Catastrophism and Resurgence

by Sasha Ross

Charlton Heston, an Ubermensch mix of lefty liberationist and right-wing macho-apocalyptarian, heralds the collapse and the end of ideology in the 1971 film “Omega Man”

The Apocalyptic Politics of Collapse and Rebirth

Check out the book at PM Press here.

A collection of essays by leading radical commentators Sasha Lilley, David McNally, Eddie Yuen, and James Davis, Catastrophism (PM Press 2012) is nothing less than a problematization of the ends of ideology. Throwing into critical light the deployment of right, left, and ecological ideologies, Catastrophism challenges the usage and efficacy of political narratives. Here we have analyses of the left wing critique of political economy (Lilley), the right wing critique of social degeneration (Davis), and the ecological heralding of the “great collapse” (Yuen).

The Early History of the Robot Wars, Part 1

IN THIS EPISODE: WTF In the Eyeball, Sexy Surveillance Mannequins and Other Shit Escaping the Constraints of Biology

by Russ McSpadden / Carbon-based humanoid Science and Technology correspondent

[The text of this work is free to share and distribute under the following Creative Commons License CC-BY-ND 3.0]

WTF In The Eyeball?

Researchers at Ghent University in England have developed a new break through technology that promises to make your near future far more annoying — and especially more boring — than any dystopic science-fiction novel you’ve read. In one giant stupid leap in cyborg technology the team created a curved LCD contact lens that can display text messages. Let’s hope they developed new eye drops to ease the discomfort from all those winking emoticons and raunchy sexts, too.  But I guess this’ll solve that 21^st century dilemma of needing to maintain eye contact with the person you are talking to while also texting someone else.

According to chief researcher, Herbert De Smet, at the university’s Centre of Microsystems Technology, it’s “not science-fiction” but the first step towards “fully pixilated contact lens displays,” which will one day, with any luck, allow you to watch Gangnam Style in the comfort of your own, um, pupil.