On Data Centers- The Sprawl of the Needless and the Heedless- Brian Keeler What a dystopian and run-a-mok disaster is being foisted on us! Not so much like lemmings over a cliff willingly but more like hapless boaters sucked into a whirlpool. Just like the men in ships in the Odyssey. Ulysses was able to scuttle a whirlpool with his returning Ithacans. In our metaphorical vortex, we may not have such a homecoming as Ulysses. More on that later. We are being force-fed what c

Reflections on the Christopher Nolan Film- Brian Keeler The allure of a well-known classic, like The Odyssey, Homer's poem from 750 BC is apparent and upon us now as the new film by Christopher Nolan is out after great fanfare, glowing reviews and anticipation by myself. I have been looking forward to it for some time. And as we went to see it at our local art theatre, Cinemapolis (in Ithaca) to underscore Ithaca as nicely convenient and crucial to the original. Ithaca (on t

An essay on principles and pandering- In America. Brian Keeler No Irish need apply- The New York Times ( June 28,2026) beat me to the punch with the headline for their opinion section in the Sunday edition, there's being, "It's America's Birthday, What Are We Celebrating?" Good question, and the obvious answer is we are celebrating the declaration of independence, the principles and revolution that separated us from the British monarchy and autocratic rule. It was a visi

The Self-Portrait as Self Discovery; an essay- Brian Keeler Showing oneself from behind, in a painting is not the usual way we would think of as an ideal pose for a self-portrait. The self concealed in mystery is the seeming result of this pose- with no visible characteristics of the face, physiognomy or character, let alone soul or individual expression of the eyes or other features. Yet this is the way that one of the most iconic paintings in all of western art shows the