Cut to the News Weekend - April 17-18. 2021

Published: Sat, 04/17/21


Here are a few good reads and listens I would like to share with you:

Critical Race Theory: What It Is and How to Fight It
Critical race theory is fast becoming America’s new institutional orthodoxy. Yet most Americans have never heard of it—and of those who have, many don’t understand it. It’s time for this to change. We need to know what it is so we can know how to fight it. In explaining critical race theory, it helps to begin with a brief history of Marxism. Imprimis Hillsdale

Timeless Wisdom: The Age of Postman
Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death” was published in 1985, but with each passing year, its insights have become more and more relevant and ominous. Postman contends the following: electronic media is dumbing us down, transforming our dialogue into mere forms of entertainment driven by profit rather than substance, which in turn prevents us from not only speaking like adults, but even thinking like one. He traces this phenomenon in the realm of politics, religion, and education. Alongside George Orwell’s dark vision, there was another—slightly older, slightly less well known, equally chilling: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture. … In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us. Epoch Times

H/T to Ann.

‘An Endangered Species’: The Scarcity of Harvard’s Conservative Faculty
Harvard’s faculty skews heavily toward the left side of the political aisle. While the University has made a concerted effort across the past decade to promote gender and racial diversity among its faculty, Harvard has not made any explicit attempts to bolster representation from across the ideological spectrum. Harvard Crimpson

H/T to KdeG.

Understanding the Current Russian Threat
Jack Devine, a 32-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency, was involved in organizing, planning, and executing countless sensitive projects in virtually all areas of intelligence. The legendary former spymaster details the unending struggle with Russia and its intelligence agencies as it works against our national security. Devine’s book Spymaster’s Prism: The Fight Against Russian Aggression finds it imperative that we protect US interests against Russian manipulation by strengthening our intelligence agencies, cyber security, and even spy forces.  Listen to why Devine says we are already in a second Cold War with the Russians. Gingrich360

Which is better: the Russian AK-47 or the American AR-15?
Since the end of WW2, the debate surrounding the relative merits of the Russian AK and the American AR-15 (the platform on which the main U.S. rifles were created, including the M16 and the M4) has raged incessantly. The AK is not pinpoint accurate and ergonomic like U.S. and German rifles. Its main advantages are ease of production and operability, as well as maximum reliability. Every soldier in a Russian Spetsnaz unit is armed with the U.S. AR-15 and M4, as well as the German HK416 and HK417. But when we go on a mission to some “shithole country,” we always take the AK. The reason is simple: we’re 100% sure it will work. The “Kalash” will never surpass the AR-15 in terms of accuracy and ergonomics. Besides accuracy, another plus for the “American” is its customizability — you can select the butt, handle, sights, and forestock, and set the trigger sensitivity to your taste (the trigger of a gun is like the clutch of a car, i.e. the link between you and the heart of the machine). On top of that, the recoil of the AR-15 platform is far less than that of the AK. Russia Beyond the Headlines

Abraham Hicks - Things Are Always Working out for me. Some positive motivational rant. Because sometimes you just need a pep talk. :-)

H/T to Kate.

Ochi Chornye (Dark Eyes) - Sophie Millan. She is Russian Canadian. Mesmerizing voice.

Ochi Chornye (Dark Eyes - Russian Gypsy Music) - same thing but on accordion with no vocals. Delightful.