johnvanr wrote:
So, they know that using their technology is bad for children, yet they design them to lure children in and keep them there. It’s the Camel cigarette all over again. It only proves that unbridled capitalism brings out the worst in everyone and needs common sense guard rails.
No, they know that their technology can be used improperly or well. It is misuse that is the problem. Even the tobacco industry is similar. It is a technology that can be used to make products that when misused is harmful, or products that are hugely beneficial. Notably in pharmaceuticals. Once again personal choices and market driven. We should only blame ourselves when bad choices lead to bad results.
My guess us that by common sense you mean government participation and regulation. This is all very much encapsulated in the current state of the cannabis industry. For many years common sense was that it was always bad so it criminalized by government. Then it became obvious there were good uses for it. So then common sense was that it should be legalized for certain uses. Now common sense is that it should be entirely legalized but heavily taxed by common sense. But actually is was always used for good and always abused and still is. Personally I don't use any drugs, tobacco, or alcohol, recreational. I don't consider those good choices. But these are all heavily regulated by "common sense" governments and as always still doing both good and causing harm as they always have. Personal choices and market driven of course.
1bwana1 wrote:
I happen to have two primary homes currently. One in La Jolla, California. One in Parma, Italy. The approach to food, it's creation, preparation, and content is very different. Parma is very clean food oriented place. It is a World Heritage site base on food. It is famous for having clean high quality ethicaly based food. Interestingly, I can choose to buy American style junk food, or localy grown, processed and prepared food in either place. The problems turn out to be not technology or scale or capitalism. It is about personal choice. When it comes to kids it is mostly about their parents. Another interesting thing is that the clean, ethical food in Parma is about 1/2 the cost of the junk food in Parma, and about 1/3 the cost of food in La Jolla. I have also lived in Kenya where free range graized meat is very cheap and grain fed meat is very expensive. Taste being the primary driver of the more expensive choice. It all turns out to be market driven once again.
Truth is a personal, fungiable, culture driven, and fluid thing. I only know of one absolute truth. It is that we will each be dead sooner rather than later, and then we will be dead a very long time. Truth really is that simple. Except for those who live in places where the Government is invasive enough to try and be the arbiter of truth. Unfortunately, the UK is becoming more and more one of those places. I was shocked how far this has come during my last visit there. Sad......Show more →
Sorry, Steve, but for all your travels and worldly wisdom, you seem to have a blind eye to the darker sides of unbridled capitalism. I'm surprised actually, because I understand that in your mining days you worked with a person who tried to be a good person in an often bad industry and paid the ultimate price for it. Correct me, please, if I'm wrong on the facts of that case.
wolfloid wrote:
Extreme, apologist naivety. What, exactly, is the correct use of tobacco in the form of cigarettes?
No, the tobacco industry starts at the farm level. It diverges to good and bad uses at the consumer level. It is in the end choice and market driven. The cigarette industry only exists due to bad choices by consumers that creates a market. Common sense (governments) only participates in profit sharing with the Capitalists through taxation. Common sense is not providing solutions to the harm. It is market driven through bad choices.
johnvanr wrote:
Sorry, Steve, but for all your travels and worldly wisdom, you seem to have a blind eye to the darker sides of unbridled capitalism. I'm surprised actually, because I understand that in your mining days you worked with a person who tried to be a good person in an often bad industry and paid the ultimate price for it. Correct me, please, if I'm wrong on the facts of that case.
Yes he was killed by greedy people. But they are not private Capitalists. They are corrupt government people who sell common sense to the people to assemble constituency in order to gain power and wealth. It is these kinds of people who generaly infest governments everywhere. Common sense governments generaly attract the worst people in society. Look at the names on the buildings where good works are done. They are generaly named after Capitalists who donated their own resources to enable the good work to be done. Contrast this with the names of politicians on government buildings and assets. They didn't contribute anything out of their own pockets. They spent money forcibly taken from the people through taxes while they lined their own pockets. Look at the ending net worth of politicians when they leave office. How did they accumulate that wealth on low government wages. You know the answere. It is actual common sense. Where does evil reside in this equation?
How many times are you going to try and kick that football Charlie Brown?
1bwana1 wrote:
Truth is a personal, fungiable, culture driven, and fluid thing. I only know of one absolute truth. It is that we will each be dead sooner rather than later, and then we will be dead a very long time. Truth really is that simple. Except for those who live in places where the Government is invasive enough to try and be the arbiter of truth. Unfortunately, the UK is becoming more and more one of those places. I was shocked how far this has come during my last visit there. Sad...
Oh dear. No, the truth isn't personal. Is this distortion starting all over again? Are we back to the concept of "alternative facts"?
Press freedom is currently regressing worldwide. The most prominent example is the USA. Compared to the USA, pretty much every European country is doing (very) well in terms of freedom of press.
According to the Reporters Without Borders index, the UK has improved from 23rd place (2024) to 20th place (2025). The USA – unsurprisingly – has slipped further, from 55th place in 2024 to 57th place in 2025. The coming years will surely accelerate this downward trend. For obvious reasons.
I've already written about it elsewhere. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. But not to their own truth.
P.S. By the way, the EU (and its predecessor institutions) are – despite some trials and tribulations – a recipe for success. Never before has Europe experienced such a long period of peace. Never before have so many people lived in such prosperity. Just look at the countries that joined the EU in the early 2000s. And: Ukrainians are dying every day because they (rightly) refuse to give up their dream of EU membership.
fjablo wrote:
...
But.. can we talk about how ugly the design is? The logo, the color scheme, the app layout and buttons. I’m surprised as I had expected the complete opposite from someone like him. Weird 😐
Thanks! That sent me back to the URL link in the original post. Essentially, all we get to see are the images as seen on a smartphone and, otherwise, there's a bit of a description of the concept — no public view count, etc. — and we're asked to sign on to a waitlist, just on the basis of Schaller's name.
I'd rather wait to see what comes of this, especially since I am not a fan of looking at photographs on my iPhone. I used to look at Instagram using a nifty Mac app called "Grids" (for Instagram), which unfortunately has become abandonware presumably because it didn't transmit the Instagram ads. As for Instagram itself, in most cases, it's become useless for promoting unknown photographers (same for flickr) — as discussed some time ago in another thread. So, I'll wait to see how the Schaller initiative comes out, but am not holding my breath. In the meantime, there's another initiative with a waitlist just now by Histogram, called "Last Camera", on a much more popular level, which seems to make more sense — at least to me.
zeitlos wrote:
Oh dear. No, the truth isn't personal. Is this distortion starting all over again? Are we back to the concept of "alternative facts"?
Press freedom is currently regressing worldwide. The most prominent example is the USA. Compared to the USA, pretty much every European country is doing (very) well in terms of freedom of press.
According to the Reporters Without Borders index, the UK has improved from 23rd place (2024) to 20th place (2025). The USA – unsurprisingly – has slipped further, from 55th place in 2024 to 57th place in 2025. The coming years will surely accelerate this downward trend. For obvious reasons.
I've already written about it elsewhere. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. But not to their own truth.
P.S. By the way, the EU (and its predecessor institutions) are – despite some trials and tribulations – a recipe for success. Never before has Europe experienced such a long period of peace. Never before have so many people lived in such prosperity. Just look at the countries that joined the EU in the early 2000s. And: Ukrainians are dying every day because they (rightly) refuse to give up their dream of EU membership....Show more →
Facts and truth are not interchangeable terms. People's beliefs in truth are very cultural, national, religious, morality, and personaly based. They are very closely related to opinions. Facts are are based on physical laws and and actual events that can be viewed in a vacuum devoid of the above. That we are alive and having this conversation is a fact. The meaning of this conversation is muddled by personal truths.
Actually truth for many is that Ukrain is not at war because of their desire to join the EU. They are at war because of their desire to join NATO. Very different things. The fact is that Ukrain and Russia are at war and there is great damage and death because of this.
I am a citizen of both the U.S. and the EU. I fully recognize the benefits and problems in both. I live them every day.
Sorry guys, this is really not the place to discuss international relations or politics. Let's keep this reasonably on topic. I think Fred Miranda should clean up this thread.
1bwana1 wrote:
Facts and truth are not interchangeable terms. People's beliefs in truth are very cultural, national, religious, morality, and personaly based. They are very closely related to opinions. Facts are are based on physical laws and and actual events that should be viewed in a vacuum devoid of the above. That we are alive and having this conversation is a fact. The meaning of this conversation is muddled by personal truths.
Actually truth for many is that Ukrain is not at war because of their desire to join the EU. They are at war because of their desire to join NATO. Very different things. The fact is that Ukrain and Russia are at war and there is great damage and death because of this.
I am a citizen of both the U.S. and the EU. I fully recognize the benefits and problems in both. I live them every day....Show more →
Unfortunately, you are once again very poorly informed. Which is surprising. As a US citizen, you may not be aware of much of what is happening in Europe. But since you repeatedly refer to your European roots, I'm very surprised that you don't even know the most basic things, or even deny them. But there must be a reason for your sometimes very strange statements.
AI:
"Yes, **that statement is broadly correct and supported by evidence** from Russia’s own rhetoric and geopolitical strategy.
---
> **"Russia is attacking to prevent Ukraine from joining the EU (and NATO) and drifting further into the Western sphere."**
---
### 🔍 Why it’s accurate:
1. **Putin’s stated goals**:
* He has repeatedly expressed that Ukraine's integration into Western alliances like **NATO** and **EU** is a red line for Russia.
* In speeches (e.g. February 2022), Putin portrayed Ukraine’s Western alignment as an existential threat to Russia’s influence and security.
* He denied Ukraine’s legitimacy as a sovereign state separate from Russia—a key ideological justification for the invasion.
2. **Russian strategy since 2014**:
* The annexation of **Crimea** and support for separatists in **Donbas** began right after Ukraine’s pro-European Maidan Revolution in 2014.
* That revolution ousted a pro-Russian president (Yanukovych) who had rejected an EU Association Agreement.
* Since then, Moscow has tried to destabilize Ukraine and prevent Western integration.
3. **NATO and EU as symbols of the West**:
* For the Kremlin, **NATO** means military encirclement; **EU** means democratic and economic transformation—both eroding Russian influence.
* Ukraine's drift westward is viewed as a loss of control over a historically, culturally and geopolitically significant neighbor.
4. **Western alignment of Ukraine**:
* Ukraine enshrined its EU and NATO aspirations in its **constitution** in 2019.
* Support for both has grown dramatically since Russia's invasion.
---
### 🧠 In short:
Yes, Russia’s invasion is fundamentally about stopping Ukraine’s Western alignment**, including both **EU** and **NATO** membership. It’s not only about military threats—it’s also about preventing a democratic Ukraine from succeeding as part of Europe."
Mitch Alland wrote:
Sorry guys, this is really not the place to discuss international relations or politics. Let's keep this reasonably on topic. I think Fred Miranda should clean up this thread.
I wouldn't characterize this discussion as politics. It is far more abstract than that. It is based on the value and ethics of current photography orientated web sites, and the potential of a new entrant in that field. A very relevant and dispassionate subject core discussion between friends that drifts a little at times. The Ukrain discussion has probably drifted too far I agree.
zeitlos wrote:
Unfortunately, you are once again very poorly informed. Which is surprising. As a US citizen, you may not be aware of much of what is happening in Europe. But since you repeatedly refer to your European roots, I'm very surprised that you don't even know the most basic things, or even deny them. But there must be a reason for your sometimes very strange statements.
AI:
"Yes, **that statement is broadly correct and supported by evidence** from Russia’s own rhetoric and geopolitical strategy.
---
> **"Russia is attacking to prevent Ukraine from joining the EU (and NATO) and drifting further into the Western sphere."**
---
### 🔍 Why it’s accurate:
1. **Putin’s stated goals**:
* He has repeatedly expressed that Ukraine's integration into Western alliances like **NATO** and **EU** is a red line for Russia.
* In speeches (e.g. February 2022), Putin portrayed Ukraine’s Western alignment as an existential threat to Russia’s influence and security.
* He denied Ukraine’s legitimacy as a sovereign state separate from Russia—a key ideological justification for the invasion.
2. **Russian strategy since 2014**:
* The annexation of **Crimea** and support for separatists in **Donbas** began right after Ukraine’s pro-European Maidan Revolution in 2014.
* That revolution ousted a pro-Russian president (Yanukovych) who had rejected an EU Association Agreement.
* Since then, Moscow has tried to destabilize Ukraine and prevent Western integration.
3. **NATO and EU as symbols of the West**:
* For the Kremlin, **NATO** means military encirclement; **EU** means democratic and economic transformation—both eroding Russian influence.
* Ukraine's drift westward is viewed as a loss of control over a historically, culturally and geopolitically significant neighbor.
4. **Western alignment of Ukraine**:
* Ukraine enshrined its EU and NATO aspirations in its **constitution** in 2019.
* Support for both has grown dramatically since Russia's invasion.
---
### 🧠 In short:
Yes, Russia’s invasion is fundamentally about stopping Ukraine’s Western alignment**, including both **EU** and **NATO** membership. It’s not only about military threats—it’s also about preventing a democratic Ukraine from succeeding as part of Europe."
I read poorly informed as having views not in alignment with yours. Probably correct. My time spent in Germany this last year confirms that I tend to be far from the German view on some issues. But I am aware of them and the historical and geographical reasons behind them
I am not just a U.S. citizen with European roots. I am a full Citzen of Italy and the EU with passport and voting rights. My primary residence is in fact currently Parma, Italy. That changes based on need and advantage. I pay taxes in both jurisdictions. I have friends and businesses in both jurisdictions. I hear views from both viewpoints. My personal views rarely align completely with either jurisdiction. My Russian friends (and I have many) generaly hold as truth that the war is justified by legitimate threat from the West. My EU friends generaly hold as truth that the war is justified by legitimate threat from Russia. Soldiers don't go to war believing that they are fighting killing and dieing for evil purpose. My personal view is that this war is unnessarry and a tragedy.
I think the official position of the Kremlin is well expressed here where it is expressly stated that they do not object to EU membership with is an economic association. Russia objects to NATO membership which is a military association. Could they have been more clear? https://www.yahoo.com/news/kremlin-does-not-oppose-ukraines-123008380.html
We will need to wait and see how far Alan Schaller gets with his new platform. I, for one, am interested. I have never been interested in either looking at or participating in any of the big name photo apps, seeing them as advertising revenue sites, and I have never joined any of them. They seem to be based on mass participation and iphone images, which does not interest me. I would prefer a curated site on a tablet, with no advertising, but I don‘t suppose that will ever happen. Commercialism always seems to sink to the lowest common denominator and cultural mediocrity.
Those who can‘t distinguish between the ‘truths’ of interested parties and the search for truth through rigorous investigation need to examine their consciences. It is an Orwellian slippery slope.
I’m still an active Glass users. I’ve got my little clique of users I engage with on there consistently. I’m cool with subscriptions as the only other established model for success is based on endless growth, which is a myth. Scale does not have to be the end goal for all.
I’m completely unfamiliar with Allan though, I’ve never heard of him.
wolfloid wrote:
Those who can‘t distinguish between the ‘truths’ of interested parties and the search for truth through rigorous investigation need to examine their consciences. It is an Orwellian slippery slope.
Totally agree with this. This has been my point. Now all we need to do is to identify disinterested parties on which to rely.
Alan Schaller’s new photo sharing site
