (The theme song is ‘Woman’s Touch’ by Michelle Gurevich.) Highly recommended - four stars.
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Last night we watched The Roses [Prime Video], starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. It's a dark comedy about a happily married couple who become unhappily married when the husband falls on hard times and resentments surface. Didn't really enjoy it - the acrimony between them, while often witty, is rather too acerbic and horrible for me. But anything with Olivia Colman is always worth watching. She is superb - I could happily watch her watch paint drying. 3 out 5 stars for me.
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Last night we watched The Roses [Prime Video], starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. It's a dark comedy about a happily married couple who become unhappily married when the husband falls on hard times and resentments surface. Didn't really enjoy it - the acrimony between them, while often witty, is rather too acerbic and horrible for me. But anything with Olivia Colman is always worth watching. She is superb - I could happily watch her watch paint drying. 3 out 5 stars for me.
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Last night we watched The Roses [Prime Video], starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. It's a dark comedy about a happily married couple who become unhappily married when the husband falls on hard times and resentments surface. Didn't really enjoy it - the acrimony between them, while often witty, is rather too acerbic and horrible for me. But anything with Olivia Colman is always worth watching. She is superb - I could happily watch her watch paint drying. 3 out 5 stars for me.
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Last night we watched The Roses [Prime Video], starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. It's a dark comedy about a happily married couple who become unhappily married when the husband falls on hard times and resentments surface. Didn't really enjoy it - the acrimony between them, while often witty, is rather too acerbic and horrible for me. But anything with Olivia Colman is always worth watching. She is superb - I could happily watch her watch paint drying. 3 out 5 stars for me.
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Last night we watched The Roses [Prime Video], starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. It's a dark comedy about a happily married couple who become unhappily married when the husband falls on hard times and resentments surface. Didn't really enjoy it - the acrimony between them, while often witty, is rather too acerbic and horrible for me. But anything with Olivia Colman is always worth watching. She is superb - I could happily watch her watch paint drying. 3 out 5 stars for me.
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"A willingness to be conned as long as the illusion flatters our sense of self and our image of the future is a defining characteristic of our time. [...] In a country run by scam artists, all that’s left is the illusion of autonomy and control. Why wouldn’t people gravitate toward a car that similarly promises, however falsely, to make them powerful and free?"
Maya Vinokour's acerbic account of meeting the #Cybertruck
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/cybertruck-elon-musk-fail/
#cars #EVs #Tesla #Musk #tech #techFutures -
"Piggies" is a song by the English rock band #theBeatles from their 1968 album The Beatles (also known as the "White Album"). Written by #GeorgeHarrison as a #socialCommentary, the song serves as an #Orwellian satire on greed and consumerism. Among several elements it incorporates from #classicalMusic, the track features #harpsichord and #orchestralStrings in the #baroquePop style, which are contrasted by Harrison's acerbic lyrics and the sound of grunting pigs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0nzZ8-kIf0 -
#RIP Gary Indiana, the matchless novelist, essayist, and author. I was fortunate enough to have dinner with him one night in June 2022. His publisher Dan Simon set it up after I had expressed my love of his writing. Though his acerbic wit on the page made me a little nervous to meet him, in person that night he was gracious and funny.
http://randomcha.net/2024/10/24/rip-gary-indiana/
#garyindiana #authorgaryindiana #writing #depravedindifference #newyorkcity #sevenstories #sevenstoriespress #roysworldfilm
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#RIP Gary Indiana, the matchless novelist, essayist, and author. I was fortunate enough to have dinner with him one night in June 2022. His publisher Dan Simon set it up after I had expressed my love of his writing. Though his acerbic wit on the page made me a little nervous to meet him, in person that night he was gracious and funny.
http://randomcha.net/2024/10/24/rip-gary-indiana/
#garyindiana #authorgaryindiana #writing #depravedindifference #newyorkcity #sevenstories #sevenstoriespress #roysworldfilm
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#RIP Gary Indiana, the matchless novelist, essayist, and author. I was fortunate enough to have dinner with him one night in June 2022. His publisher Dan Simon set it up after I had expressed my love of his writing. Though his acerbic wit on the page made me a little nervous to meet him, in person that night he was gracious and funny.
http://randomcha.net/2024/10/24/rip-gary-indiana/
#garyindiana #authorgaryindiana #writing #depravedindifference #newyorkcity #sevenstories #sevenstoriespress #roysworldfilm
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#RIP Gary Indiana, the matchless novelist, essayist, and author. I was fortunate enough to have dinner with him one night in June 2022. His publisher Dan Simon set it up after I had expressed my love of his writing. Though his acerbic wit on the page made me a little nervous to meet him, in person that night he was gracious and funny.
http://randomcha.net/2024/10/24/rip-gary-indiana/
#garyindiana #authorgaryindiana #writing #depravedindifference #newyorkcity #sevenstories #sevenstoriespress #roysworldfilm
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#RIP Gary Indiana, the matchless novelist, essayist, and author. I was fortunate enough to have dinner with him one night in June 2022. His publisher Dan Simon set it up after I had expressed my love of his writing. Though his acerbic wit on the page made me a little nervous to meet him, in person that night he was gracious and funny.
http://randomcha.net/2024/10/24/rip-gary-indiana/
#garyindiana #authorgaryindiana #writing #depravedindifference #newyorkcity #sevenstories #sevenstoriespress #roysworldfilm
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Currently reading #LiberationDay by #GeorgeSaunders.
#Saunders is my favorite living writer, the winner of not only the 2017 #ManBookerPrize, but also a #MacArthur #GeniusGrant. If you haven't read anything by him yet, I recommend starting with the hilarious but acerbic short story #SeaOak, or the much gentler #Fox8.
#Slipstream #Fiction #ShortStory #Literature #Reading #Satire #BookerPrize
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Sunday Morning Reading
Good writing is good writing. But underneath the surface or the subject matter of good writing, you find subtext, perhaps buried, that surprises beyond the words on the page, the summaries, and the top lines that often reduce more than broaden. That’s the case with this week’s edition of Sunday Morning Reading. Read on, dig beneath, and enjoy.
First up, is a piece by film critic Sonny Bunch, discussing The Weird Right-Wing Freakout Over ‘They Odyssey’ Yes, it’s about casting and race and history and myths and all those things. On the surface a tired argument. Dig below the controversy, and you might find a morsel or two worth chewing on, but in reality only being upset about if you believe in exercising or conjuring demons through outrage. Maybe someday we’ll all eventually end up back where we started from. But like Odysseus, the homecoming might feel as hazardous as the journey we’re putting ourselves through to get there.
Things are certainly screwed up in U.S. Politics, but we’re not alone. In fact, we’ve got more than enough company. Great Britain is having its moment as well. Ian Dunt’s piece There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is one heckuva piece of writing that beneath the stormy surface of British politics, points to the problems far and wide and far below, regardless of what flag your ship might be flying when it sinks.
The trial between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over OpenAI and whatever the hell all of that means, sounds like a circus where the clowns won’t leave the center ring. M.G. Siegler takes a look at some of the shenanigans in Take Me Down To The “Amateur City.”
Rex Reed was, if nothing else, a show into and of himself as a film critic. I always found him both entertaining and I occasionally agreed with his acerbic criticism. For better or worse he set a standard that presaged much of what passes for criticism today. He passed away this week. Merin Curotto has written quite a remembrance piece that’s so much more than about the one man. The Rex Reed I Knew (1938-2026) is worth a read even if you weren’t a fan or don’t have any sense of who Rex Reed was.
Alessandra Ram explores what happens when you might be married to a man who is smitten with AI in Meet The Sad Wives Of AI. I think this could also apply across any way the genders choose to partner. I’m sure there’s a promise out there somewhere that AI will fix all of this. Right?
Chicago baseball is having a moment with both of its major league teams doing reasonably well and playing each other in the Crosstown Classic. There were and are great expectations for the Chicago Cubs, not so much for the Chicago White Sox, which is why the exciting level of play on the South Side is capturing some of the North Siders glow. In the midst of all of that, this week marked the passing of Sam Sianis, the legendary owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, who placed a curse on the Chicago Cubs back in 1945 when the owner wouldn’t let him bring his goat into the stadium. Paul Sullivan has a great write up on the history, the myths, and the lore. Check out Sam Sianis And The Curse Of The Billy Goat Remind Chicago Fans Why We Love Baseball And It’s Myths.
When you do look beneath the surface of a moment, a life, an obituary, or perhaps even the remains of what’s left, sometimes you find more than you might have imagined. Archaeologists Find Egyptian Mummy Buried With The ‘Iliad’ by Franz Lidz tells such a tale. Homer says, “the sort of words a man says is the sort he hears in return.”
I’ll add, the sort one reads to that as well.
(Photo by the author)
If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. If you’d like more click on the Sunday Morning Reading link in the category column to check out what’s been shared on Sunday’s past. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. This site does not use affilate links.
#ai #ArtificialIntelligence #BillyGoatTavern #Chicago #ChicagoCubs #Film #History #philosophy #Poetry #Politics #religion #RexReed #SamSianis #SundayMorningReading #Writing -
Sunday Morning Reading
Good writing is good writing. But underneath the surface or the subject matter of good writing, you find subtext, perhaps buried, that surprises beyond the words on the page, the summaries, and the top lines that often reduce more than broaden. That’s the case with this week’s edition of Sunday Morning Reading. Read on, dig beneath, and enjoy.
First up, is a piece by film critic Sonny Bunch, discussing The Weird Right-Wing Freakout Over ‘They Odyssey’ Yes, it’s about casting and race and history and myths and all those things. On the surface a tired argument. Dig below the controversy, and you might find a morsel or two worth chewing on, but in reality only being upset about if you believe in exercising or conjuring demons through outrage. Maybe someday we’ll all eventually end up back where we started from. But like Odysseus, the homecoming might feel as hazardous as the journey we’re putting ourselves through to get there.
Things are certainly screwed up in U.S. Politics, but we’re not alone. In fact, we’ve got more than enough company. Great Britain is having its moment as well. Ian Dunt’s piece There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is one heckuva piece of writing that beneath the stormy surface of British politics, points to the problems far and wide and far below, regardless of what flag your ship might be flying when it sinks.
The trial between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over OpenAI and whatever the hell all of that means, sounds like a circus where the clowns won’t leave the center ring. M.G. Siegler takes a look at some of the shenanigans in Take Me Down To The “Amateur City.”
Rex Reed was, if nothing else, a show into and of himself as a film critic. I always found him both entertaining and I occasionally agreed with his acerbic criticism. For better or worse he set a standard that presaged much of what passes for criticism today. He passed away this week. Merin Curotto has written quite a remembrance piece that’s so much more than about the one man. The Rex Reed I Knew (1938-2026) is worth a read even if you weren’t a fan or don’t have any sense of who Rex Reed was.
Alessandra Ram explores what happens when you might be married to a man who is smitten with AI in Meet The Sad Wives Of AI. I think this could also apply across any way the genders choose to partner. I’m sure there’s a promise out there somewhere that AI will fix all of this. Right?
Chicago baseball is having a moment with both of its major league teams doing reasonably well and playing each other in the Crosstown Classic. There were and are great expectations for the Chicago Cubs, not so much for the Chicago White Sox, which is why the exciting level of play on the South Side is capturing some of the North Siders glow. In the midst of all of that, this week marked the passing of Sam Sianis, the legendary owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, who placed a curse on the Chicago Cubs back in 1945 when the owner wouldn’t let him bring his goat into the stadium. Paul Sullivan has a great write up on the history, the myths, and the lore. Check out Sam Sianis And The Curse Of The Billy Goat Remind Chicago Fans Why We Love Baseball And It’s Myths.
When you do look beneath the surface of a moment, a life, an obituary, or perhaps even the remains of what’s left, sometimes you find more than you might have imagined. Archaeologists Find Egyptian Mummy Buried With The ‘Iliad’ by Franz Lidz tells such a tale. Homer says, “the sort of words a man says is the sort he hears in return.”
I’ll add, the sort one reads to that as well.
(Photo by the author)
If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. If you’d like more click on the Sunday Morning Reading link in the category column to check out what’s been shared on Sunday’s past. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. This site does not use affilate links.
#ai #ArtificialIntelligence #BillyGoatTavern #Chicago #ChicagoCubs #Film #History #philosophy #Poetry #Politics #religion #RexReed #SamSianis #SundayMorningReading #Writing -
Sunday Morning Reading
Good writing is good writing. But underneath the surface or the subject matter of good writing, you find subtext, perhaps buried, that surprises beyond the words on the page, the summaries, and the top lines that often reduce more than broaden. That’s the case with this week’s edition of Sunday Morning Reading. Read on, dig beneath, and enjoy.
First up, is a piece by film critic Sonny Bunch, discussing The Weird Right-Wing Freakout Over ‘They Odyssey’ Yes, it’s about casting and race and history and myths and all those things. On the surface a tired argument. Dig below the controversy, and you might find a morsel or two worth chewing on, but in reality only being upset about if you believe in exercising or conjuring demons through outrage. Maybe someday we’ll all eventually end up back where we started from. But like Odysseus, the homecoming might feel as hazardous as the journey we’re putting ourselves through to get there.
Things are certainly screwed up in U.S. Politics, but we’re not alone. In fact, we’ve got more than enough company. Great Britain is having its moment as well. Ian Dunt’s piece There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is one heckuva piece of writing that beneath the stormy surface of British politics, points to the problems far and wide and far below, regardless of what flag your ship might be flying when it sinks.
The trial between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over OpenAI and whatever the hell all of that means, sounds like a circus where the clowns won’t leave the center ring. M.G. Siegler takes a look at some of the shenanigans in Take Me Down To The “Amateur City.”
Rex Reed was, if nothing else, a show into and of himself as a film critic. I always found him both entertaining and I occasionally agreed with his acerbic criticism. For better or worse he set a standard that presaged much of what passes for criticism today. He passed away this week. Merin Curotto has written quite a remembrance piece that’s so much more than about the one man. The Rex Reed I Knew (1938-2026) is worth a read even if you weren’t a fan or don’t have any sense of who Rex Reed was.
Alessandra Ram explores what happens when you might be married to a man who is smitten with AI in Meet The Sad Wives Of AI. I think this could also apply across any way the genders choose to partner. I’m sure there’s a promise out there somewhere that AI will fix all of this. Right?
Chicago baseball is having a moment with both of its major league teams doing reasonably well and playing each other in the Crosstown Classic. There were and are great expectations for the Chicago Cubs, not so much for the Chicago White Sox, which is why the exciting level of play on the South Side is capturing some of the North Siders glow. In the midst of all of that, this week marked the passing of Sam Sianis, the legendary owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, who placed a curse on the Chicago Cubs back in 1945 when the owner wouldn’t let him bring his goat into the stadium. Paul Sullivan has a great write up on the history, the myths, and the lore. Check out Sam Sianis And The Curse Of The Billy Goat Remind Chicago Fans Why We Love Baseball And It’s Myths.
When you do look beneath the surface of a moment, a life, an obituary, or perhaps even the remains of what’s left, sometimes you find more than you might have imagined. Archaeologists Find Egyptian Mummy Buried With The ‘Iliad’ by Franz Lidz tells such a tale. Homer says, “the sort of words a man says is the sort he hears in return.”
I’ll add, the sort one reads to that as well.
(Photo by the author)
If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. If you’d like more click on the Sunday Morning Reading link in the category column to check out what’s been shared on Sunday’s past. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. This site does not use affilate links.
#ai #ArtificialIntelligence #BillyGoatTavern #Chicago #ChicagoCubs #Film #History #philosophy #Poetry #Politics #religion #RexReed #SamSianis #SundayMorningReading #Writing -
Sunday Morning Reading
Good writing is good writing. But underneath the surface or the subject matter of good writing, you find subtext, perhaps buried, that surprises beyond the words on the page, the summaries, and the top lines that often reduce more than broaden. That’s the case with this week’s edition of Sunday Morning Reading. Read on, dig beneath, and enjoy.
First up, is a piece by film critic Sonny Bunch, discussing The Weird Right-Wing Freakout Over ‘They Odyssey’ Yes, it’s about casting and race and history and myths and all those things. On the surface a tired argument. Dig below the controversy, and you might find a morsel or two worth chewing on, but in reality only being upset about if you believe in exercising or conjuring demons through outrage. Maybe someday we’ll all eventually end up back where we started from. But like Odysseus, the homecoming might feel as hazardous as the journey we’re putting ourselves through to get there.
Things are certainly screwed up in U.S. Politics, but we’re not alone. In fact, we’ve got more than enough company. Great Britain is having its moment as well. Ian Dunt’s piece There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is one heckuva piece of writing that beneath the stormy surface of British politics, points to the problems far and wide and far below, regardless of what flag your ship might be flying when it sinks.
The trial between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over OpenAI and whatever the hell all of that means, sounds like a circus where the clowns won’t leave the center ring. M.G. Siegler takes a look at some of the shenanigans in Take Me Down To The “Amateur City.”
Rex Reed was, if nothing else, a show into and of himself as a film critic. I always found him both entertaining and I occasionally agreed with his acerbic criticism. For better or worse he set a standard that presaged much of what passes for criticism today. He passed away this week. Merin Curotto has written quite a remembrance piece that’s so much more than about the one man. The Rex Reed I Knew (1938-2026) is worth a read even if you weren’t a fan or don’t have any sense of who Rex Reed was.
Alessandra Ram explores what happens when you might be married to a man who is smitten with AI in Meet The Sad Wives Of AI. I think this could also apply across any way the genders choose to partner. I’m sure there’s a promise out there somewhere that AI will fix all of this. Right?
Chicago baseball is having a moment with both of its major league teams doing reasonably well and playing each other in the Crosstown Classic. There were and are great expectations for the Chicago Cubs, not so much for the Chicago White Sox, which is why the exciting level of play on the South Side is capturing some of the North Siders glow. In the midst of all of that, this week marked the passing of Sam Sianis, the legendary owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, who placed a curse on the Chicago Cubs back in 1945 when the owner wouldn’t let him bring his goat into the stadium. Paul Sullivan has a great write up on the history, the myths, and the lore. Check out Sam Sianis And The Curse Of The Billy Goat Remind Chicago Fans Why We Love Baseball And It’s Myths.
When you do look beneath the surface of a moment, a life, an obituary, or perhaps even the remains of what’s left, sometimes you find more than you might have imagined. Archaeologists Find Egyptian Mummy Buried With The ‘Iliad’ by Franz Lidz tells such a tale. Homer says, “the sort of words a man says is the sort he hears in return.”
I’ll add, the sort one reads to that as well.
(Photo by the author)
If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. If you’d like more click on the Sunday Morning Reading link in the category column to check out what’s been shared on Sunday’s past. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. This site does not use affilate links.
#ai #ArtificialIntelligence #BillyGoatTavern #Chicago #ChicagoCubs #Film #History #philosophy #Poetry #Politics #religion #RexReed #SamSianis #SundayMorningReading #Writing -
Sunday Morning Reading
Good writing is good writing. But underneath the surface or the subject matter of good writing, you find subtext, perhaps buried, that surprises beyond the words on the page, the summaries, and the top lines that often reduce more than broaden. That’s the case with this week’s edition of Sunday Morning Reading. Read on, dig beneath, and enjoy.
First up, is a piece by film critic Sonny Bunch, discussing The Weird Right-Wing Freakout Over ‘They Odyssey’ Yes, it’s about casting and race and history and myths and all those things. On the surface a tired argument. Dig below the controversy, and you might find a morsel or two worth chewing on, but in reality only being upset about if you believe in exercising or conjuring demons through outrage. Maybe someday we’ll all eventually end up back where we started from. But like Odysseus, the homecoming might feel as hazardous as the journey we’re putting ourselves through to get there.
Things are certainly screwed up in U.S. Politics, but we’re not alone. In fact, we’ve got more than enough company. Great Britain is having its moment as well. Ian Dunt’s piece There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is one heckuva piece of writing that beneath the stormy surface of British politics, points to the problems far and wide and far below, regardless of what flag your ship might be flying when it sinks.
The trial between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over OpenAI and whatever the hell all of that means, sounds like a circus where the clowns won’t leave the center ring. M.G. Siegler takes a look at some of the shenanigans in Take Me Down To The “Amateur City.”
Rex Reed was, if nothing else, a show into and of himself as a film critic. I always found him both entertaining and I occasionally agreed with his acerbic criticism. For better or worse he set a standard that presaged much of what passes for criticism today. He passed away this week. Merin Curotto has written quite a remembrance piece that’s so much more than about the one man. The Rex Reed I Knew (1938-2026) is worth a read even if you weren’t a fan or don’t have any sense of who Rex Reed was.
Alessandra Ram explores what happens when you might be married to a man who is smitten with AI in Meet The Sad Wives Of AI. I think this could also apply across any way the genders choose to partner. I’m sure there’s a promise out there somewhere that AI will fix all of this. Right?
Chicago baseball is having a moment with both of its major league teams doing reasonably well and playing each other in the Crosstown Classic. There were and are great expectations for the Chicago Cubs, not so much for the Chicago White Sox, which is why the exciting level of play on the South Side is capturing some of the North Siders glow. In the midst of all of that, this week marked the passing of Sam Sianis, the legendary owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, who placed a curse on the Chicago Cubs back in 1945 when the owner wouldn’t let him bring his goat into the stadium. Paul Sullivan has a great write up on the history, the myths, and the lore. Check out Sam Sianis And The Curse Of The Billy Goat Remind Chicago Fans Why We Love Baseball And It’s Myths.
When you do look beneath the surface of a moment, a life, an obituary, or perhaps even the remains of what’s left, sometimes you find more than you might have imagined. Archaeologists Find Egyptian Mummy Buried With The ‘Iliad’ by Franz Lidz tells such a tale. Homer says, “the sort of words a man says is the sort he hears in return.”
I’ll add, the sort one reads to that as well.
(Photo by the author)
If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. If you’d like more click on the Sunday Morning Reading link in the category column to check out what’s been shared on Sunday’s past. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. This site does not use affilate links.
#ai #ArtificialIntelligence #BillyGoatTavern #Chicago #ChicagoCubs #Film #History #philosophy #Poetry #Politics #religion #RexReed #SamSianis #SundayMorningReading #Writing -
Arroganz – Death Doom Punks Review By Andy-War-HallOnce, punk ruled my heart as jealously as metal. I loved the heart-in-hand abandon and DIY ethos of acts like Rise Against, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, and Descendants,1 and though I still do metal nonetheless won out as my root genre. But punk and metal have always overlapped, and when the two offshoots of rock tango together, great things can happen.2 German death metallers Arroganz have been carrying out this uneasy marriage since 2008, dropping six testaments of metallic brutality and punkish rebellion over the years. Longtime bassist/vocalist -K- and drummer -T- are joined by the newcomer guitarist -B- for lucky number seven, Death Doom Punks, a declaration of purpose if there’s ever been one. I love the attitude, but an album can’t live by ‘tude alone. Will Arroganz’s infusion of punkish qualities into the death metal elevate Death Doom Punks, or will it merely spell death/doom for these punks?
Other bands have put death riffs over d-beats before, but Arroganz channel early Immolation/Death through Black Flag/Discharge-like hardcore grime in a way that feels particularly vital on Death Doom Punks. Whether through blistering speeds like on “Pain Forged Armor” or diabolical groove on “Anti-Ideology,” Arroganz’s knack for aggressive and catchy riffcraft keeps a near-constant stankface plastered over my skull. Classic death metal walking riffs meet soaring doom bass leads on “Die for Nothing,” while “Death Doom Punks” marries hardcore and doom into a gloomy, potent combo that reminded me that Caskets Open exists. Songs on Death Doom Punks are brief and intentionally simple, but hear the spider-y basslines on “Earth’s Final Dose,” the gigantic belting and bass-work over “Under Scarred Skin,” or the gnarly death march of “Spirit Arsonist” and know that Arroganz supercharged everything they wrote with everything they had. Simply, Death Doom Punks is what it says it is, and it’s awesome.
That Death Doom Punks is Arroganz’s seventh album is no surprise, as their chemistry and chops are something else. Rhythmically, Arroganz seamlessly slide into a snarling breakdown one moment on “Arsenic Breath” and throw down thrash stampedes the next on “Incubus’ Veins.” -K- is a beast of a bassist and vocalist, littering Death Doom Punks with nimble and concussive bass riffs and punk-influenced leads while bellowing throaty, acerbic condemnations of society. -B- fits Arroganz like a fingerless glove, clobbering Death Doom Punks with crushing grooves on the title track,3 gnarled and disjointed leads on “Pain Forged Armor,” and entwining leads with -K-‘s bass licks on “Arsenic Breath.” Arroganz play well together, and Death Doom Punk’s organic production and surprisingly dynamic mix make it apparent. The snare pop right, the bass warbles and clicks right, the guitar is crunchy and deep and everything sits just right in the mix. Arroganz may be no-good punks, but Death Doom Punks is clearly the product of adamant professionals and experts of their craft.
Arroganz’s most critical success is in knowing when to switch something up. Again, Death Doom Punks’ songs are on the simple side, but Arroganz shuffle through riffs, refrains, and bridges often enough to spare the listener from boredom while affording ideas enough time to settle to save themselves from riff salad. Frequent tempo shifts electrify Death Doom Punks further, spinning “Spirit Arsonist”‘s plodding bass riff into a total death metal meltdown and opening “Die for Nothing”‘s relentless show of force in the bridge for a righteous display of bass-forward doom. Conversely, the relatively static one-two combo of “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” mark Death Doom Punk’s low point. Though -K-‘s screams sound more cutting than usual on “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” features some slick fills from -T-, they don’t offer as much diversity as the other tracks and feel a bit one-track as a result. But that stretch is an exception to the rule of Death Doom Punks, which is largely a wild ride front-to-back.
Death Doom Punks sees ass, and it kicks it, no questions asked. I had never heard a lick of Arroganz before diving into Death Doom Punks—the title just sounded funny to me—but they’ve quickly made a fan of me over the weeks. The riffs are relentless. The hooks are huge. Did I mention the bass lines rock? Arroganz are simply a potent entity who know who they are and what they do well, and it comes through on Death Doom Punks. You should know it, too.
Rating: Very Good
#2026 #35 #Arroganz #BadReligion #BlackFlag #CasketsOpen #Death #DeathDoomPunks #DeathMetal #Descendants #Discharge #DoomMetal #GermanMetal #GreenDay #Immolation #May26 #Pantera #Punk #Review #Reviews #RiseAgainst #SocialDistortion #TestimonyRecords
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Testimony Records
Websites: arroganz.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/arroganzgermany | www.arroganz.info
Releases Worldwide: May 15th, 2026 -
Arroganz – Death Doom Punks Review By Andy-War-HallOnce, punk ruled my heart as jealously as metal. I loved the heart-in-hand abandon and DIY ethos of acts like Rise Against, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, and Descendants,1 and though I still do metal nonetheless won out as my root genre. But punk and metal have always overlapped, and when the two offshoots of rock tango together, great things can happen.2 German death metallers Arroganz have been carrying out this uneasy marriage since 2008, dropping six testaments of metallic brutality and punkish rebellion over the years. Longtime bassist/vocalist -K- and drummer -T- are joined by the newcomer guitarist -B- for lucky number seven, Death Doom Punks, a declaration of purpose if there’s ever been one. I love the attitude, but an album can’t live by ‘tude alone. Will Arroganz’s infusion of punkish qualities into the death metal elevate Death Doom Punks, or will it merely spell death/doom for these punks?
Other bands have put death riffs over d-beats before, but Arroganz channel early Immolation/Death through Black Flag/Discharge-like hardcore grime in a way that feels particularly vital on Death Doom Punks. Whether through blistering speeds like on “Pain Forged Armor” or diabolical groove on “Anti-Ideology,” Arroganz’s knack for aggressive and catchy riffcraft keeps a near-constant stankface plastered over my skull. Classic death metal walking riffs meet soaring doom bass leads on “Die for Nothing,” while “Death Doom Punks” marries hardcore and doom into a gloomy, potent combo that reminded me that Caskets Open exists. Songs on Death Doom Punks are brief and intentionally simple, but hear the spider-y basslines on “Earth’s Final Dose,” the gigantic belting and bass-work over “Under Scarred Skin,” or the gnarly death march of “Spirit Arsonist” and know that Arroganz supercharged everything they wrote with everything they had. Simply, Death Doom Punks is what it says it is, and it’s awesome.
That Death Doom Punks is Arroganz’s seventh album is no surprise, as their chemistry and chops are something else. Rhythmically, Arroganz seamlessly slide into a snarling breakdown one moment on “Arsenic Breath” and throw down thrash stampedes the next on “Incubus’ Veins.” -K- is a beast of a bassist and vocalist, littering Death Doom Punks with nimble and concussive bass riffs and punk-influenced leads while bellowing throaty, acerbic condemnations of society. -B- fits Arroganz like a fingerless glove, clobbering Death Doom Punks with crushing grooves on the title track,3 gnarled and disjointed leads on “Pain Forged Armor,” and entwining leads with -K-‘s bass licks on “Arsenic Breath.” Arroganz play well together, and Death Doom Punk’s organic production and surprisingly dynamic mix make it apparent. The snare pop right, the bass warbles and clicks right, the guitar is crunchy and deep and everything sits just right in the mix. Arroganz may be no-good punks, but Death Doom Punks is clearly the product of adamant professionals and experts of their craft.
Arroganz’s most critical success is in knowing when to switch something up. Again, Death Doom Punks’ songs are on the simple side, but Arroganz shuffle through riffs, refrains, and bridges often enough to spare the listener from boredom while affording ideas enough time to settle to save themselves from riff salad. Frequent tempo shifts electrify Death Doom Punks further, spinning “Spirit Arsonist”‘s plodding bass riff into a total death metal meltdown and opening “Die for Nothing”‘s relentless show of force in the bridge for a righteous display of bass-forward doom. Conversely, the relatively static one-two combo of “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” mark Death Doom Punk’s low point. Though -K-‘s screams sound more cutting than usual on “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” features some slick fills from -T-, they don’t offer as much diversity as the other tracks and feel a bit one-track as a result. But that stretch is an exception to the rule of Death Doom Punks, which is largely a wild ride front-to-back.
Death Doom Punks sees ass, and it kicks it, no questions asked. I had never heard a lick of Arroganz before diving into Death Doom Punks—the title just sounded funny to me—but they’ve quickly made a fan of me over the weeks. The riffs are relentless. The hooks are huge. Did I mention the bass lines rock? Arroganz are simply a potent entity who know who they are and what they do well, and it comes through on Death Doom Punks. You should know it, too.
Rating: Very Good
#2026 #35 #Arroganz #BadReligion #BlackFlag #CasketsOpen #Death #DeathDoomPunks #DeathMetal #Descendants #Discharge #DoomMetal #GermanMetal #GreenDay #Immolation #May26 #Pantera #Punk #Review #Reviews #RiseAgainst #SocialDistortion #TestimonyRecords
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Testimony Records
Websites: arroganz.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/arroganzgermany | www.arroganz.info
Releases Worldwide: May 15th, 2026 -
Arroganz – Death Doom Punks Review By Andy-War-Hall
Once, punk ruled my heart as jealously as metal. I loved the heart-in-hand abandon and DIY ethos of acts like Rise Against, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, and Descendants,1 and though I still do metal nonetheless won out as my root genre. But punk and metal have always overlapped, and when the two offshoots of rock tango together, great things can happen.2 German death metallers Arroganz have been carrying out this uneasy marriage since 2008, dropping six testaments of metallic brutality and punkish rebellion over the years. Longtime bassist/vocalist -K- and drummer -T- are joined by the newcomer guitarist -B- for lucky number seven, Death Doom Punks, a declaration of purpose if there’s ever been one. I love the attitude, but an album can’t live by ‘tude alone. Will Arroganz’s infusion of punkish qualities into the death metal elevate Death Doom Punks, or will it merely spell death/doom for these punks?
Other bands have put death riffs over d-beats before, but Arroganz channel early Immolation/Death through Black Flag/Discharge-like hardcore grime in a way that feels particularly vital on Death Doom Punks. Whether through blistering speeds like on “Pain Forged Armor” or diabolical groove on “Anti-Ideology,” Arroganz’s knack for aggressive and catchy riffcraft keeps a near-constant stankface plastered over my skull. Classic death metal walking riffs meet soaring doom bass leads on “Die for Nothing,” while “Death Doom Punks” marries hardcore and doom into a gloomy, potent combo that reminded me that Caskets Open exists. Songs on Death Doom Punks are brief and intentionally simple, but hear the spider-y basslines on “Earth’s Final Dose,” the gigantic belting and bass-work over “Under Scarred Skin,” or the gnarly death march of “Spirit Arsonist” and know that Arroganz supercharged everything they wrote with everything they had. Simply, Death Doom Punks is what it says it is, and it’s awesome.
That Death Doom Punks is Arroganz’s seventh album is no surprise, as their chemistry and chops are something else. Rhythmically, Arroganz seamlessly slide into a snarling breakdown one moment on “Arsenic Breath” and throw down thrash stampedes the next on “Incubus’ Veins.” -K- is a beast of a bassist and vocalist, littering Death Doom Punks with nimble and concussive bass riffs and punk-influenced leads while bellowing throaty, acerbic condemnations of society. -B- fits Arroganz like a fingerless glove, clobbering Death Doom Punks with crushing grooves on the title track,3 gnarled and disjointed leads on “Pain Forged Armor,” and entwining leads with -K-‘s bass licks on “Arsenic Breath.” Arroganz play well together, and Death Doom Punk’s organic production and surprisingly dynamic mix make it apparent. The snare pop right, the bass warbles and clicks right, the guitar is crunchy and deep and everything sits just right in the mix. Arroganz may be no-good punks, but Death Doom Punks is clearly the product of adamant professionals and experts of their craft.
Arroganz’s most critical success is in knowing when to switch something up. Again, Death Doom Punks’ songs are on the simple side, but Arroganz shuffle through riffs, refrains, and bridges often enough to spare the listener from boredom while affording ideas enough time to settle to save themselves from riff salad. Frequent tempo shifts electrify Death Doom Punks further, spinning “Spirit Arsonist”‘s plodding bass riff into a total death metal meltdown and opening “Die for Nothing”‘s relentless show of force in the bridge for a righteous display of bass-forward doom. Conversely, the relatively static one-two combo of “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” mark Death Doom Punk’s low point. Though -K-‘s screams sound more cutting than usual on “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” features some slick fills from -T-, they don’t offer as much diversity as the other tracks and feel a bit one-track as a result. But that stretch is an exception to the rule of Death Doom Punks, which is largely a wild ride front-to-back.
Death Doom Punks sees ass, and it kicks it, no questions asked. I had never heard a lick of Arroganz before diving into Death Doom Punks—the title just sounded funny to me—but they’ve quickly made a fan of me over the weeks. The riffs are relentless. The hooks are huge. Did I mention the bass lines rock? Arroganz are simply a potent entity who know who they are and what they do well, and it comes through on Death Doom Punks. You should know it, too.
Rating: Very Good
#2026 #35 #Arroganz #BadReligion #BlackFlag #CasketsOpen #Death #DeathDoomPunks #DeathMetal #Descendants #Discharge #DoomMetal #GermanMetal #GreenDay #Immolation #May26 #Pantera #Punk #Review #Reviews #RiseAgainst #SocialDistortion #TestimonyRecords
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Testimony Records
Websites: arroganz.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/arroganzgermany | www.arroganz.info
Releases Worldwide: May 15th, 2026 -
Arroganz – Death Doom Punks Review By Andy-War-Hall
Once, punk ruled my heart as jealously as metal. I loved the heart-in-hand abandon and DIY ethos of acts like Rise Against, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, and Descendants,1 and though I still do metal nonetheless won out as my root genre. But punk and metal have always overlapped, and when the two offshoots of rock tango together, great things can happen.2 German death metallers Arroganz have been carrying out this uneasy marriage since 2008, dropping six testaments of metallic brutality and punkish rebellion over the years. Longtime bassist/vocalist -K- and drummer -T- are joined by the newcomer guitarist -B- for lucky number seven, Death Doom Punks, a declaration of purpose if there’s ever been one. I love the attitude, but an album can’t live by ‘tude alone. Will Arroganz’s infusion of punkish qualities into the death metal elevate Death Doom Punks, or will it merely spell death/doom for these punks?
Other bands have put death riffs over d-beats before, but Arroganz channel early Immolation/Death through Black Flag/Discharge-like hardcore grime in a way that feels particularly vital on Death Doom Punks. Whether through blistering speeds like on “Pain Forged Armor” or diabolical groove on “Anti-Ideology,” Arroganz’s knack for aggressive and catchy riffcraft keeps a near-constant stankface plastered over my skull. Classic death metal walking riffs meet soaring doom bass leads on “Die for Nothing,” while “Death Doom Punks” marries hardcore and doom into a gloomy, potent combo that reminded me that Caskets Open exists. Songs on Death Doom Punks are brief and intentionally simple, but hear the spider-y basslines on “Earth’s Final Dose,” the gigantic belting and bass-work over “Under Scarred Skin,” or the gnarly death march of “Spirit Arsonist” and know that Arroganz supercharged everything they wrote with everything they had. Simply, Death Doom Punks is what it says it is, and it’s awesome.
That Death Doom Punks is Arroganz’s seventh album is no surprise, as their chemistry and chops are something else. Rhythmically, Arroganz seamlessly slide into a snarling breakdown one moment on “Arsenic Breath” and throw down thrash stampedes the next on “Incubus’ Veins.” -K- is a beast of a bassist and vocalist, littering Death Doom Punks with nimble and concussive bass riffs and punk-influenced leads while bellowing throaty, acerbic condemnations of society. -B- fits Arroganz like a fingerless glove, clobbering Death Doom Punks with crushing grooves on the title track,3 gnarled and disjointed leads on “Pain Forged Armor,” and entwining leads with -K-‘s bass licks on “Arsenic Breath.” Arroganz play well together, and Death Doom Punk’s organic production and surprisingly dynamic mix make it apparent. The snare pop right, the bass warbles and clicks right, the guitar is crunchy and deep and everything sits just right in the mix. Arroganz may be no-good punks, but Death Doom Punks is clearly the product of adamant professionals and experts of their craft.
Arroganz’s most critical success is in knowing when to switch something up. Again, Death Doom Punks’ songs are on the simple side, but Arroganz shuffle through riffs, refrains, and bridges often enough to spare the listener from boredom while affording ideas enough time to settle to save themselves from riff salad. Frequent tempo shifts electrify Death Doom Punks further, spinning “Spirit Arsonist”‘s plodding bass riff into a total death metal meltdown and opening “Die for Nothing”‘s relentless show of force in the bridge for a righteous display of bass-forward doom. Conversely, the relatively static one-two combo of “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” mark Death Doom Punk’s low point. Though -K-‘s screams sound more cutting than usual on “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” features some slick fills from -T-, they don’t offer as much diversity as the other tracks and feel a bit one-track as a result. But that stretch is an exception to the rule of Death Doom Punks, which is largely a wild ride front-to-back.
Death Doom Punks sees ass, and it kicks it, no questions asked. I had never heard a lick of Arroganz before diving into Death Doom Punks—the title just sounded funny to me—but they’ve quickly made a fan of me over the weeks. The riffs are relentless. The hooks are huge. Did I mention the bass lines rock? Arroganz are simply a potent entity who know who they are and what they do well, and it comes through on Death Doom Punks. You should know it, too.
Rating: Very Good
#2026 #35 #Arroganz #BadReligion #BlackFlag #CasketsOpen #Death #DeathDoomPunks #DeathMetal #Descendants #Discharge #DoomMetal #GermanMetal #GreenDay #Immolation #May26 #Pantera #Punk #Review #Reviews #RiseAgainst #SocialDistortion #TestimonyRecords
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Testimony Records
Websites: arroganz.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/arroganzgermany | www.arroganz.info
Releases Worldwide: May 15th, 2026 -
Arroganz – Death Doom Punks Review By Andy-War-Hall
Once, punk ruled my heart as jealously as metal. I loved the heart-in-hand abandon and DIY ethos of acts like Rise Against, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, and Descendants,1 and though I still do metal nonetheless won out as my root genre. But punk and metal have always overlapped, and when the two offshoots of rock tango together, great things can happen.2 German death metallers Arroganz have been carrying out this uneasy marriage since 2008, dropping six testaments of metallic brutality and punkish rebellion over the years. Longtime bassist/vocalist -K- and drummer -T- are joined by the newcomer guitarist -B- for lucky number seven, Death Doom Punks, a declaration of purpose if there’s ever been one. I love the attitude, but an album can’t live by ‘tude alone. Will Arroganz’s infusion of punkish qualities into the death metal elevate Death Doom Punks, or will it merely spell death/doom for these punks?
Other bands have put death riffs over d-beats before, but Arroganz channel early Immolation/Death through Black Flag/Discharge-like hardcore grime in a way that feels particularly vital on Death Doom Punks. Whether through blistering speeds like on “Pain Forged Armor” or diabolical groove on “Anti-Ideology,” Arroganz’s knack for aggressive and catchy riffcraft keeps a near-constant stankface plastered over my skull. Classic death metal walking riffs meet soaring doom bass leads on “Die for Nothing,” while “Death Doom Punks” marries hardcore and doom into a gloomy, potent combo that reminded me that Caskets Open exists. Songs on Death Doom Punks are brief and intentionally simple, but hear the spider-y basslines on “Earth’s Final Dose,” the gigantic belting and bass-work over “Under Scarred Skin,” or the gnarly death march of “Spirit Arsonist” and know that Arroganz supercharged everything they wrote with everything they had. Simply, Death Doom Punks is what it says it is, and it’s awesome.
That Death Doom Punks is Arroganz’s seventh album is no surprise, as their chemistry and chops are something else. Rhythmically, Arroganz seamlessly slide into a snarling breakdown one moment on “Arsenic Breath” and throw down thrash stampedes the next on “Incubus’ Veins.” -K- is a beast of a bassist and vocalist, littering Death Doom Punks with nimble and concussive bass riffs and punk-influenced leads while bellowing throaty, acerbic condemnations of society. -B- fits Arroganz like a fingerless glove, clobbering Death Doom Punks with crushing grooves on the title track,3 gnarled and disjointed leads on “Pain Forged Armor,” and entwining leads with -K-‘s bass licks on “Arsenic Breath.” Arroganz play well together, and Death Doom Punk’s organic production and surprisingly dynamic mix make it apparent. The snare pop right, the bass warbles and clicks right, the guitar is crunchy and deep and everything sits just right in the mix. Arroganz may be no-good punks, but Death Doom Punks is clearly the product of adamant professionals and experts of their craft.
Arroganz’s most critical success is in knowing when to switch something up. Again, Death Doom Punks’ songs are on the simple side, but Arroganz shuffle through riffs, refrains, and bridges often enough to spare the listener from boredom while affording ideas enough time to settle to save themselves from riff salad. Frequent tempo shifts electrify Death Doom Punks further, spinning “Spirit Arsonist”‘s plodding bass riff into a total death metal meltdown and opening “Die for Nothing”‘s relentless show of force in the bridge for a righteous display of bass-forward doom. Conversely, the relatively static one-two combo of “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” mark Death Doom Punk’s low point. Though -K-‘s screams sound more cutting than usual on “Incubus’ Veins” and “Earths Final Dose” features some slick fills from -T-, they don’t offer as much diversity as the other tracks and feel a bit one-track as a result. But that stretch is an exception to the rule of Death Doom Punks, which is largely a wild ride front-to-back.
Death Doom Punks sees ass, and it kicks it, no questions asked. I had never heard a lick of Arroganz before diving into Death Doom Punks—the title just sounded funny to me—but they’ve quickly made a fan of me over the weeks. The riffs are relentless. The hooks are huge. Did I mention the bass lines rock? Arroganz are simply a potent entity who know who they are and what they do well, and it comes through on Death Doom Punks. You should know it, too.
Rating: Very Good
#2026 #35 #Arroganz #BadReligion #BlackFlag #CasketsOpen #Death #DeathDoomPunks #DeathMetal #Descendants #Discharge #DoomMetal #GermanMetal #GreenDay #Immolation #May26 #Pantera #Punk #Review #Reviews #RiseAgainst #SocialDistortion #TestimonyRecords
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Testimony Records
Websites: arroganz.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/arroganzgermany | www.arroganz.info
Releases Worldwide: May 15th, 2026 -
USA Artificial Intelligence Energy Spending Compared To European Renewable Energy Wasting
AI Energy Spending And Renewable Energy Wasting
To a friend: Glad, and unsurprised, that the AI potentially saved your life. Although I have long been aware of Deep Vein Thrombosis, DVT, I could imagine having symptoms without recognizing them and being called promptly to order by an AI. AI diagnosis is the future, now. Everybody ought to have a personal health AI Agent.
Actually my beloved dog has been gravely sick in his eyes for several months, one of which was coming out of his head initially. We went to see top specialists, spending much time and money. Part of the treatment worked, but also damaged his eyes (in a rare complication also occurring in humans for whom the same drug is prescribed in the same condition). His symptoms changed and we were prescribed other drugs. Seeing further, but different, deterioration, even after the last expensive specialist visit, we are using AI in depth, and got interesting suggestions we immediately implemented.
I am extremely aware of DVT, and always take aspirin at significant doses before, during and after (intercontinental) flights. I have plenty of anecdotal evidence that flying causes DVT (hey, I should ask Chat AI about the latest on DVT and flying; didn’t Jane Goodall die of it?). Although aware of DVT, having symptoms of it may well escape my attention, and an AI would help refocus me in a timely manner..
After reading several virulent anti-AI essays and comments, I did a bit more of the thinking which has been trotting in my head on that subject. My first reaction to acerbic critiques of AI is generally that they sound similar to the critiques directed at printing when it first appeared. Within a century, in a country as powerful and enlightened as France, thanks to the tyrant Francois Premier (et dernier!)printers were actually burned alive until reduced to a crisp. Consider the case of Etienne Dolet (although he was a friend of the influential doctor, philosopher and writer Rabelais). Some countries (like the Ottoman empire) outlawed printing for centuries (the result that Arabic and Persian fables such as the thousand and one nights were published in France first… So the “Orient” became literate in Occident…)
You see I am writing from Europe, and more exactly France, where the local oligarchic imbeciles known as legislators, professional wheeler-dealers who should not exist, are actually thinking of writing some anti-AI legislation. Next week.
Already AI in Europe means slavery to US Artificial Intelligence. This is not happening because European researchers are less intelligent. Far from it, many have contributed in a major way to the development of AI, and have become legendary.
Here are the three founding fathers of AI: one from London, two from Paris:. One was born in London, and got the Nobel Prize for his foundational work on AI (AI uses extremely high dimensional multivariable calculus… So the mathematicians having developed this over centuries ought to be retrospectively thanked…). The other two were born in Paris, France.
Geoffrey Hinton: Born in London, UK, in 1947, Hinton is British-Canadian. He maintains strong ties to both countries through his education (Cambridge and Edinburgh) and long career at the University of Toronto.
Yann LeCun: Born in Soisy-sous-Montmorency, greater Paris, France, in 1960, LeCun is now Franco-American. His early education was in Paris, and he later naturalized in the US while working at NYU and Meta.
Yoshua Bengio: Born in Paris, France, in 1964, Bengio is also Canadian. He moved to Canada and studied at McGill University in Montreal, He built his career there as a professor. One more exiled French.
Now, of course, if one is French and a genius, one will move away precipitously from the Woke Capital (Paris), where the only legal foreigners are illegals (getting free everything), or celebrities and plutocrats make luxury goods for snobbish Chinese (that will work until the Chinese start to despise the Europeans!)
*** .
Why is AI developing mostly in the USA?
It’s happening because the US GDP dwarfs that, of, say, France. By a factor of eight or something like that. But not just that. The USA priorities are more oriented towards technological-economical performance, while France, and most of Europe, following, has focused on the woke-social-conservative-environmental development. France has done this in ALL domains in recent years, except for military technology, where France builds systems which are often world’s best, but in ridiculously small quantities.
This development of underdevelopment is EXTREMELY ANTI-FRENCH, when looked at on the scale of the last 25 centuries. Way back, Rome was getting weapons and armor from the Celts, and Gaul developed MECHANICAL HARVESTERS to the point that small Gallic farmers used the mechanical harvesters rather than slaves, and the Gallic economy resisted the establishment of slave driven giant agrobusinesses… After Gaul came under Franco-Roman management, Queen Bathilde promptly outlawed slavery (657 CE) and the Imperium Francorum-“Renovated Roman Empire” developed massive husbandry, systematic automation and mechanical leverage, to replace slavery… However France started to change attitude in the Sixteenth Century, when she refused to colonize North America, and, instead, traded with the Natives while teaching them civilization (so that the newly civilized “Indians” could be genocidized by the savage Iroquois…) The French development of this woke attitude culminated with the ejection of France from North America 250 years later… And various subsequent military defeats, including versus the Nazis (when it turned out that France’s own creation, the USA would not help in a timely manner…).
The result of the European policies has been an ever increasing dependency upon the USA and China, in ever more crucial domains. Part of this dependency is simply the mechanical effect that the USA and China make up 50% of the world’s GDP (and are economically entangled).
If one is European and really excellent in tech or science, the probability is high, should one be ambitious, to end up in the USA, with immensely larger budgets, salaries and opportunities. Meanwhile the French Federal Budget to “associations” exceeds high education AND research… Combined. “Associations” are just a woke trick for the Socialists in power (de facto) for 46 years to keep getting votes while, and in spite of the fact that, they ruin the country. (Anti-democratic) Associations get about $50 billion per year, nearly as much as defense.
***
All of Europe has been doing “renewable” energy, and it’s partly a scam:
How does one “renew” in a typical foggy European winter night with extreme cold and no wind? Well, one does not. In parts of Europe, electricity prices have peaked ten times above the average of just a few years ago. In particular, Europe does not have enough energy for AI (except for places with lots of hydro power, and small populations, like Norway).
Carbon-free energy could have been developed, but the development and even maintenance of nuclear energy was discontinued in the 1990s… So now the US and China can use old European nuclear research and forge ahead.
***
AI provides humanity with AGENCY. Just like printing or bronze metallurgy. AGENCY is more important than even Liberty. No agency, no liberty. Reciprocally, liberty does not necessarily provide agency: prehistoric people were free, but couldn’t do much, because they had little agency.
The environmental problems caused by AI are real, but they call to develop more carbon free energy. Some have suggested putting AI in space, where solar energy is abundant.
***
Renewable Waste:
Speaking of renewables, studies related by the BBC in April 2026 show that, to make 45 GW of renewable electricity in Great Britain (the present electric power necessary to satisfy peak electric consumption of the UK), one needs to install 135 GW of mostly conventional (that is, carbon) energy. This ridiculous ratio, 135 to 45, shows that, instead of worrying about AI which they can’t power up, Europeans should rather worry about the renewable folly they engaged in without thinking it through.
One of the causes for the ridiculous ratio is the necessity to build millions of kilometers of extremely high tension wires all over Europe, criss crossing… which is NOT feasible, so it’s not done, and local conventional backups are needed, all over…China had no problems installing such lines (those who too deeply disagree get shot), and, moreover, China has a simpler geography (hydro, wind and solar to the west, cities to the east). So China installed 250 GW of solar… And is not finished: the Hormuz blockade has blocked 30% of Chinese fuel imports… So China needs to develop more renewable energy…
***
When I confronted Chat GPT with my sophisticated Tired Light hypothesis based on SQPR, it violently disagreed, calling me incompetent, obsolete, uneducated and from another age (to put it in only a few words)… Until the AI realized it had misunderstood, and started to run codes to check if my alternative to QFT actually predicted the correct Tired Light phenomenon. It did. That, no doubt, used electricity (the argument ran over weeks).
However, most answers will require in the future less and less genuine research. Google just announced it found a way to make AI six times more efficient. In general, all AI are going to develop standard answers to FAQs…
***
Humanity’s progress toward our quasi-divine present status, has been measured in spending ever more ABSOLUTE WORTH ENERGY. Basically doing ever more amazing things by manipulating energy. The Maltusian energy policy tried in Europe has thoroughly failed. It only achieved a relative collapse of the per capita GDP of Europe relative to peers, and new peers who are increasingly superior, such as China. A large body of evidence points to deliberate malfeasance, as Europe became mostly dependent upon plutocratic tyrannies for its energy procurement. The same corrupt and extractive regimes then invested in Europe at premium prices, making European plutocrats wealther than ever. Please explain to me why Merkel closing German nuclear energy, which never had an accident, to build another twenty-four (24) coal plants, can make sense… Besides the obvious explanation that, just as she started her career in the service of a dictatorship monitored by Putin, she kept on going just the same, but more discreetly… In plain sight.
The error of European ways (except for the ever wealtheir European plutocrats) is so deep that France, which used to be the wealthiest significant European country per capita, has fallen below the EU average. Woke is dope. Putin knows all this, and that’s why he attacked. He just did not anticipate that Ukrainians believed in agency and progress, nor that the USA (Trump first, then Biden) would send them so many weapons to give Ukrainian agency a chance… .
To be against AI is as intelligent as to be against health care (AI will dominate health care very soon). Anyway, what to expect from people who are against intelligence?
Patrice Ayme .
#AI #AWE #China #Energy #Engineering #Europe #news #plutocracy #politics #RenewableEnergy #USA -
USA Artificial Intelligence Energy Spending Compared To European Renewable Energy Wasting
AI Energy Spending And Renewable Energy Wasting
To a friend: Glad, and unsurprised, that the AI potentially saved your life. Although I have long been aware of Deep Vein Thrombosis, DVT, I could imagine having symptoms without recognizing them and being called promptly to order by an AI. AI diagnosis is the future, now. Everybody ought to have a personal health AI Agent.
Actually my beloved dog has been gravely sick in his eyes for several months, one of which was coming out of his head initially. We went to see top specialists, spending much time and money. Part of the treatment worked, but also damaged his eyes (in a rare complication also occurring in humans for whom the same drug is prescribed in the same condition). His symptoms changed and we were prescribed other drugs. Seeing further, but different, deterioration, even after the last expensive specialist visit, we are using AI in depth, and got interesting suggestions we immediately implemented.
I am extremely aware of DVT, and always take aspirin at significant doses before, during and after (intercontinental) flights. I have plenty of anecdotal evidence that flying causes DVT (hey, I should ask Chat AI about the latest on DVT and flying; didn’t Jane Goodall die of it?). Although aware of DVT, having symptoms of it may well escape my attention, and an AI would help refocus me in a timely manner..
After reading several virulent anti-AI essays and comments, I did a bit more of the thinking which has been trotting in my head on that subject. My first reaction to acerbic critiques of AI is generally that they sound similar to the critiques directed at printing when it first appeared. Within a century, in a country as powerful and enlightened as France, thanks to the tyrant Francois Premier (et dernier!)printers were actually burned alive until reduced to a crisp. Consider the case of Etienne Dolet (although he was a friend of the influential doctor, philosopher and writer Rabelais). Some countries (like the Ottoman empire) outlawed printing for centuries (the result that Arabic and Persian fables such as the thousand and one nights were published in France first… So the “Orient” became literate in Occident…)
You see I am writing from Europe, and more exactly France, where the local oligarchic imbeciles known as legislators, professional wheeler-dealers who should not exist, are actually thinking of writing some anti-AI legislation. Next week.
Already AI in Europe means slavery to US Artificial Intelligence. This is not happening because European researchers are less intelligent. Far from it, many have contributed in a major way to the development of AI, and have become legendary.
Here are the three founding fathers of AI: one from London, two from Paris:. One was born in London, and got the Nobel Prize for his foundational work on AI (AI uses extremely high dimensional multivariable calculus… So the mathematicians having developed this over centuries ought to be retrospectively thanked…). The other two were born in Paris, France.
Geoffrey Hinton: Born in London, UK, in 1947, Hinton is British-Canadian. He maintains strong ties to both countries through his education (Cambridge and Edinburgh) and long career at the University of Toronto.
Yann LeCun: Born in Soisy-sous-Montmorency, greater Paris, France, in 1960, LeCun is now Franco-American. His early education was in Paris, and he later naturalized in the US while working at NYU and Meta.
Yoshua Bengio: Born in Paris, France, in 1964, Bengio is also Canadian. He moved to Canada and studied at McGill University in Montreal, He built his career there as a professor. One more exiled French.
Now, of course, if one is French and a genius, one will move away precipitously from the Woke Capital (Paris), where the only legal foreigners are illegals (getting free everything), or celebrities and plutocrats make luxury goods for snobbish Chinese (that will work until the Chinese start to despise the Europeans!)
*** .
Why is AI developing mostly in the USA?
It’s happening because the US GDP dwarfs that, of, say, France. By a factor of eight or something like that. But not just that. The USA priorities are more oriented towards technological-economical performance, while France, and most of Europe, following, has focused on the woke-social-conservative-environmental development. France has done this in ALL domains in recent years, except for military technology, where France builds systems which are often world’s best, but in ridiculously small quantities.
This development of underdevelopment is EXTREMELY ANTI-FRENCH, when looked at on the scale of the last 25 centuries. Way back, Rome was getting weapons and armor from the Celts, and Gaul developed MECHANICAL HARVESTERS to the point that small Gallic farmers used the mechanical harvesters rather than slaves, and the Gallic economy resisted the establishment of slave driven giant agrobusinesses… After Gaul came under Franco-Roman management, Queen Bathilde promptly outlawed slavery (657 CE) and the Imperium Francorum-“Renovated Roman Empire” developed massive husbandry, systematic automation and mechanical leverage, to replace slavery… However France started to change attitude in the Sixteenth Century, when she refused to colonize North America, and, instead, traded with the Natives while teaching them civilization (so that the newly civilized “Indians” could be genocidized by the savage Iroquois…) The French development of this woke attitude culminated with the ejection of France from North America 250 years later… And various subsequent military defeats, including versus the Nazis (when it turned out that France’s own creation, the USA would not help in a timely manner…).
The result of the European policies has been an ever increasing dependency upon the USA and China, in ever more crucial domains. Part of this dependency is simply the mechanical effect that the USA and China make up 50% of the world’s GDP (and are economically entangled).
If one is European and really excellent in tech or science, the probability is high, should one be ambitious, to end up in the USA, with immensely larger budgets, salaries and opportunities. Meanwhile the French Federal Budget to “associations” exceeds high education AND research… Combined. “Associations” are just a woke trick for the Socialists in power (de facto) for 46 years to keep getting votes while, and in spite of the fact that, they ruin the country. (Anti-democratic) Associations get about $50 billion per year, nearly as much as defense.
***
All of Europe has been doing “renewable” energy, and it’s partly a scam:
How does one “renew” in a typical foggy European winter night with extreme cold and no wind? Well, one does not. In parts of Europe, electricity prices have peaked ten times above the average of just a few years ago. In particular, Europe does not have enough energy for AI (except for places with lots of hydro power, and small populations, like Norway).
Carbon-free energy could have been developed, but the development and even maintenance of nuclear energy was discontinued in the 1990s… So now the US and China can use old European nuclear research and forge ahead.
***
AI provides humanity with AGENCY. Just like printing or bronze metallurgy. AGENCY is more important than even Liberty. No agency, no liberty. Reciprocally, liberty does not necessarily provide agency: prehistoric people were free, but couldn’t do much, because they had little agency.
The environmental problems caused by AI are real, but they call to develop more carbon free energy. Some have suggested putting AI in space, where solar energy is abundant.
***
Renewable Waste:
Speaking of renewables, studies related by the BBC in April 2026 show that, to make 45 GW of renewable electricity in Great Britain (the present electric power necessary to satisfy peak electric consumption of the UK), one needs to install 135 GW of mostly conventional (that is, carbon) energy. This ridiculous ratio, 135 to 45, shows that, instead of worrying about AI which they can’t power up, Europeans should rather worry about the renewable folly they engaged in without thinking it through.
One of the causes for the ridiculous ratio is the necessity to build millions of kilometers of extremely high tension wires all over Europe, criss crossing… which is NOT feasible, so it’s not done, and local conventional backups are needed, all over…China had no problems installing such lines (those who too deeply disagree get shot), and, moreover, China has a simpler geography (hydro, wind and solar to the west, cities to the east). So China installed 250 GW of solar… And is not finished: the Hormuz blockade has blocked 30% of Chinese fuel imports… So China needs to develop more renewable energy…
***
When I confronted Chat GPT with my sophisticated Tired Light hypothesis based on SQPR, it violently disagreed, calling me incompetent, obsolete, uneducated and from another age (to put it in only a few words)… Until the AI realized it had misunderstood, and started to run codes to check if my alternative to QFT actually predicted the correct Tired Light phenomenon. It did. That, no doubt, used electricity (the argument ran over weeks).
However, most answers will require in the future less and less genuine research. Google just announced it found a way to make AI six times more efficient. In general, all AI are going to develop standard answers to FAQs…
***
Humanity’s progress toward our quasi-divine present status, has been measured in spending ever more ABSOLUTE WORTH ENERGY. Basically doing ever more amazing things by manipulating energy. The Maltusian energy policy tried in Europe has thoroughly failed. It only achieved a relative collapse of the per capita GDP of Europe relative to peers, and new peers who are increasingly superior, such as China. A large body of evidence points to deliberate malfeasance, as Europe became mostly dependent upon plutocratic tyrannies for its energy procurement. The same corrupt and extractive regimes then invested in Europe at premium prices, making European plutocrats wealther than ever. Please explain to me why Merkel closing German nuclear energy, which never had an accident, to build another twenty-four (24) coal plants, can make sense… Besides the obvious explanation that, just as she started her career in the service of a dictatorship monitored by Putin, she kept on going just the same, but more discreetly… In plain sight.
The error of European ways (except for the ever wealtheir European plutocrats) is so deep that France, which used to be the wealthiest significant European country per capita, has fallen below the EU average. Woke is dope. Putin knows all this, and that’s why he attacked. He just did not anticipate that Ukrainians believed in agency and progress, nor that the USA (Trump first, then Biden) would send them so many weapons to give Ukrainian agency a chance… .
To be against AI is as intelligent as to be against health care (AI will dominate health care very soon). Anyway, what to expect from people who are against intelligence?
Patrice Ayme .
#AI #AWE #China #Energy #Engineering #Europe #news #plutocracy #politics #RenewableEnergy #USA -
USA Artificial Intelligence Energy Spending Compared To European Renewable Energy Wasting
AI Energy Spending And Renewable Energy Wasting
To a friend: Glad, and unsurprised, that the AI potentially saved your life. Although I have long been aware of Deep Vein Thrombosis, DVT, I could imagine having symptoms without recognizing them and being called promptly to order by an AI. AI diagnosis is the future, now. Everybody ought to have a personal health AI Agent.
Actually my beloved dog has been gravely sick in his eyes for several months, one of which was coming out of his head initially. We went to see top specialists, spending much time and money. Part of the treatment worked, but also damaged his eyes (in a rare complication also occurring in humans for whom the same drug is prescribed in the same condition). His symptoms changed and we were prescribed other drugs. Seeing further, but different, deterioration, even after the last expensive specialist visit, we are using AI in depth, and got interesting suggestions we immediately implemented.
I am extremely aware of DVT, and always take aspirin at significant doses before, during and after (intercontinental) flights. I have plenty of anecdotal evidence that flying causes DVT (hey, I should ask Chat AI about the latest on DVT and flying; didn’t Jane Goodall die of it?). Although aware of DVT, having symptoms of it may well escape my attention, and an AI would help refocus me in a timely manner..
After reading several virulent anti-AI essays and comments, I did a bit more of the thinking which has been trotting in my head on that subject. My first reaction to acerbic critiques of AI is generally that they sound similar to the critiques directed at printing when it first appeared. Within a century, in a country as powerful and enlightened as France, thanks to the tyrant Francois Premier (et dernier!)printers were actually burned alive until reduced to a crisp. Consider the case of Etienne Dolet (although he was a friend of the influential doctor, philosopher and writer Rabelais). Some countries (like the Ottoman empire) outlawed printing for centuries (the result that Arabic and Persian fables such as the thousand and one nights were published in France first… So the “Orient” became literate in Occident…)
You see I am writing from Europe, and more exactly France, where the local oligarchic imbeciles known as legislators, professional wheeler-dealers who should not exist, are actually thinking of writing some anti-AI legislation. Next week.
Already AI in Europe means slavery to US Artificial Intelligence. This is not happening because European researchers are less intelligent. Far from it, many have contributed in a major way to the development of AI, and have become legendary.
Here are the three founding fathers of AI: one from London, two from Paris:. One was born in London, and got the Nobel Prize for his foundational work on AI (AI uses extremely high dimensional multivariable calculus… So the mathematicians having developed this over centuries ought to be retrospectively thanked…). The other two were born in Paris, France.
Geoffrey Hinton: Born in London, UK, in 1947, Hinton is British-Canadian. He maintains strong ties to both countries through his education (Cambridge and Edinburgh) and long career at the University of Toronto.
Yann LeCun: Born in Soisy-sous-Montmorency, greater Paris, France, in 1960, LeCun is now Franco-American. His early education was in Paris, and he later naturalized in the US while working at NYU and Meta.
Yoshua Bengio: Born in Paris, France, in 1964, Bengio is also Canadian. He moved to Canada and studied at McGill University in Montreal, He built his career there as a professor. One more exiled French.
Now, of course, if one is French and a genius, one will move away precipitously from the Woke Capital (Paris), where the only legal foreigners are illegals (getting free everything), or celebrities and plutocrats make luxury goods for snobbish Chinese (that will work until the Chinese start to despise the Europeans!)
*** .
Why is AI developing mostly in the USA?
It’s happening because the US GDP dwarfs that, of, say, France. By a factor of eight or something like that. But not just that. The USA priorities are more oriented towards technological-economical performance, while France, and most of Europe, following, has focused on the woke-social-conservative-environmental development. France has done this in ALL domains in recent years, except for military technology, where France builds systems which are often world’s best, but in ridiculously small quantities.
This development of underdevelopment is EXTREMELY ANTI-FRENCH, when looked at on the scale of the last 25 centuries. Way back, Rome was getting weapons and armor from the Celts, and Gaul developed MECHANICAL HARVESTERS to the point that small Gallic farmers used the mechanical harvesters rather than slaves, and the Gallic economy resisted the establishment of slave driven giant agrobusinesses… After Gaul came under Franco-Roman management, Queen Bathilde promptly outlawed slavery (657 CE) and the Imperium Francorum-“Renovated Roman Empire” developed massive husbandry, systematic automation and mechanical leverage, to replace slavery… However France started to change attitude in the Sixteenth Century, when she refused to colonize North America, and, instead, traded with the Natives while teaching them civilization (so that the newly civilized “Indians” could be genocidized by the savage Iroquois…) The French development of this woke attitude culminated with the ejection of France from North America 250 years later… And various subsequent military defeats, including versus the Nazis (when it turned out that France’s own creation, the USA would not help in a timely manner…).
The result of the European policies has been an ever increasing dependency upon the USA and China, in ever more crucial domains. Part of this dependency is simply the mechanical effect that the USA and China make up 50% of the world’s GDP (and are economically entangled).
If one is European and really excellent in tech or science, the probability is high, should one be ambitious, to end up in the USA, with immensely larger budgets, salaries and opportunities. Meanwhile the French Federal Budget to “associations” exceeds high education AND research… Combined. “Associations” are just a woke trick for the Socialists in power (de facto) for 46 years to keep getting votes while, and in spite of the fact that, they ruin the country. (Anti-democratic) Associations get about $50 billion per year, nearly as much as defense.
***
All of Europe has been doing “renewable” energy, and it’s partly a scam:
How does one “renew” in a typical foggy European winter night with extreme cold and no wind? Well, one does not. In parts of Europe, electricity prices have peaked ten times above the average of just a few years ago. In particular, Europe does not have enough energy for AI (except for places with lots of hydro power, and small populations, like Norway).
Carbon-free energy could have been developed, but the development and even maintenance of nuclear energy was discontinued in the 1990s… So now the US and China can use old European nuclear research and forge ahead.
***
AI provides humanity with AGENCY. Just like printing or bronze metallurgy. AGENCY is more important than even Liberty. No agency, no liberty. Reciprocally, liberty does not necessarily provide agency: prehistoric people were free, but couldn’t do much, because they had little agency.
The environmental problems caused by AI are real, but they call to develop more carbon free energy. Some have suggested putting AI in space, where solar energy is abundant.
***
Renewable Waste:
Speaking of renewables, studies related by the BBC in April 2026 show that, to make 45 GW of renewable electricity in Great Britain (the present electric power necessary to satisfy peak electric consumption of the UK), one needs to install 135 GW of mostly conventional (that is, carbon) energy. This ridiculous ratio, 135 to 45, shows that, instead of worrying about AI which they can’t power up, Europeans should rather worry about the renewable folly they engaged in without thinking it through.
One of the causes for the ridiculous ratio is the necessity to build millions of kilometers of extremely high tension wires all over Europe, criss crossing… which is NOT feasible, so it’s not done, and local conventional backups are needed, all over…China had no problems installing such lines (those who too deeply disagree get shot), and, moreover, China has a simpler geography (hydro, wind and solar to the west, cities to the east). So China installed 250 GW of solar… And is not finished: the Hormuz blockade has blocked 30% of Chinese fuel imports… So China needs to develop more renewable energy…
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When I confronted Chat GPT with my sophisticated Tired Light hypothesis based on SQPR, it violently disagreed, calling me incompetent, obsolete, uneducated and from another age (to put it in only a few words)… Until the AI realized it had misunderstood, and started to run codes to check if my alternative to QFT actually predicted the correct Tired Light phenomenon. It did. That, no doubt, used electricity (the argument ran over weeks).
However, most answers will require in the future less and less genuine research. Google just announced it found a way to make AI six times more efficient. In general, all AI are going to develop standard answers to FAQs…
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Humanity’s progress toward our quasi-divine present status, has been measured in spending ever more ABSOLUTE WORTH ENERGY. Basically doing ever more amazing things by manipulating energy. The Maltusian energy policy tried in Europe has thoroughly failed. It only achieved a relative collapse of the per capita GDP of Europe relative to peers, and new peers who are increasingly superior, such as China. A large body of evidence points to deliberate malfeasance, as Europe became mostly dependent upon plutocratic tyrannies for its energy procurement. The same corrupt and extractive regimes then invested in Europe at premium prices, making European plutocrats wealther than ever. Please explain to me why Merkel closing German nuclear energy, which never had an accident, to build another twenty-four (24) coal plants, can make sense… Besides the obvious explanation that, just as she started her career in the service of a dictatorship monitored by Putin, she kept on going just the same, but more discreetly… In plain sight.
The error of European ways (except for the ever wealtheir European plutocrats) is so deep that France, which used to be the wealthiest significant European country per capita, has fallen below the EU average. Woke is dope. Putin knows all this, and that’s why he attacked. He just did not anticipate that Ukrainians believed in agency and progress, nor that the USA (Trump first, then Biden) would send them so many weapons to give Ukrainian agency a chance… .
To be against AI is as intelligent as to be against health care (AI will dominate health care very soon). Anyway, what to expect from people who are against intelligence?
Patrice Ayme .
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