Lost in Leningrad: 1985 — Among My First Espionage-Adjacent Moments I was just a kid, lost in a country I barely understood — which, come to think of it, was a lot like being at home, only with more concrete and fewer Tim Hortons. That day in March 1985, I had been wandering the endless halls of the Hermitage Museum, a place so stuffed with fancy paintings and dusty old trinkets that it might have been designed just to make you forget where you were. Somewhere between admiring a portrait of some long-dead noble who looked as bored as I was, I lost track of my group—the other kids, my teacher—all vanished like Soviet transparency. When I finally stumbled outside, blinking against the bleak Leningrad sky, the tour bus was gone. Poof. Like a magician’s rabbit, except the rabbit was me, and the magician was an entire surveillance state apparently too busy to notice. The USSR was famous for spies. Our guide had warned us we were likely trailed by KGB agents disguised as tourists, ...
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Red Carpets and Red Flags: The Rise and Rise of Cancel Culture By Scholx 1970–1975 Terminology: Blacklisting, Shunning, Boycotting (legacy from earlier decades) Context: Political activism and personal views led to unofficial blacklisting or career limits, but no formal “canceling.” Media tightly controlled narratives; no social media or widespread public campaigns. Examples: Jane Fonda — Vietnam War activism backlash (“Hanoi Jane”). Paul Newman — Political activism caused tension but career intact. Marilyn Chambers — Stigma crossing from adult films. Marlon Brando — Political stances caused friction, no career loss. Angela Davis — Controversial political support. Analysis: Boycotting was limited and informal , mostly driven by political blacklisting or social stigma. Public campaigns were rare and slow, with low levels of “canceling” as we know it today. The trend was stable but low , with isolated cases. 1975–1980 Terminology: Public Backlash, Controversy Context: Scandals...