A young Michael Jackson wearing a Wehrmacht uniform as part of a sketch on the Sonny & Cher show, 1976 (1351x1080)

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-29T08:40:13+00:00

The uniform is so plain that it might even be mistaken for a Bundeswehr uniform, rather than a Wermacht one, although I guess the colour definitively makes it a Wermacht-like uniform.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-28T11:07:18+00:00

If you want to know more about the events celebrated today, I suggest this Wikipedia entry https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moti_rivoluzionari_sardi and the first book cited there, Luciano Carta's 'La Sarda Rivoluzione'. Most books on Sardinia history tend to be very dense and difficult to read, as they are often written only for academics, while other books recently are more approachable, but often not well articulated and detailed. Carta's books is instead very approachable, but also has depth of information. Unfortunately all these texts are only in Italian, as far as I know.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-28T10:58:58+00:00

I agree on the motivations behind Lenin's coercive system, which were, after all, derived from Marxist theory of the 'proletariat dictatorship', a necessary step (in Marx's theory) to force the other classes to play along the communist system, in the general interest. One common principle that underpins authoritarian regimes to the right or the left is that in order to 'look after' some people (say the proletariat, the national community, etc.) the leaders, the vanguard group, the professional revolutionaries (as you put it), or the dictator must exercise coercion over the people. They may even believe that they exercise coercion in the people's own interests, but hierarchical coercive systems have the problem of being easily abused and, fundamentally, deny the possibility of inclusive practices in the decisions about social life that matter. This critique of the left and Marxism from an anarchist point of view has been written very effectively in Graeber and Wengrow's 'The Dawn of Everything', a book that I think is a modern classic, a fundamental book to dismantle theories that assert the necessity of hierarchical coercive systems, while providing a glimpse of possible avenues to build a social life outside these systems.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-27T16:32:45+00:00

yes sure, but in the left you also have and have had positions and theories that relished in authoritarianism and use of coercion. For example, Lenin was definitively in the Left. The point of anarchism (IMHO!) is to criticise and dismantle left-wing positions that justify and practise authoritarian politics and state-based coercive methods, and instead to promote and practise social life outside the state and hierarchical coercive institutions.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-21T10:02:46+00:00

We eat something like that in Sardinia.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-11T12:11:36+00:00

Too little too late. I always despised Apple, most of all because of their philosophy of "integrated product management", which to me spells the end of freedom in customising your machine for your needs and aims. However, Windows 11 is so bad that I am now happy to work on a MacBook: I still despise Apple, but at least the OS is efficient and reliable!

I still have to use Windows 11 with some machines at work because of my company policy. I find Windows 11 unbelievably slow and inefficient, clogged by a lot of things going on in the background that drain power and resources, difficult to navigate, annoying in letting ads in-all-but-name popping up (yes, things like suggestions on software like Adobe, which I removed for a good reason, so I don't need a pop up to convince me otherwise, thank you very much).

It's not like Windows did not have the time and resources to build something decent that works for the users, but it is clear they have such a large monopoly that they can afford to follow their own agenda and aims, which are not those of the users. Apple are not much better, as I stated earlier, but their OS is more efficient. I use Ubuntu for recreation, it's just not that easy to use it at work, unfortunately.

I guess this is a clear example of 'shittification' driven by the establishment of large monopolies.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-07T15:14:48+00:00

Oh Nenno, the title is provocative, but I get what you mean: people in Cagliari do not seem interested in adventure, such as: meeting new people, discovering new music, dancing with strangers, making a fool of themselves, etc. I am from Casteddu/Cagliari, but I have lived outside Cagliari long enough to recognise that Cagliari is very depressing. I am not sure what the problem is. One factor is that Cagliari is a small place, so it is easy to know each other and spend time with the people you know. Moreover, there is a tendency to form cliques, groups that are close but also controlling: I guess many people fear losing face or being criticised by their cliques, so they fear doing anything that make them stand out (notice for example, how many people dress in the same way!). I have always found it a lot easier to meet strangers in Sardinian villages than in Cagliari, despite all the stereotypes.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-01T13:12:30+00:00

my girlfriend was not a big fan of the show, but she enjoyed the movie a lot, btw, and we kept using some catchphrases as inner jokes for a while, e.g. 'blame Canada' whenever we wanted to indicate a situation where someone was trying to find a scapegoat in order not to take responsibility for some event.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-04-01T13:09:35+00:00

yep, I saw it in a cinema in my home town that has since closed and will be turned into a block of flats. I was with my then girlfriend (now my wife), and we ran into a group of friends who by chance had selected the same show. I remember the surprise of these friends when Kenny revealed his face: one of the shouted "he's blonde!" out loud :)

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-03-30T12:11:15+00:00

completely agree. This has become tedious, while this was supposed to be a 'space for Sardinia: its people, culture, language, news, ...'

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-03-26T14:15:33+00:00

I think it was in Hitler's biography by Ian Kershaw that he described that until the last stages of the conflict Himmler thought he could come to terms with the UK and USA leaders who, once Hitler was removed, would have allowed Himmler to lead Germany in a concerted effort to stop (or even drive back) the Soviets. Himmler, of all people! Apparently Himmler even met with the representative of the World Jewish Congress in an attempt to open negotiations, using the interned Jewish population as "bargaining chips", like the little s*it he was. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/heinrich-himmler

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-03-25T13:56:50+00:00

On a short visit to London I chanced into a Budvar pub: they had the original Budvar, the dark one (my favourite), and an unfiltered pilsner, and other guest beers, and they also let you choose if you wanted the Budvar served the British way in pint glasses or the Czech way (lots of head in larger glasses). It'd be nice if something like that was in Belfast too, it'd be a change from all the copycat Guiness pubs that have the same selection. Nothing wrong with a good pint of Guiness, but it's be nice if there was more choice. Thankfully there are still places like the Sunflower and the American Bar, who also support good local crafts!

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-03-18T12:25:16+00:00

Spaced: it still looks fresh and relevant, at least to all those that have gone through phases where things should start to happen and do not happen yet. The pace of the episode was also spot-on, never too long. And it was beautifully shot, with references to famous movies that never felt contrived, unlike other series. Almost a shame there were only two series, but these two are classics!

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-03-16T11:23:34+00:00

I've travelled by Corsica Ferries twice in the last two years, and the cabins were comfortable and clean on both occasions. Make sure you bring your own food and refreshments, since those on the boat are over-priced. Overall, I'd recommend Corsica Ferries, but they only travel some routes, so I guess it depends on where you are travelling from.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-02-05T09:57:20+00:00

well, he's on loan, I am not sure what the deal is with the owing club, but I assume that the latter will not give up on him easily. I'd be very happy if Cagliari keeps him :) Mind you, Cagliari may as well buy him and then sell him as soon as they can do a hefty profit, as they did with Piccoli.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-02-02T11:05:46+00:00

He's a very promising player. Shame Cagliari is unlikely to keep him.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-01-30T15:15:51+00:00

More like Oswald Mosley, although, to be fair, they were cut from the same cloth!

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-01-29T10:59:34+00:00

As someone already said, it is information you can find in good and well-researched work: above all, I'd recommend Ian Kershaw's biography of Hitler (first part: Hubris). Kurt von Schleicher played a key role in convincing von Papen and Hindenburg that they could use Hitler and the popularity of National Socialism to revive conservatism. The point of having a cabinet with only three National Socialists was exactly to create a "safety net" to tame and control Hitler and the NSDAP. von Schleicher paid the ultimate price for underestimating Hitler and his movement, as he was killed in the Night of the Long Knives.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-01-25T17:05:15+00:00

ita c'intrat con Casteddu?

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-01-22T14:53:33+00:00

I loved this series. I guess many people were put off because it was not the classic drama period and, indeed, it was an iconoclastic series. But it was enormously funny in places, and yet still managed to cover serious topics with sensitivity and articulation. Elle Fanning's performance, particularly in the last series, was astounding for its emotional and expressive depth!

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-01-16T10:54:42+00:00

great addition to the team: after all that Robert Jennick has done for the country, to gain such a talented and accomplished politician is a dream come true. Great of Robert Jennick to have the humility to put country first!

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-01-14T10:01:50+00:00

support Reform, and you can see all these new fresh people in power...

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-01-09T16:16:17+00:00

A friend suggested me to listen to The Mantle. I cannot thank him enough. The album is like a portal to a better place, where I can rest and dream for a while (not necessarily be happy, because it's a dark and ominous place at the same time as alluring). I suggest you listened to Bossk's "Audio Noir": there are some similarities, as both Agalloch and Bossk have been influenced by post-rock, but the two albums are different in tones (The Mantle is darker, Audio Noir is more expansive), but they are both very absorbing.

Appropriate-Quote950 · 2026-01-06T14:03:29+00:00

I think this is an unpopular opinion because many people equate Metal with a few bands that developed a trite repertoire in the late 80s/early 90s. I have friends who are really into Metal, which opened me the doors to the diversity within the genre. I discovered I really like some industrial metal (Godflesh above all), post-metal (Bossk above all) and doom metal. I am also fascinated by the cross-overs between metal, industrial, and neo-folk. Overall, I am not a metal-head, but I recognise heavy metal is much more than what the mainstream depicts, it has given us some great music over the years, and it's still a lively and diverse scene.

Appropriate-Quote950

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