The summer of 2026 went well, in terms of productivity, settlements, and short but beautiful vacations. I am redesigning my office on campus, including a few Billy bookshelves from IKEA. This gave me space to unload more boxes from my father’s storage. One of my personal activities in recent weeks is cataloging the newspapers I … Read more
Slack began as an accidental innovation—an internal communication tool developed at a game studio—that quickly revolutionized how businesses communicate. Before Slack, collaborative work relied almost entirely on cumbersome email chains. With its sleek user experience and channel-based messaging, Slack saw unprecedented organic growth, hitting a $1.1 billion valuation in just eight months. However, its success … Read more
Here are more thoughts on academic life! Episode 12 is at your service: What the university has that cannot be delivered Two episodes ago I argued that the university’s peculiar gift is slow time — the licence to sit with a question for fifteen years. In the last one I argued that its other gift … Read more
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival has just witnessed a profoundly historic moment. The premiere of NAZA, a chilling new documentary directed by Oscar-winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, received a staggering 25-minute standing ovation. This reaction not only sets a new record for the prestigious Italian festival but also highlights the … Read more
As of the 12–13 September 2026 operation, it now reaches beyond the routine suppression of Pride marches to include criminal investigations, raids on civil-society organizations and venues, detentions, online censorship, and policies framed around “family” and “morality.” The latest September 2026 operation alone placed 162 people, nine associations, and 13 businesses under investigation across 15 … Read more
I have revised my syllabus and replaced some readings with more recent ones. I like to update my readings frequently so I can stay current with the latest research. I may have missed some topics, but I am satisfied with what I have. There has been a rising- and unsurprising- interest in AI in recent … Read more
The video chronicles the rise and dramatic decline of digital media giant BuzzFeed. While the company achieved massive success in the 2010s by optimizing its viral content (quizzes, listicles, and Tasty videos) for Facebook’s algorithm, this heavy reliance on third-party distribution ultimately led to its downfall. When Facebook’s traffic began to wane in favor of … Read more
I am so fed up with doomy statements from the AI leaders. I may have lost my patience with it. The latest instance is the BBC’s report that Evan Hubinger, who leads alignment science at Anthropic, believes there is a “greater than 10% chance” that AI could “kill all humans” within the next decade. The occasion … Read more
In a major shift in British foreign policy, the United Kingdom has announced a comprehensive ban on the import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Unveiled on September 8, 2026, by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband under Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s administration, the move marks one of London’s strongest policy … Read more
Hosted by the Fojo Media Institute at Linnaeus University, this webinar covers early findings from “The Swedish Election Observatory” (Valet 2026). The briefing outlines the project’s efforts to monitor, track, and fact-check disinformation, AI-manipulated media, and foreign interference targeting the 2026 Swedish elections, featuring collaborations with fact-checking agencies and the Counter Disinformation Network. Key Takeaways … Read more
On September 6, 2026, the political landscape of Germany experienced a seismic shift. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) swept the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, recording its strongest-ever result in any German state election. As initially reported by The Guardian, the result puts immense pressure on Germany’s political firewall against the far right. While … Read more
One of the most exciting developments in my life is becoming a coordinator of a newly emerging center: Hekimbaşı Advanced Studies Center. We have a fantastic list of on-site seminars starting with Salvatore Maria Aglioti! Body, Brain, and Society: A Psychological and Neuroscientific Journey Salvatore Maria Aglioti Sapienza Università di Roma DATES 18–20 September 2026 … Read more
Brief Summary The video explores the sudden, explosive popularity of AI-equipped smart glasses—specifically the Meta Ray-Bans—and the severe privacy threats they introduce. While previous smart glasses like Google Glass failed, the new generation is selling in the millions because they look like normal eyewear while packing high-resolution displays, cameras, and AI assistants. However, because they … Read more
I have to admit, although I knew about his videos from a very early time, I found them a bit cringe, not on my agenda. But he is persistent and successful in his approach to creating content. The key amplifier was streamer Asmongold: his live reaction brought Çenet’s documentary to a much larger American online … Read more
The global academic landscape is fiercely competitive, and the latest figures from the European Research Council (ERC) emphasize just how intense the pursuit of research funding has become. In September 2026, the ERC announced the awarding of 421 Starting Grants, totaling a massive €705 million investment under the Horizon Europe programme. While these numbers celebrate … Read more
