Few in the West realize that the Chinese once saved the Christian civilization. In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire were unstoppable. Forged by Genghis Khan out of the once-fractured steppe tribes, it became the most formidable military machine on earth. Its cavalry, famed for speed, discipline, and operational range, shattered one state after another across Eurasia. The Mongol advance rolled southward and westward in relentless succession: Western Xia fell after the Mongol campaigns beginning in 1209; the Jin dynasty was crushed between 1211 and 1234; Kara-Khitan collapsed in 1218; Khwarezm and much of Persia were devastated between 1219 and 1221; then came the Caucasus and the Rus’, followed by invasions of Georgia and Armenia, and finally the thunderous blows against Poland and Hungary in 1241. In 1258, Baghdad, seat of the Abbasid Caliphate, was taken and destroyed. To many contemporaries, it seemed only a matter of time before the rest of Europe would meet the same fate. That outcome, however, was not inevitable. A crucial turning point came not in Europe or the Middle East, but in southwestern China. In 1259, Möngke Khan, the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire and grandson of Genghis Khan, personally led a major campaign against the Southern Song. To break Song resistance in Sichuan and open the road deeper into China, the Mongols laid siege to Diaoyucheng, a mountain fortress in present-day Hechuan, Chongqing. Diaoyucheng was no ordinary city wall. Built on steep terrain and protected by rivers and cliffs, it was one of the strongest defensive positions in the Song frontier system. The garrison, associated in the sources with commanders such as Wang Jian and Zhang Jue, relied on the fortress’s elevation, layered defenses, and the Song military’s formidable use of projectile weapons, including trebuchets and other siege defenses, to wear down the attackers. The Mongols launched repeated assaults and raids, but failed to break the stronghold. A Mongol commander, Wang Dechen, was killed during the fighting, reportedly by Song artillery or siege fire. Then came the fateful moment. During the siege, Möngke Khan died in 1259. The exact cause remains debated by historians: some sources say he was mortally wounded by a projectile from the fortress, while others suggest he succumbed to disease during the campaign. But on the larger point there is no dispute: his death abruptly transformed the strategic situation. It triggered a succession crisis within the Mongol Empire, forced major commanders to redirect attention to imperial politics, and disrupted broader offensives. Kublai and Ariq Böke soon entered into a struggle for supremacy, while other Mongol armies elsewhere also had to reassess their positions. Diaoyucheng did not destroy Mongol power, but it helped produce the political shock that fractured the momentum of a world-conquering empire. In that sense, Diaoyucheng was far more than a local Chinese battle. It became one of the great defensive stands in world history. The fortress held; the Great Khan died; the Mongol war machine lost its unity of command. The westward drive that had already crushed so many civilizations was checked by events set in motion on the walls of a Chinese mountain stronghold. Without that resistance, the map of Eurasia, and perhaps the fate of Christian Europe itself, might have been very different.

Everyone talks about AI enabling the "one-person Hollywood studio." I spent the last two months putting that to the test. The result? A full, 2+ hour feature film. Introducing "The Four Classics." Using @suno, @soraofficialapp , @grok Imagine 1.0, and Genie 3 by @GoogleLabs , I adapted China’s greatest literary epics into a sprawling, cyberpunk hip-hop opera. Grab some popcorn. Welcome to the future of AI film production. 🍿🎥 Timestamps: Water Margin 0:00:09 “The Tiger (十八婉)”- Wu Song rejects the law and engages in a drunken battle defeating the Tiger 0:03:20 “Forced to the Mountain (逼上梁山)”- Lin Chong seeks revenge on Gao Qiu for destroying his life and familial honor 0:09:24 “Black Whirlwind (黑俊峰)”- Introduction of the brute Li Kui and his love for violence 0:11:42 “The Gathering / 108 (大聚义)”- The Liangshan heroes formally assemble to announce their reign at the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness 0:14:08 “The Amnesty (招安)”- Song Jiang, leader of the heroes, debates the pros of accepting an offer of Amnesty from the Emperor 0:18:05 “The Poison Wine (神聚蓼儿洼)”- Song Jiang encourages Li Kui to join him in drinking Poisoned Wine gifted by the Emperor Romance of the Three Kingdoms 0:22:20 “The Oath (桃园)”- Liu Bei is a small time hustler with ambition to take over the nation. He makes a blood oath with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to do so. 0:25:57 “The Mastermind (卧龙)”- Liu Bei recruits the strategist Zhuge Liang to join his cause and take over the kingdom 0:30:49 “The Burden (​仁义)”- Caocao’s troops attack causing Liu Bei and Shu to flee south. Liu Bei burns the city of Xinye and uses common people as human shields to make his escape. 0:33:44 “The License (挟天子)”- Caocao plans his move to crush the growing nation of Shu from his penthouse 0:36:45 “No Regrets (​宁负)”- Flashback to Caocao’s betrayal of his ally Old Lu. He chooses to massacre a banquet after hearing the sound of knives sharpening. An examination of ruthless ambition. 0:39:59 “The Flex (​八十万)”- Caocao’s army of 800k soldiers races south to destroy Liu Bei’s Shu. 0:43:26 “The Estate (​江东)”- Sun Quan, leader of Wu, forms an unlikely alliance with Liu Bei to quell the approach of Caocao’s army 0:47:27 “The Shift (东风)”- Zhuge Liang summons the East Wind to change the fate of Caocao’s army at the Red Cliffs 0:51:15 “The Chains (​连环)”- Pang Tong of Shu deceives Caocao into chaining his fleet of ships together setting the perfect trap 0:54:37 “Symphony No.7 (​​第七交响曲)”- General Zhou Yu of Wu sparks the trap set by Shu strategists lighting Caocao’s entire fleet ablaze. The Epic Battle of the Red Cliffs concludes Caocao’s push south. 0:59:25 “The Split (​​三分)”- Opening Credits. Sima Yi reviews the status of the Three Kingdoms after The Red Cliffs result in an uneasy truce. 1:02:23 “Still G.U.A.N.”- Following the war, Guan Yu runs operations in Jingzhou. Sun Quan sends a formal message requesting Guan Yu’s daughter marry his son strengthening the alliance. Guan Yu promptly refuses insulting the leader of Wu. 1:05:58 “The Statue (刮骨)”- After an assassination attempt, Guan Yu is struck with poison that makes its way into his bone. He requires immediate, invasive surgery. He survives through his grit, maintaining his arrogance, but weakened from the procedure. 1:09:42 “The Funeral (白衣)”- Guan Yu is ambushed by Wu’s forces after retreating to the mountains of Maicheng. The Wu assassins approach as merchants, disguised in white clothing, catching Guan Yu by surprise. 1:13:19 “The Lie (桃园)”- Liu Bei receives news of Guan Yu’s death and sets out on a war path against Wu. He loses his composure leaning into pills to cope with the loss of his blood brothers. 1:17:08 “The O.D. (七百里)”- Liu Bei’s madness leads him to make a fatal strategic error. He stretches his army thin in a 700 mile long “snake” formation. 1:20:32 “The Boomarang (​回旋镖)”- Liu Bei’s army burns to ashes in a brutal defeat reminiscent of his triumph at the Red Cliffs. 1:23:46 “The Flop (​扶不起)”- Zhuge Liang tries to pick up the ashes of Shu nation by educating Liu Bei’s son Adou. Adou is too busy enjoying his life and inherited wealth to bother with the burden of leadership. 1:27:48 “The Frequency (​空城)”- Cornered by the army of Wei led by Sima Yi, Zhugeliang employes the empty city strategy to outsmart his rival. 1:31:12 “The Flatline (​五丈原)”- Zhuge Liang tries to outlive his corporeal form to ensure the longevity of the nation of Shu and prevail in the war. 1:34:33 “The Liquidation (​归晋)”- Sima Yi consolidates control of the Three Kingdoms and unifies China under Wei. Journey to the West 1:38:20 “Eight Trigrams Furnace (炼丹炉)”- A family flees the grind of life in China in search of “Freedom” offered by the American Dream 1:41:36 “White Bone Spirit (白骨精)”- The family experiences the demons and tribulations of modern American life in their struggle to assimilate 1:45:33 “Thunderclap Temple (雷音寺)”- The family realizes the truth of the Blank Scriptures. Dream of the Red Chamber 1:49:39 “顽石GENESIS BLOCK (Final Cut)” - Rejecting its status as a useless system glitch, the sentient Stone signs a smart contract to download its consciousness into the mortal avatar of Jia Baoyu. Trading the safety of eternal numbness for the sensory overload of a physical body, Baoyu logs into the simulation specifically to chase the lust, trauma, and "pain" of human existence. 1:54:17 “大观园THE GARDEN (HYPE HOUSE)” - Inside the simulation, Baoyu lives as the pampered admin of the Grand View Garden, a walled-off, hyper-capitalist echo chamber where the elite ignore the rotting code of the outside world. Surrounded by the Twelve Beauties, he gorges on digital excess and mindless consumption—literally "eating the rouge"—pushing the server to the absolute brink of failure. 1:57:45 “葬花DELETING ASSETS (THE CRASH)”- The manic party violently ends with a massive system crash, forcing Baoyu to watch the algorithmic destruction of his decadent world. Amidst the digital decay, his tragic soulmate Lin Daiyu desperately tries to save the pure, beautiful files of their love, burying her fragile memories to protect them from the corrupted stream before she is permanently deleted. 2:01:09 “白茫茫WHITE NOISE (LOGOUT)”- The corrupted simulation undergoes a complete format, wiping out the Jia family's vast digital empire and leaving nothing behind but a stark, quiet white wasteland.

Extraterrestrial Satellite Communication Gilgamesh "Stellaron, my treasure. When you reach the end of your journey, I shall seal you within the deepest depths of my treasury, in the safest place of all... Hmph. That said, your 'Trailblaze' shall endure for a long time yet, reaching even beyond the ultimate horizon of my own foresight." The King of Heroes from the dawn of human history, hailing from a world beyond the stars. Possessing a nature two-thirds divine and one-third mortal, he claims a natural-born prerogative to rule over all of creation. Laughing out loud today as always, right up until getting dragged into another world by some adversarial Goddess— This time, he will once again reclaim everything that is rightfully his as king. Original Concept Artist: Takashi Takeuchi ——————————————————— "Imagenae Holy Grail War": Honkai: Star Rail × Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Collaboration will officially launch on July 24. From July 24 at 12:00 (server time) until the end of Version 4.6, Trailblazers can choose to obtain either Gilgamesh (Destruction: Lightning) or Archer (The Hunt: Quantum) for free. Starting from 12:00, July 24 (server time), Trailblazers can also use Star Rail Special Passes to participate in the collaboration Warp and obtain the limited 5-star character Gilgamesh (Destruction: Lightning). Please refer to the follow-up announcements for detailed information.

File this under “save your best for the finale”… I think my favorite moments from the tour were the acoustic surprises. So I went back into the studio with Max and Shellback to record acoustic/unplugged versions of a few of the Showgirl songs with brand new vocals and production! Cannot WAIT for you to hear: ❤️‍🔥 Life Is A Song Acoustic Version with “Opalite (Life Is A Song Acoustic Version)” and “Ruin the Friendship (My Advice Version)” ❤️‍🔥 Dressing Room Rehearsal Version with “Wi$h Li$t (Settled Down Acoustic Version)” and “The Life of a Showgirl (Dressing Room Rehearsal Acoustic Version)” ❤️‍🔥 Alone In My Tower Acoustic Version with “The Fate of Ophelia (Alone In My Tower Acoustic Version)” and “Eldest Daughter (Now You’re Home Acoustic Version)” ❤️‍🔥 So Glamorous Cabaret Version with “Elizabeth Taylor (So Glamorous Cabaret Version)” and Elizabeth Taylor (Original Songwriting Voice Memo) Four limited CD releases each including two acoustic bonus tracks on my site now for 24 hours while supplies last. Album Producers: Max Martin, Shellback and Taylor Swift 📸: TAS Rights Management

Some works really are those towering pieces of creation that automatically instil a feeling of respect for them, and after experiencing such works you are left feeling grateful for having been able to enjoy one of life's greatest mental and emotional nourishment. The Iliad, one of the oldest surviving texts, demands that respect, not because of its old age but for its timelessness. Yes, you are thrown into the middle of a 10 year long Greek-Trojan conflict, and it's natural to be intimidated before starting this journey because its reputation precedes it, but make use of technology and get the basic necessary context and choose the right translation (I wholeheartedly recommend Robert Fagles' one) and please just jump in and trust yourself and the beauty of the language to instantly grip you. Coming to the story itself, although I have read only a few books in my lifetime, this particular piece might be the grandest, the most brutal and yet one of the most complete works due to integrating a plethora of real human traits like aggression, fear, honour, pettiness, leadership, confusion, but most importantly trusting in Gods and their blessings but in yourself too and doing what's necessary even if Gods betray you. From detailed gory deaths to legendary men poking fun at each other, from slightly dragging heritage descriptions to relentless pacing of men and Gods taking the battle seriously, as a reader you just can't half-heartedly digest this grand feast, otherwise the loss is yours, the flavours were right there but you missed them. I have read every passage twice before heading to the next because the combined genius of Homer and Fagles would not allow you to just casually read, as every other line is enriched with beautiful imagery and delicious wording, and hence this is also my most underlined book till now. Achilles is more than everything that I heard about him, instantly one of my favourite literary figures. I was not prepared for Odysseus and how much he brings to the table. Giant Ajax and Diomedes are the backbone of the Greeks, and Patroclus cemented himself with his brief appearance. Hector is simply that man, he is everything that a man in his position must do if his fate is already sealed, and Aeneas got my special attention due to him reappearing in my future read, The Aeneid. The Gods, especially Zeus, provide a whole other layer of entertainment and their actions always intrigued me. I really can't properly conclude this piece that I started writing because I didn't even touch the most aura-inducing titles and epithets associated with men and Gods, some of the most memorable quotes, the breathtaking imagery of battlefields and Mount Olympus, the earnest description of physical attributes of characters and their armour and robes, or the way this poem fills you with all possible adrenaline and then at the next moment drains you completely, leaves you melancholic, and ultimately makes your day feel like an achievement having read it. Basically I haven't said anything meaningful because I'm really just incapable of adding anything to the legacy of this epic text. And now my Odyssey begins…

The anti-AI coalition continues to maneuver to find arguments to slow down AI progress. If someone has a sincere concern about a specific effect of AI, for instance that it may lead to human extinction, I respect their intellectual honesty, even if I deeply disagree with their position. However, I am concerned about organizations that are surveying the public to find whatever messages will turn people against AI, and how the public reacts as these messages are spread by lobbyists or by politicians seeking to alarm constituents, companies pursuing regulatory capture or seeking to promote the power of their technology, and individuals seeking to gain attention or to profit by being provocative. A large study (link in original article below; h/t to the AI Panic blog) by a UK group tested different messages that are designed to raise alarm about AI. Their study found that saying AI will cause human extinction has largely failed. Doomsayers were pushing this argument a couple of years ago, and fortunately our community beat it back. But AI-enabled warfare and environmental concerns resonate better. We should be prepared for a flood of messages (which is already underway) arguing against AI on these grounds. Further, job loss and harm to children are messages that motivate people to act. To be clear, I find AI-enabled warfare alarming; we need to continue serious efforts to monitor and mitigate the environmental impact of AI; any job losses are tragic and hurt individuals and families; and as a father, I hold dearly the importance of every child’s welfare. Each of these topics deserves serious attention and treatment with the greatest of care. But when anti-AI propagandists take a one-sided view of complex issues to benefit their own organizations at the expense of the public at large — for instance, when big AI companies argue that AI is dangerous to block the free distribution of open source projects that compete with their offerings — then we all lose. For example, public perception of data centers’ environmental impact is already far worse than the reality — data centers are incredibly efficient for the work they do, and hampering their buildout will hurt rather than help the environment. While job loss is a real problem, the “AI washing” of layoffs — in which businesses that had over-hired during the pandemic blame AI for recent layoffs, although AI hasn’t yet affected their operations — has led to overblown fears about the impact of AI on employment. Unfortunately, this sort of propaganda easily leads to regulations that create worse outcomes for everyone. For example, oil companies worked for years to create fear of nuclear energy. The result is that overblown concerns about the safety of nuclear power plants has stifled nuclear power development, leading to millions of premature deaths from air pollution that was caused by other energy sources and a massive increase in CO2 emissions. Let’s make sure overblown concerns about AI do not lead to a similar fate for the many people that would benefit from faster AI development. Last week, the White House proposed a national legislative framework for AI. A key component is a federal preemption framework to prevent a patchwork of state regulations that hamper AI development. I support this. After failing to gain traction at the federal level, a lot of anti-AI propaganda has shifted to the state level. If just one of the 50 states passes a law that limits AI in an unproductive way, it could lead to stifling AI development across all the states and potentially across the globe. The White House proposal rightfully respects each state’s rights to control its own zoning, how it enforces general laws to protect consumers, and how it uses AI. But if a state were to pass laws that limit AI development, federal rules would preempt the state law. The White House proposal remains a proposal for now. However, if the U.S. Congress enacts it, it will clear the way for ongoing efforts to develop AI in beneficial ways. Where do we go from here? Let’s support limiting applications — those that use AI, and those that don’t — that harm people. When the anti-AI coalition argues against AI, in addition to considering the merits of the argument, I consider whether their position is consistent and persuasive, or if they are just promoting whatever concerns they think will sway the public at a given moment. And, let’s also keep using a scientific approach to weighing AI’s benefits against likely harms, so we don’t end up with overblown concerns that limit the benefits that AI can bring everyone. [Original text with links: ]

It’s worth briefly revisiting the rather legendary story behind UTStarcom and SoftBank China Venture Capital. Hong Lu, born on November 3, 1954, is a Chinese American entrepreneur. His family traces its roots to Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province，China.. He was born in Taiwan, Province of China and moved to Japan at the age of six. After graduating from Tokyo Metropolitan Jonan High School, Lu went on to study civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was two years senior to Masa Son @masason After graduating, Hong Lu joined Masa Son’s startup, Mspeech System Inc, whose core business was selling portable voice translation devices.  In March 1982, Son returned to Japan to recover from an illness. Before leaving, he sold his U.S. company Unison World to Lu. For a time, Unison maintained a close partnership with Kyocera, the company founded by Inamori Kazuo. In 1986, the two companies formed a joint venture called Kyocera Unison and attempted to take it public. The plan ultimately fell through, and Lu exited the venture. In 1990, Lu made his first exploratory trip to mainland China. A year later, in 1991, Lu teamed up with his Berkeley classmate and Masa Son’s former Chinese tutor, Charles Xue @xuemanzi8848， along with Son himself. Together they acquired Zhejiang Yutong, a company originally founded by Peter Wang(Zuguang) , reorganizing it and renaming it Unitech Telecom (UT). That same year, Wu Ying , then working at AT&T Bell Labs, partnered with Chauncey Shey to launch Starcom in New Jersey. The company initially operated as a technology consulting firm, essentially providing engineering talent as outsourced services. Among the temporary engineers they hired was Bill Huang(Xiaoqing ), who at the time was doing R&D at Racal Telecom in the UK. In 1994, Bill Huang(Xiaoqing ) joined Unitech Telecom. On October 6, 1995, Unitech Telecom and Starcom merged in a 50–50 deal to form UTStarcom. Just two weeks later, on October 19, the company secured $30 million in funding from SoftBank. On March 5, 1996, UTStarcom China was established. By 1999, after several rounds of major investment totaling roughly $160 million, Masa Son became chairman of UTStarcom, increasing his stake to 51%. On March 3, 2000, UTStarcom successfully went public on the NASDAQ. In 2001, Charles Xue exited the company, cashing out roughly $150 million. Later that same year following the IPO, Masa Son committed $90 million, while Hong  Lu，Chauncey Shey, and others contributed $10 million, forming the first fund for SoftBank China Venture Capital (SBCVC). Brilliance of Berkeley，and with that , the wheels of fate have begun to turn.

QUOTE 1: A worldview without feelings is a cold structure; feelings without a worldview are a blind force. : The author offers a precise and balanced insight into the relationship between intellect and emotion. A worldview without feelings becomes a cold, lifeless structure rational but empty, capable of logic yet devoid of warmth or motivation. Conversely, feelings without a coherent worldview become a blind force powerful but directionless, easily manipulated or destructive. True human maturity requires the harmonious union of both. The mind provides clarity, structure, and long-term vision. Feelings supply energy, empathy, and moral intuition. When integrated, they create a living philosophy: thought that is compassionate and emotion that is wise. This synthesis is the foundation of a complete human being. Without it, we risk becoming either heartless calculators or passionate but reckless actors. The highest expressions of humanity justice, creativity, love, and wisdom arise only when reason and feeling work together as equal partners. QUOTE 2: The unity of humanity is not a dream but a necessity: it is the only path to universal security. : The author asserts that the unity of humanity is not an idealistic dream but a fundamental necessity. In an interconnected world facing global threats climate change, pandemics, nuclear risks, resource scarcity, and technological disruption fragmented efforts and national rivalries are no longer sustainable. True universal security cannot be achieved through dominance, isolation, or temporary alliances. It requires a higher level of human solidarity: shared institutions, mutual trust, collective responsibility, and a common commitment to the survival and flourishing of our species. Without unity, every nation remains vulnerable, no matter how powerful. Unity does not mean erasing diversity or sovereignty. It means building a framework in which differences are respected while common survival imperatives are placed above them. It is the recognition that in the 21st century and beyond, humanity’s fate is collective. The path to lasting security runs through unity. Anything less is merely managed risk.