probably the most successful chinese platform regarding data collection from the users who live outside of china. rumors say that microsoft in talks to buy tiktok or trump will ban tiktok from the us.

coronavirus disease 2019. first case reported in november 2019 in china. a virus which is from the family of coronaviruses known to cause sars and even the common cold. attacks the respiratory system and is particularly dangerous for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. cause of the current global pandemic which was declared in march 2020 by the world health organization.

a defense mechanism.

the most fascinating aspect of human history

(see: #635)

late in 1946, the soviet union began demanding land from turkey, and also encouraged greece's communist neighbors-albania, bulgaria, and yugoslavia-to overthrow the greek monarchy. president truman responded with a policy of containment that is, containing communism where it already existed, so it would not spread further. the president said, "i believe it must be the policy of the united states to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures." this policy would be the basis for the united states getting involved later in korea and in vietnam.

love people so much if you want to lose them.

2006:
google buys youtube for $1.65 billion.

2021:
youtube generates $1.65 billion in revenue every 3 weeks.

founders

"love and hatred are not blind, but are blinded by the fire they bear within themselves."
"two thousand years have come and gone--and not a single new god!"
friedrich nietzsche

group a: qatar (hosts), netherlands, senegal, ecuador
group b: england, united states, iran, wales/scotland/ukraine
group c: argentina, mexico, poland, saudi arabia
group d: france, denmark, tunisia, peru/australia/uae
group e: spain, germany, japan, costa rica/new zealand
group f: belgium, croatia, morocco, canada
group g: brazil, switzerland, serbia, cameroon

pooh-pooh is a term that refers to the act of dismissing or belittling something as being unworthy of serious consideration or attention. it can also refer to the act of expressing contempt or disdain for something.

for example, someone might pooh-pooh an idea or suggestion by saying "that's a ridiculous idea" or "that's not worth considering." this can be done in a dismissive or contemptuous tone of voice, and it conveys the idea that the person believes the idea or suggestion is not worth considering or discussing.

another example of pooh-pooh might be someone who dismisses a concern or issue as being insignificant or unimportant. for example, someone might pooh-pooh a concern about climate change by saying "it's just a natural cycle" or "it's not a big deal." this can be done in a dismissive or contemptuous tone of voice, and it conveys the idea that the person believes the concern is not worth considering or addressing.

in order to avoid pooh-poohing something, it is important to consider all ideas, concerns, and issues with an open and respectful mindset, rather than dismissing or belittling them without careful consideration. this can help to create a more open and respectful dialogue, and it can encourage people to consider a wide range of perspectives and viewpoints.

doublethink is a term coined by george orwell in his famous novel 1984 to describe the act of simultaneously accepting two contradictory beliefs as true. in the novel, the ruling party of oceania uses doublethink as a tool of propaganda to control the thoughts and actions of its citizens.

it refers to the ability to hold two conflicting ideas in one's mind and believe them both to be true. this is a dangerous concept because it allows people to accept lies and manipulation as truth, leading to a society where facts are distorted, and reality is constantly being redefined.

here are a few examples of doublethink in action:

war is peace: in 1984, the government convinces its citizens that war is necessary for peace. this is a prime example of doublethink, as it is impossible for war to bring peace.

freedom is slavery: another example from 1984 is the idea that freedom is actually a form of slavery. the government claims that by taking away people's freedom, they are actually freeing them from the burden of making decisions.

ignorance is strength: the ruling party of oceania encourages its citizens to be ignorant and uninformed. they claim that this ignorance is a form of strength, as it allows people to focus on their work and not worry about the world around them.

political correctness: in modern times, the concept of political correctness can be seen as a form of doublethink. while it aims to promote tolerance and respect, it can also be used to silence dissenting opinions and limit free speech.

advertising: advertisers often use doublethink to sell products. for example, a company may claim that their product is both "all-natural" and "scientifically proven." these two claims are contradictory, but by using both, the company hopes to appeal to a wider audience.

dog.

in the 18th century, under the personal initiatives of peter the great, a significant wave of westernization swept through russia. the country began adapting western ideas in philosophy, art, and science. russia pursued urbanization and industrialization through a top-down, state-led approach, and these changes significantly influenced art and literature, offering these fields new opportunities.

the unique conditions of russia blended with western thought to create a distinctive synthesis, carrying both material and spiritual elements. the most striking urban symbol of this synthesis is st. petersburg. it is no coincidence that many of russia's most iconic works of art and literature were created by artists and novelists living in this city, built entirely on a swamp with distinctly western architecture. writers like pushkin, gogol, and dostoevsky produced their extraordinary works in st. petersburg, not only because it was a center of the russian empire but because it represented the intersection of local russian culture and western influence. for the same reason, st. petersburg played a pivotal role in the literary careers of turgenev and tolstoy.

the "virtuous yet free" 19th century

in short, russian literature, which produced some of the world's greatest novelists and classics, achieved these feats in just one century and within almost a single city: 19th-century st. petersburg. the 20th-century russian novelist vladimir nabokov, himself born in st. petersburg, attributed another reason to this concentration of literary brilliance: the "incompetence" of 19th-century russian censors.

according to nabokov, the state censors of 19th-century russia were quick to ban obscene works but often failed to understand subtle political allusions, leaving such writings untouched. while this forced russian authors to write their novels in a "chaste" manner, it also granted them considerable freedom to explore political and social ideas.

the decline in the 20th century

the inability of this great literary tradition to sustain itself in the 20th century was largely due to the changing political system. the new soviet regime adopted a highly intrusive and pragmatic approach, controlling nearly every aspect of society.

following the 1917 revolution, the censorship mechanisms of the ussr became far more sophisticated, complex, and educated compared to those of the russian empire. literature was now subordinated to the needs of the system, and the idea of "art for art's sake" was wholly replaced by the motto "art for the people." any attempt to challenge this new motto was harshly banned or exiled.

in such a stifling environment, the only widely recognized 20th-century russian authors were system opponents like boris pasternak and vladimir nabokov, who wrote their works abroad. as a result, when most readers think of russian literature today, they typically refer to its 19th-century achievements.

"the best" in 23,000 pages

nabokov, who taught literature for many years at cornell university in the u.s. and achieved fame with his novel lolita, focused exclusively on the 19th century in his lectures on russian literature. he claimed that the finest examples of russian prose and poetry collectively amounted to only 23,000 pages—a relatively small volume compared to european and american literature, yet substantial enough to stand alongside them. in his book lectures on russian literature, nabokov's canon includes pushkin, gogol, turgenev, dostoevsky, tolstoy, chekhov, and gorky, suggesting that russian literature is essentially defined by these figures.

admiration and resentment

nabokov ranked these authors in order of greatness: tolstoy as the greatest, followed by gogol, chekhov, and turgenev. dostoevsky, conspicuously absent from this list, was the subject of nabokov's peculiar disdain. throughout his lectures, nabokov referred to dostoevsky as a mediocre writer whose works, in his view, lacked artistic value. he famously wrote, "i can't wait to debunk dostoevsky," and described crime and punishment as a "cheap literary trick," notes from underground as "100% banal," the idiot as a "series of clumsy blows rather than an artist's touch," demons as a "play disguised as a novel," and the brothers karamazov as a "detective story in the guise of a novel" or a "peculiar vaudeville script."

dostoevsky's "best" work is his "worst"

ironically, nabokov considered dostoevsky's the double—widely regarded as one of his weakest works—to be his best, though he dismissed it as a mere imitation of gogol. nonetheless, many literary critics have argued that nabokov's lolita owes much to dostoevsky's a gentle creature, and that characters like humbert humbert in lolita were inspired by stavrogin in demons and svidrigailov in crime and punishment. this dynamic suggests that nabokov's complex relationship with dostoevsky, marked by both admiration and resentment, may have shaped his personal bias against him.

nabokov's genius

despite nabokov's overt hostility toward dostoevsky, the other sections of his lectures on russian literature, recently published in english, offer valuable insights and commentary. his brilliance permeates much of the book, captivating readers and igniting their curiosity. for seasoned readers of russian literature, the book provides a compelling perspective on the trajectory of 19th-century russian authors within the interplay of state, critics, and audiences. however, beginners may find its depth more challenging to navigate.

zohran mamdani is 34 years old, born in uganda to indian shia muslim parents. he is an organized democratic socialist who supports free childcare and free public transit, as well as women’s and lgbtq rights. he is a vocal pro-palestine activist, a rapper, and he met his syrian cartoonist wife on a dating app. his mother is filmmaker mira nair and his father is marxist scholar mahmood mamdani.

with 50.5% of the vote, mamdani became new york city’s first muslim and first mayor of indian descent. his win challenged donald trump, billionaire donors, business elites, millions of dollars spent against him, islamophobia, and the pro-israel political establishment. his victory suggested that a new kind of politics is possible in the united states.

mira nair met mahmood mamdani in uganda while she was researching material for her film mississippi masala. mahmood had been expelled from uganda in 1972 along with tens of thousands of asian ugandans under idi amin. he later became a leading scholar on colonialism, nationalism, and minority rights. the couple married and lived between countries, and in 1991 they named their son zohran kwame mamdani after ghana’s anti-colonial leader kwame nkrumah.

the family eventually settled in new york after time in south africa. their home became a gathering place for writers, journalists, artists, activists, and academics. zohran grew up surrounded by political debate, creativity, and organizing.

he attended school in new york and studied african studies at bowdoin college. some critics later called him a “nepo baby,” but instead of pursuing a traditional career, he focused on political organizing. he worked with tenant defense groups, socialist organizations, and the palestine movement. he also made music and worked in new york’s cultural world.

in 2017 he joined the democratic socialists of america. he first organized for other candidates, then launched his own campaign.

in 2019, during a period of rising activism and anger at inequality in new york, he ran for city council from astoria, a diverse immigrant neighborhood. his team knocked on tens of thousands of doors and distributed 12,000 iftar meals during ramadan to mobilize muslim voters. he won the democratic primary and took office. in the council he became known for supporting movements, especially the hunger strike by taxi workers trapped under predatory loans.

in 2024 he announced a run for mayor. at first he had only 1% support in polls. he built his campaign through mass organizing. more than 50,000 volunteers canvassed. on some days the campaign reached 150,000 homes.

a central focus was engaging muslim new yorkers, who number over one million but often vote at low rates. mamdani embraced his identity and spoke directly to mosque congregations after friday prayers.

his position on palestine became a central issue. while many political elites in new york support israel, mamdani aligned with working-class people, students, and immigrant communities who were outraged by the war in gaza. he argued that criticizing israel is not antisemitic and called on the city to end certain business ties with israel. progressive jewish activists and a jewish socialist candidate who encouraged voters to rank mamdani as their second choice became crucial to his win in the ranked-choice voting system.

mamdani’s platform focuses on reducing the cost of living. he supports capping rent increases, building more public housing, opening city-run grocery stores to reduce food costs, making buses free, expanding public childcare, and replacing some policing with community-based public safety programs. he plans to fund this by raising taxes slightly on high-income earners and corporations, while also cutting government waste and reducing unnecessary regulation that blocks housing.

his campaign also stood out because of its presentation. his posters used bright colors and large type inspired by new york’s immigrant shop signs and bollywood designs. he communicated in short, direct statements. he spoke with voters who disagreed with him, including trump supporters, and focused on listening and building trust rather than ridicule. his social media strategy reached young voters through short, humorous, clear videos tailored to each platform.

he married syrian artist rama duwaji after meeting her on hinge. when critics mocked their honeymoon in dubai, the couple responded by sharing everyday photos from the new york subway and streets, which strengthened their image of authenticity.

mamdani’s victory is historic for muslim, south asian, arab, african, immigrant, and working-class new yorkers, including taxi drivers, delivery workers, and street vendors who have long been marginalized and surveilled. in a time of rising islamophobia and repression of protest, new york elected a muslim democratic socialist who openly supports palestinian rights.

whether he can accomplish everything he proposes is not yet known. but the meaning of his election is already clear. the name zohran, in persian, refers to something bright like the sun. for many new yorkers, his win feels like the beginning of a new morning.