April 30, 2013 at 2:05 P.M. My access to this blog and all attempts to navigate this site to reach my texts was obstructed and frozen for a few minutes. I do not know whether or how many of my writings have been violated in disregard for copyright laws and the U.S. Constitution. I will try to repair any harm done to my works. ("How censorship works in America.")
April 29, 2013 at 1:30 P.M. Hackers have altered the reservation system for computers at Morningside Heights, NYPL. As a result, reservations that are made by library patrons do not align with computer availability. My reservations were changed twice this afternoon. I have retained copies of the receipts for these reservations. No one from technical support has provided assistance. This is very unusual.
Attempts to post "Have you no shame, Mr. Rabner?" at Philosopher's Quest continue to be obstructed, altered, or defaced by government hackers from New Jersey. I will do my best to make necessary corrections even under these circumstances.
For the time being, however, I prefer to allow readers to see what I struggle against, every day, as America's public officials call upon the global community for Internet "freedom" and "open debate." It may be useful to demonstrate the benefits of using an outline when interpreting works of art or applying philosophical ideas. ("Outline For 'Total Recall': A Movie Review" then ''Total Recall': A Movie Review.")
What follows is the outline for my forthcoming review of "Oblivion." I will also be posting an essay dealing with the continuing civil disobedience and hunger strike at Guantanamo prison which has captured global attention. "Oblivion" is ideas-based Sci-Fi and a timely political allegory that offers cultural criticisms that will appeal to Republicans as well as Democrats. The viewer is invited to "complete" the film narrative by means of his or her interpretations.
I am deeply grateful for the support of many friends from all over the world. No response to my inquiries has yet been received from the FBI or Mr. Vance's office. Anyone claiming to be from those offices should have the necessary credentials and you should be able to verify those credentials, independently of the representations of individuals claiming to be NYPD, FBI, or other U.S. officials.
Again: No one is authorized to speak on my behalf. The screen saver disrupts my writing efforts every 30 seconds or so at NYPL, Morningside Heights.
"Oblivion": A Movie Review.
Manohla Dargis, "After the Apocalypse, Things Go Downhill," (Movie Review) in The New York Times, April 19, 2013, at p. C10. (This "review" has to be read to be believed.)
Charlie Savage, "Drone Strikes Turn Allies Into Enemies, Yemeni Says," in The New York Times, April 24, 2013, at p. A9.
Andrew W. Butler, "Postmodernism and Science Fiction," in Edward James & Foral Mendelsohn, eds., The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction (Cambridge: Cambridge U. Press, 2003), pp. 137-149.
Simon Morden, Equations of Life (New York: Orbit, 2011).
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (New York: Barnes & Noble, 2001).
Thomas Babington MaCaulay Lord MaCaulay, "The Lays of Ancient Rome," in John Wain, Ed., The Oxford Anthology of English Poetry: Blake to Heaney (Oxford: Oxford U. Press, 1986), pp. 301-318.
Introduction: "We won the war."
A. Politics/Drones/Resources: "Mission Accomplished"?
B. Psychology: Memory, Dreams, Selves and Time Spirals.
C. Religion/Myth/Art: "Christina's World."
I. Politics: "We're not supposed to remember, remember?"
A. Woman's Duality: "We're a great team!"
B. Eros/Caritas/Filia: "Another day in paradise."
C. A Mop-Up Operation: "I don't want to know!"
II. Psychology: "Those memories are you."
A. Memory: "Do you remember her?"
B. Dreams: "The dreams are real."
C. Landscapes of Reality: A Tale of Two Cities.
III. Myth: "Welcome home, Jack!"
A. The fruit of forbidden knowledge: Nietzsche's "Death of God" and "Eternal Return."
B. Obedience/Disobedience/Freedom: Is Sally "America"?
C. "What will you die for?": Roman Virtue and the Pax Americana.
Conclusion: "A beautiful death."
A. Return to Eden: The Lays of Ancient Rome (1842).
