esmaspäev, 12. veebruar 2024
Milline Eesti laul meenutab lapsepõlve kõige rohkem
Oli kunagi r/Eesti küsimus, kus ma postitasin oma variandi, kuid lõnga esitaja kustus ära.
Sõltub ajastust ja eluperioodist.
Lapsepõlv
Lapsepõlv
reede, 25. august 2023
The triggers for "Spencer" in Impostor (2001)
This was written in reply to a comment under a YouTube movie recap.
After the hospital scan, the main agent knew with definite evidence, that Spencer was a planted robot with a bomb inside his body. Whether there was prior knowledge of his wife, is unknown.
The greater plan for humans must have been to move the married couple away from populated areas, which would defeat the aliens' big plan, though they did get some solace in the knowledge, that the entire ruse managed to decimate the robot-detecting operation. — This explains, why the agents are inadequate or inexperienced, in that similar explosions have happened before, and there's a manpower problem.
The film is clever, in that Spencer's detonation trigger was actual definite knowledge of being a robot. On second viewing, we see how close he is to learning of his botness and his body detonating, but the aliens did not account for Spencer's humanity even as a bot.
There may be differing accounts as to what other things may have triggered Spencer and his bot "wife". It could be, that both the "husband" and "wife" had to be in close proximity, and Spencer's earlier refusal to acknowledge his botness must have been due to the absence of his "wife".
We must assume very sophisticated programming: Spencer's AI mind learns, that he's about to be exposed, but he cannot yet trigger his internal explosive unless and until he's relatively close to his "wife", which "subconsciously" causes him to escape and seek his wife in order to prevent the bomb from being safely removed from either unit for reverse engineering, and to complete the mission to minimise exposure.
The movie shows a setting, where humans are able to make a stand, but are always one or two steps behind.
teisipäev, 30. mai 2023
The True Estonia
This was initially written as a reply under a YouTube video, but the text was published here first.
Estonia is true in every place Estonia is at within its current borders :-)
There are certain spots and landmarks that one gets a feel of like a local:
The Tallinn Old Town. Raising of the Estonian flag at the Pikk Hermann tower on 24. February Independence Day and 20. August Reindependence Day (restoration of independence).
The Parliament building, which has only one open-door day. Opposite that, the Russian Orthodox Church, which few Estonians visit, for good reason.
The 24. February Independence Day military parade and small air show. It's still cold. The "parade of the penguins", which is the President's reception with politicians and dignitaries that same evening.
The Tallinn central business district and Linnahall (of Tenet). Kadriorg and the Kadriorg Park, with squirrels. The Singing Grounds (Lauluväljak) during the concert of a major star, or a massive song festival.
The traffic jams on Tammsaare tee and Järvevana tee during peak hour, and because the city is continually carving up road on main streets and replacing it with the new shiny. (I think the Centre-led city always invents new ways to carve up road on main streets so as to distrub traffic.)
The 'mäed' (hills) with apartment blocks in Mustamäe, Õismäe, and Lasnamäe. The Laagna tee canal of Tenet in Lasnamäe. Pirita and Štromka (Stroomi beach).
Going to a Prisma at night and buying liquorice and salmiakki candy, kõrsik, and Georgian Tarhun (either Zhedazheni or Natakhtari). For those not in the know, Prisma is a Finnish big-box grocery chain, which has several stores open 24 hours a day.
Kopli and Kalamaja. The Russian cemetery adjacent to the Tallinn Central Hospital (Keskhaigla).
The Rocca al Mare open-air museum with all old and rustic buildings mostly from the 19th century and earlier, and the model kolhoz (collective farm) residential apartment block with each flat showing a decade of the Soviet era.
The Museum of Art / Kumu, the Museum of Occupations / Vabamu, the Museum of the Seas (Meremuuseum), the Fat Margareta, the Seaplane Harbour, its submarine, and icebreaker Suur Tõll.
The ferris wheel at T1, and the near-emptiness of T1 itself. It's got a free toilet and free Wi-Fi, and a free old book exchange rack (tho not vintage). It's lovely.
The free public transit in Tallinn for registered city residents, and the sometimes-free bus transport in the regions outside cities. Contactless rider cards, with a system developed by Estonian company Ridango.
In Tallinn public transit, you'll have seen people of all nationalities and colours. The best part is, that people almost never bother one another, and almost never talk to strangers.
Excursions on the retro and vintage buses of the Timeless Buses collection during Museum Night (Muuseumiöö). The Museum Night as an event in and of itself, which happes only once a year.
By car: the Tallinn−Tartu road that never completes as a four-lane highway, which has been a local meme for many years, if not decades already. Traversing that road by car is an adventure in an of itself, and not without danger.
The similar path on the often-overcrowded "carrot" train / porgand 🥕, and the venerable Tartu train station. ERM aka Eesti Rahva Muuseum / the Museum of the Estonian People.
The Americana of Tikupoiss near Viljandi, and the American Beauty Car Show in Haapsalu.
There's the Rummu quarry (karjäär; private property, btw), its pristine water and the adjacent abandoned prison.
Then the Narva fortress/castle and museum, the open-air old vehicle museum (Maanteemuuseum), the mining museum (wrt oil shale) near Narva (I think there's an underground trip even).
Most of the beaches and shores across the country. I've heard, that Nõva is nice.
All the bogs and marshes and their beauty, which you can traverse on boarded-up paths. Mukri raba. You will encounter other hikers.
The forests, and the picking of berries and mushrooms there. Don't pick anything you don't know, and better have a friend who knows mushrooms well, plus consult a local mushroom book or lexicon, but those are in Estonian. Usually, avoid eating berries until they're cleaned and washed, as those may carry stomach parasites.
Beware the thousand Estonian bears, plus wolves, elks, wild hogs, foxes, and other wild mammals. Some may have rabies, and the government / forest service / RMK regularly drops anti-rabies feed. There may be viper snakes.
Beware the ticks, as they are the most insidious and the most dangerous of all. Also anyone who trades with timber and makes frequent calls to buy your forested property cheaply, if one happens to have any.
The delicious and a bit pricey onions of lake Peipus (Peipsi sibulad).
The often-rainy and sometimes-chilly *Jaanilaupäev* + *Jaanipäev* in the countryside, with a thousand mosquitoes who think that _you_ are their best meal that evening, and not anyone else. You'll need an anti-bug spray, gel, or stick ahead of the event.
Into the night, a warm bonfire with friends and family and lots of gossip, if and when other villagers (local friends) are made welcome to join. It's warm only because the people are huddled close to one another, like bats in a cave.
Have various disinfectant on hand to dispense on your person and to others before eating, though people usually rely on napkins.
Never throw plastic or trash into any fire, because it's toxic, and the fire may have been intended to grill food.
Eating onion-laced šašlõkk grilled on a UFO grill oven (well, it does look like a saucer) ontop of coal fire, complementing it with white or vegetarian salad, and marinated pickles 🥒. Eating the previously-collected and later-washed wild strawberries 🍓, raspberries, and other berries, plus rhubarb cake (rabarberikook), and drinking fizzy drinks well into the morning. Beware of ticks and drunk people, so pick your company.
Then there are Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Vormsi, and Kihnu.
Watching Kevade, Suvi, and Sügis with friends and family.
When losing a friend or a closed one, a funeral send-off at Pärnamäe chapel/crematorium, if in Tallinn. I hope you won't have to attend, as send-offs of loved ones can be very personal. Though this comes as part and parcel with long-term living in Estonia, if you have close ones.
Discussing and signing inheritance documents via videolink and ID card online, at the same time with the notary, with family members scattered across the globe. (that is, if there are no inheritance disputes.)
The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and the films from all over the world, including South Asia.
Christmas with gingersnaps / piparkoogid. Easter with a specially-prepared Pas'ha meal (пасха, originates from Russia).
The True Estonia is the friends and family you have around you on most of these events.
esmaspäev, 21. november 2022
Prestige science fiction series
I've posted here first as a comment reply on reddit.
Prestige sci-fi, in order of appearance:
* Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987−1994)
* Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1992−1999) — very much stands the test of time, especially all the episodes featuring Cardassians and Garak (Andrew J. Robinson).
The first American tv show to talk about comfort women in "Wrongs Darker than Death or Night" (1998).
Behind the camera: Ira Steven Behr, Ron D. Moore and Naren Shankar.
* Farscape (1999−2003, 2004) — Made in Australia. Great animatronics and puppeteering, fantastic sci-fi.
Starring: Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Virginia Hey, Lani Tupu, Wayne Pygram (once played Tarkin, btw), Jonathan Hardy (voice), Gigi Edgley, Rebecca Riggs, and many others.
Behind the camera: Brian Henson, Rockne S. O'Bannon and Naren Shankar.
* Star Trek: Enterprise (2001−2005). There was a lot of fan disdain for it, but it seems to have gained a resurgent following. 9/11 changed the world, and took the show with it.
* Battlestar Galactica (2003, 2004−2009) — upped the space physics realism part. Created and ran by Ron D. Moore. Score by Bear McCreary.
* Stargate Universe (2009−2011) — Starring Robert Carlyle, Louis Ferreira, Brian J. Smith, Elyse Levesque, David Blue, Alaina Huffman, Jamil Walker Smith, and Ming-Na Wen (The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett).
SGU features the first LGBT primary character in a space-based sci-fi show, and is one of the earliest to have a gay starring actor in a sci-fi show in Brian J. Smith (not related to the in-show character), though he wasn't out yet at the time. Brian J. Smith has starred in Sense8*, *Treadstone*, *Matrix 4*, and the upcoming series Essex County
Stargate Universe features an awesome score by the late Joel Goldsmith (son of Jerry Goldsmith), comparable in quality to that of Andor, and musical montages with the eclectic music of the day.
Some of the episodes depict in some detail what it's like to live with a family member who has HIV/AIDS, a life-long disability, and separately shows the progression of ALS and explains what it is.
By the time SGU aired, Star Trek: TNG had become dated in terms of style and presentation.
* The Expanse (2015−2022) — upped the space physics realism and greatly raised the standard on that. Shohreh Aghdashloo steals the show.
* Westworld — Season 1 and Season 2 stand out and raise the bar. Seasons 3 and 4 are weaker.
* The Mandalorian — the great space western. The Book of Boba Fett is good, too, once I disregard the inclusion of the teen biker gang. Boba Fett fills the lone ranger genre very nicely.
* The Boys — A very gory anti-superhero show, but worth watching for the gallows humour. Serious issues through and through. Adults only!
* Invincible — A bloody, gory, and messy cartoon, and a very good one at that. If you're an adult, it's worth the watch.
I must add extra caution wrt The Boys and Invincible, because they are so gory, that anyone who has seen bloody deaths, war, and battle trauma, might find these two shows very triggering.
Invincible is like the superhero version of Happy Tree Friends. If you know what that is, you'll get the gist.
* Andor — hugely raises the bar, and is on par with SGU, BSG, Farscape, DS9, and Westworld. (I've lost interest in The Expanse, though.)
Edit:
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is great Star Trek and captures some of the classic feel with Captain Pike and Lt. Spock.
• Star Trek: Lower Decks is a lot of fun, captures the TNG feel, and has some lovely moments.
• Star Trek: Prodigy is a great choice for children.
The other Star Trek shows are meh.
esmaspäev, 3. oktoober 2022
The status of post-conflict diaspora language
This was initially written as a response to a comment under a Reddit post in a thread that discussed the tender relationship between the diaspora big-minority Russian language, and the indigenous majority-status Estonian language in Estonia.
I think it will take a while for Estonians as a group to disassociate the Russian language from the titular people in Russia, from the titular state, and the regime that runs it.
In my view, the Russian language as such is not guilty of any crimes.
But it has long been used as an instrument of oppression, colonization, and foreign machinations; it's been the titular language of oppressive dictatorships, and has been spoken by a great many people who have advanced, and continue to advance the policies of said regimes. — All this dismays me quite a bit.
As a consequence of having been used as an instrument of colonisation, the countries in which russification took place, naturally gravitate towards undoing said acts of colonisation and their many outcomes, which have had an effect on a number of majority-status indigenous cultures that have come to fear the loss of their native language.
This uncompromising undoing, as it were, of the results of occupation and colonisation is done perhaps as a measure to reduce the chances of their indigenous language(s) — with not too many speakers on a world scale — from becoming endangered sometime in the future.
And so, this creates the externality of the Russian language suffering the fate of collateral damage as a somewhat self-inflicted result of several conflicts and wars started by the Russian state.
Yet the Russian language itself is not in any way in danger.
But how the many Russian diasporae are to develop a culture in each of their respective host countries, which culture would be immune to foreign (Russian) influence measures and meddling, is something that requires a lot of care and nurture.
It's important to note, that in Russia proper, several indigenous non-Russian languages remain endagered, or are under the threat of extinction. Their speakers are discriminated against, and their sons have been thrown into the meat-grinder that is the Russian-initiated war in Ukraine.
There, in Russia, several indigenous non-Russian languages have already become extinct. As such, their extinction is always a major harm and irreparable loss to humanity.
pühapäev, 12. juuni 2022
Tööstusrevolutsiooni nö. hukatuslikkus on ülepaisutatud
Algselt avaldatud veidi lühemal kujul siin.
Theodore Kaczynski manifesto avalause: "The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race."Tööstusrevolutsioon ei ole inimkonnale õnnetuseks. Suuresti *ei ole õnnetus* sellepärast, et selle tagajärjel on paljude inimeste elatustase tõusnud ja vaesus langenud. Õnnetuseks *on* seetõttu, et suurem osa inimesi ei oska tööstusrevolutsiooni teha õigesti, eriti kui tekib palju õnnetusi ja avariisid. Mitte et tööstusrevolutsiooni tagajärjed ei ole olnud mitmes kohas hukatuslikud (Tšernobõl, Fukushima, Bhopal), vaid et *välisus*te tulem (the outcome of externalities) on oluliselt rohkem hajutatud ja seega vähem kontsentreerunud kui arvatakse selleks, et teha "üleilmset hukatust" kuulutavaid üldistusi. Kuid see tööstusrevolutsioon, mis kuskil toimus, on selle ajahetke ja asukoha kohta parim, mida teatud regiooni asustavad inimesed oskasivad teha. 'Parimaks' võivad seda hinnata terriooriumi haldajad, kui see pole *tegelikult* parim, või asula elanikud, kui see *on* ka päriselt õnnestunud (mõnikord võib propaganda abil nõustumist ka *toota*). Tööstusrevolutsiooni tulemusel on arendatud tuhandeid uusi tehnoloogiaid, mille tagajärjel on ühiskonnad saanud kokku hoida aega, raha ja muid ressursse, ning mille järelmiks on ühiskondade kiirem areng. Postindustriaalseks revolutsiooniks võib täiesti vabalt pidada digirevolutsiooni. — mitte et tootmine ja rasketööstus oleks mingis maailma regioonis lõppenud. — Või isegi kui paljudel juhtudel on, siis on tootmine ja rasketööstus liikunud kusagile mujale. Ning toodetavate kaupade profiil muutub, käies sedaviisi sammu muutumistega tehnoloogiais. Postindustrialismi üheks märgiks on ka turgude küllastumine mingite tootekategooriatega. Kui mingit toodet on mõnel turul palju, ning kui toode on oma olemuselt kauakestev, jätkusuutlik (!) ja hästihoitud, väheneb vastavalt ka vajadus selle tootmiseks, ning väheneb nõudlus. Teoorias vähemalt. Saatuse irooniana on paljud ühiskonnad meie maakeral raiskavad, ning asjade hoidmise asemel kiputakse isegi täiesti töökorras seadmeid välja viskama. Eesti iseseisvuse taastamise järel mitmed tööstused ja kollektiivmajandid suleti, ning sellega lõppes selline forsseeritud industrialiseerimine, mis on kujundlik diktatuuridele (NSVL) ja nende poolt okupeeritud maadele ja riikidele (Balti riigid, Ukraina jmt.). Postindustrialism ei ole industrialiseerumise kui sellise lõppemine, vaid üleminek uuele etapile. Eestis sai selleks uueks etapiks digirevolutsioon.
pühapäev, 29. mai 2022
All the boonies of the world
Inspired by the town that time forgot by North!
There's a Russian proverb, which says, that 'Moscow is not Russia'. True to form, all the sticks on this Earth suffer the kind of oblivion that are spared to distant regions out of their conglomerating metro areas.
The regions of Russia are massively muddy and decrepitly derelict. Asphalt on the main roads is like the surface of the Moon, with a 20 km/h speed limit, or simply a distant dream. No war traversed those roads.
Stateside regions are adorned with flying trash, dysfunctional police, the smell of meth, and the edges of city blocks littered with people standing upside down. Not just in the sticks somewhere, but in Philadelphia, too. An entire city of brotherly love. For some obscure reason, the cult of AR-15 has strewn its deathly mandibles throughout all these tiny places we never knew the names of.
And then there is the very pockmarked Ukraine, mixed with light where there is freedom, and darkness where there is none. Albeit less-developed, it was and is striving to where Estonia is now.
Compared to all that hopeless despair, Viljandi is like a little island of paradise: there is no war, there are no junkies, the streets are clean and safe to walk, and the roads don't have potholes. Everything works, and the police do, too.
Undeniably, there is some poverty. All countries have poverty. But in Viljandi, in Estonia, there is this uncharacteristically strange sense of contentment, that everything will turn out to be ok. — Like an enduring hope for a better future: "some things are not nice, but they'll be fine one day." Maybe this is how peace feels like.
And so, I am to end this post with a somewhat sarcastic coda: "All the boonies of the world, unite!" :>
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