Speaking In Code To Avoid Censorship

I'm noticing a trend on social media, particularly on YouTube. People are now speaking in code in order to avoid censorship through AI and the algorithm. When you use certain words, apparently they have ways of shutting you down, and you could ultimately be suspended. This is where technology is taking us.

One of the content creators I enjoy on YouTube covers music. The problem is, what's happening in the world right now is crossing paths with the music industry in a significant way. Concerts are being canceled due to the health concerns brought about by the pandemic and the reactions to it. Last year, we weren't able to have concerts at all. This year, we can have them, but you have to follow their rules to do it.

Anybody asking questions is basically being told to trust the science. The problem is, what science are you supposed to trust? Do you go around and research what different scientists are saying and come to your own conclusions, or do you merely listen to the scientists they parade out on TV? Who has the authority here? Who do you trust?

The person covering music would rather talk about music. He covers a style of music that doesn't get much recognition these days. He likes to tell us about the new bands that are out there playing that style, but of course most people went to listen to the old bands play the old songs. What's gotten his attention is some of those old band members who are giving people medical advice, and he disagrees with them. 

My concern is that we ought to be able to have a discussion about things without mincing words. We should be able to say what we mean, not get cute by saying terms like "do the thing". One of the principles our country was founded upon is the freedom of speech. If we can't talk to each other and make ourselves clear, we're not getting the full picture when we make our decisions. We're given propaganda and told to accept it.

It didn't start with the current pandemic situation that we're going through. It started before that. It was used to stifle certain political opinions that some people couldn't handle. Because people are actually generating significant revenue making videos on YouTube, they're not taking a stand against what's going on there. At least ways, they're not doing it in a meaningful way. Instead, they are speaking in code in order to sneak past the censors.

This does make me wonder about something. At what point do we say enough is enough and stop bowing down to the censors? At what point are we free to give our honest opinions? Nobody says I'm right simply because I believe differently than you do. It's just what I believe and the way I live my life. You may see things differently. We are coming to a point where if you don't believe, think and do as you're told, you are deemed a threat to society. Is speaking in code really the way to fight this?

The Defining Moment Of Luke Skywalker In The Star Wars Trilogy

The Defining Moment Of Luke Skywalker In The Star Wars Trilogy

I've heard debates about who is a "Mary Sue" type of character in Star Wars. Obviously, Rey is the one character people bring up the most. I'm not going to get into that, or how the Disney Star Wars sequels served to undo the great moments that occurred in Star Wars before they got a hold of the franchise. Luke Skywalker is no Mary Sue, and I can prove it with his defining moment. This was in Return of the Jedi, and Luke had to do something he knew could get him killed.

Luke wanted to save his father. This meant he was going alone to confront him on The Death Star. Not only would he face Darth Vader, but he would also face Emperor Palpatine. Luke was out matched. He simply didn't have the training or the ability to defeat them by himself. He didn't go there to kill anybody. He went there to bring Anakin Skywalker back to the light, and all he had was the belief that he could do it.

The problem was Anakin had been on the dark side for so long. Darth Vader was ruthless, and nobody wanted to cross him. As powerful as Vader was, Emperor Palpatine was even more powerful. He pretty much controlled and manipulated Vader. His reasoning for wanting Luke on The Death Star was because he wanted to turn him to the dark side as well. Skywalker was aware of that, but he was also aware that there was still good in Darth Vader. He believed his father was still there.

It's hard to imagine the courage that Luke had. Many of us fantasize about being in moments like that. Luke knows that he may not return from this mission. All he has to go on was is faith and his love for his father. It's hard to imagine that he would believe that strongly in a man that he never really knew. Of course, he's also trying to do this for the rebellion, but this is a family matter. He wants to save his father.

We see the scene play out. Luke and Vader are trading blows. Luke stands toe to toe with him, but he has a stronger will. He will not bend to the dark side. As proof of that, when he gets the upper hand on his father, he refuses to deal the death blow. He will not kill his father. Vader understands in that moment, because he failed that test years ago. Luke has a strong enough will to deny what The Emperor asks of him. He will not kill his father, and so The Emperor decides he must kill Luke

If Luke is wrong about his father, he's dead now. The Emperor will easily dispatch of him. Seeing his son in agonizing pain as Luke calls out to him, Anakin Skywalker finally emerges. He will not allow The Emperor to kill his son. Though he still believes it's too late for him, he does what must be done to save his son. It's a sacrifice that ultimately ends Vader's life, but Luke Skywalker lives. The Emperor has been defeated.

This was no Mary Sue moment for Luke Skywalker. This didn't require amazing skills with a light saber. It didn't require brute force. It required the risk and potential sacrifice of his life. Luke may have believed he would succeed in his mission, but he had to know that he could fail. He had to know that this might be the end of his life. For him to step up and do what needed to be done and to risk it all for his father and for the rebellion, makes this the defining moment for Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy.

I think this is part of what made the original trilogy so amazing. It wasn't just the special effects, but the story being told. As much as George Lucas tried to recapture that in the prequel trilogy, he didn't quite get there. It's still a good trilogy in many ways, but it doesn't compare to the original despite looking better visually. By the time Disney got around to the story, the heart and soul of Star Wars was gone. There really was no big moment like this scene on The Death Star with Luke and Vader. Furthermore, the scene at the end of the Disney trilogy serves to almost destroy Vader's sacrifice and gives the ultimate win to The Emperor.

The Importance Of Panozzo Brothers To Styx

I was listening to one of Dennis DeYoung's interviews. One thing about the former lead singer and founding member of the band Styx is that he's charismatic, funny and an entertaining guy to listen to. Despite the fact that he's released two albums in the last two years, you can tell he's very keen on reuniting with Tommy Shaw and James Young for one more tour with the band Styx. 

I think one thing fans of his would like if there is no reunion is for him to play some of his new songs live and change things up a bit. When you understand that he's basically touring for nostalgia's sake, it's obvious that this isn't something that's likely to happen. I'm beginning to wonder if there's a possibility that he could get Chuck Panozzo to appear with him and his band for some shows. I get the feeling that it's possible.

When Dennis talks about the magic created by the classic lineup of the band, he points out the importance of the roles that James and Tommy both played in making the band who they are. One of the stories he tells is how the other band members wanted to continue to tour as Styx after Tommy Shaw walked off of the Kilroy Was Here tour. The other three members were keen on doing it, but Dennis felt Tommy brought something to the band that couldn't be replaced. 

When you listen to his interviews, Dennis talks about the importance of songs, and he definitely doesn't short change the abilities of either Shaw or Young. What he isn't doing is talking about the importance of Chuck Panozzo on base or John Panozzo, who has since passed away, on drums. He talks about how the songwriters are more important members of the bands, and I can understand that. However, the non-songwriters frequently contribute something to the formation of a song, even if they don't get credit. 

When you look at a band like Kansas, for example, it wouldn't exist today without founding drummer Phil Ehart. He was the glue keeping that band together from the moment it was formed, and he's the person who assembled all of the talent to make the band in the first place. Founding guitarist Rich Williams has been there with him the whole time, but these two performers didn't write any of the songs the band is known for. They did contribute something here or there, and the band Kansas simply would not exist if it wasn't for them.

I don't know the dynamics of the band Styx, so I'm not sure how songs were formed and what little contributions were made by people who may not have had writing credits on songs. Did Chuck add a baseline that the writers didn't have in mind? Did John change things up on drums in a way that they hadn't planned? Are there any lyrics that the two might have contributed to a song? I don't know. When they talk about those days, they don't really get into what Chuck or John brought to the band. 

I think it's rather funny that Styx continues the narrative that Chuck Panozzo and John Panozzo formed the band Styx. It's laughable, because it's highly unlikely that we would have heard of either one of those two had Dennis not heard them practicing one day. This is when The Tradewinds were formed, and they were a cover band. Even Dennis wasn't the Dennis that we know today. However, it is fair to say that the band wouldn't exist without John or Chuck. They were the inspiration for DeYoung to pursue the dream of creating a band and making music.

With John and Chuck, Dennis learned about playing gigs and they became better musicians. Dennis learned about crafting good songs. The importance that Chuck and John Panozzo have on the history of Styx is undeniable. This band wouldn't have existed without them. I would also go so far as to say that kicking Dennis out of Styx might not have been possible if not for Chuck voting with James. At that point, Tommy didn't have a say, so Chuck was needed in casting the vote to move ahead without Dennis.

In my opinion, any band that becomes famous is the sum of the whole. Many times, there might only be one chief songwriter who crafts the songs. Sometimes there are two. There may be one lead singer or two. The singer and the songwriter are generally the ones who get all of the credit for the fame a band achieves. In some cases, the lead guitarist will get that love, and oftentimes the bass player and the drummer might not get any credit. People sometimes assume that you can put anybody on base and drums and achieve the same results.

Styx was the sum of all of their parts, and they all were important to the band's success. In the case of this band, it wouldn't have been formed without Chuck and John, and they were there as it evolved, got the record deal and achieved the fame. I count myself among the fans who would like to see a reunion of the classic lineup, but the reality is we will never get a complete reunion. This is because John Panozzo has since passed away. I have a feeling that John may have played a more important role in this band than we've been led to believe, but I'll save that speculation for another time.