I have long wondered about the reasons collapse of the Soviet Union.  Military spending makes no sense, especially after decades of similar spending.  Ran across an article that is worth reading, if these things interest you:

Causes of the Soviet Collapse (1979-1991)

A quote from the end:

We have seen, however, that Communism, with all its failings, did not lead Russia into the economic precipice that was the result of “shock therapy” privatization, where the vast assets and industries of the Soviet state were auctioned to a few unscrupulous oligarchs, while a society that had been structured around a state-dependent economy was suddenly stripped of its publicly owned capital. This neoliberal policy stroked Western egos about the intrinsic superiority of liberal capitalism, while at the same time enabling foreign investors to profit immensely.

Stopped by downtown to see the Waller Creek Art Installation.

A good (but short) article by David Alan Grier of George Washington University in the May 2017 IEEE Computing Edge.  It gives an interesting perspective on software and particularly agile methods:  The Means of Production

Menefreghista

Something you gotta do every 20 years or so (that is the old one on the way out).

Wow. Now  I am agreeing with Sean Parker.  From The Verge:

Parker says the social networking site exploits human psychological vulnerabilities through a validation feedback loop that gets people to constantly post to get even more likes and comments. […] In other words, using Facebook is like junk food: you get instant gratification when you post for likes and comments. It’s quick and easy but has little substance.

Tried to watch the documentary Chasing Trane about John Coltrane on PBS Independent Lens last night, but fell asleep before it even started.  But it is out there on the PBS app, so I am watching it now.  Great stuff.

Mr. Koi in the backyard pond.  One problem with this blog (compared to Facebook) is the way pictures automatically get inserted when you put in an external link.  Pictures are a bit harder here, especially with my tablet.  I usually resize the pics later upstairs when I have a mouse.  And I know how everyone likes pictures.  Facebook knows for sure.

Back to music.  Spending my extra hour today hanging out drinking coffee and listening to old music.  Maybe the passing of Fats Domino, or the Austin City limits show last week (they inducted Roy Orbison, Roseanne Cash and the Neville Brothers into the ACL hall of fame) has me listening to old 1950 music.  I stumbled across a playlist on Spotify called 1950s hits (300) with a bunch (300?) old songs, and I was surprised that I knew maybe 90% of them.

It made me realize that my earliest music memories, and some later ones too, were the music of my parents.  Stuff on the radio that they listened to that was always on in the background.  Some of it familiar, like Elvis and Frank Sinatra, but lots of it songs I know all the words to, but maybe haven’t heard or even thought of since I was a child.  Doris Day is on now with Tony Bennett Stranger in Paradise next.    Frankie Lane, Vic Damon’s and Ertha Kitt are on the way.